3 managers Watford FC must consider after Ed Still sack news ft Marti Cifuentes | OneFootball

The Hornets are expected to have a new man in the dugout next season.

As is customary at Watford, it has been a season of managerial changes, with four names in the hottest of hot seats this term.

The campaign began with Paulo Pezzolano at the helm until October, with Javi Gracia and caretaker boss Charlie Daniels following before Ed Still took charge in February.

However, despite notching two wins in his first four games, Still has only managed one since, meaning that the Hornets have plummeted down the table and now occupy 16th position.

While they are not at risk of relegation, the season promised so much, and with many tipping them for promotion at the start of the campaign, it has all unravelled rather catastrophically.

Watford were demolished 5-1 by promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough yesterday afternoon, and now it has been reported that Still is expected to leave Vicarage Road after their final game of the season.

Here, we take a look at the three individuals they could look to appoint as a permanent Still successor.

Tony Mowbray

They do not come much more experienced in the Championship than Tony Mowbray, who has managed seven second-tier clubs, including Sunderland, West Brom and Boro.

The 62-year-old took leave from the game as he battled ill health, with him returning to The Hawthorns for a short, uninspiring spell last year.

However, given his record before his return to the Baggies and how far they have fallen since, Mowbray just might be the man Watford need right now to provide some much-needed stability.

The former Birmingham City boss is a terrific man-manager and likes his players to express themselves on the pitch, which is why he was so successful at the Stadium of Light, leading the Black Cats to an unlikely play-off campaign in 2022.

Given that the Hornets have a relatively low average squad age, he may just be the perfect fit at Vicarage Road right now, while he is hungry to return to the dugout.

Marti Cifuentes

Marti Cifuentes has experienced a mixed time in English football, having taken charge of Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City, but the Spaniard still has something to prove in the Championship.

The 43-year-old favours a modern, progressive style of play, focused on high pressing and stretching the pitch, and this could be something that sways the board when making their final decision.

During his time at QPR, there was substantial hype around the former Hammarby head coach, but when he was given the job at the King Power Stadium, many questioned whether he was the right fit.

Of course, it is obvious that his time in the East Midlands did not go to plan, but given what has transpired at the club since, his status should not have taken too much of a beating.

His record with the Hoops and the Foxes is almost identical in terms of points per match, having taken 1.33 with QPR and 1.32 with Leicester.

Jon Dahl Tomasson

Jon Dahl Tomasson has been out of management since he was sacked by Sweden last October, but given his record with Blackburn Rovers, Watford may be eyeing up his services this summer.

The Dane enjoyed an encouraging first campaign at Ewood Park, leading them to a seventh-placed finish in the 2022-23 season, narrowly missing out on the play-offs by goal difference.

Naturally, his doubters will point to his second term at Ewood Park when he left the club by mutual consent, with them languishing in 19th position.

Before Still was appointed as Hornets head coach, Tomasson featured heavily in the betting markets, suggesting that he would be a genuine contender for the position once again.

His style of play is something that would surely appeal to the decision makers at Vicarage Road, as he is known for favouring an aggressive, high-energy and high-pressing approach.

For the potential candidates, they know how decisive Watford can be when it comes to hiring and firing, but if they back themselves and land a play-off charge next term, then they will be onto a winner.