"In my opinion" - Carlton Palmer reacts to Watford revelation involving Emmanuel Dennis | OneFootball

Highlights

The latest era at Watford under Valerien Ismael isn't going to plan as he would have hoped in the first few months of the Frenchman's job as head coach at Vicarage Road.

The Hornets were tipped to be one of the favourites to be promoted from the Championship at the first time of asking once more in 2022/23, yet they failed to even make the play-offs.

They went through three managers int he process in true Gino Pozzo form in the form of Rob Edwards, Slaven Bilic, and Chris Wilder.

Although, Pozzo went in a different direction this summer as he decided to bring Ismael back to England following previous spells with Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion.

So far his Watford are struggling after 11 Championship matches, the Hertfordshire outfit find themselves in 20th position, just two points above the drop zone.

Folowing the poor start to the season, it was a surprise to see Ismael rewarded with a new contract recently, and it is clear to see that the 48-year-old has pretty much complete control over all aspects of the first-team at Watford.

That includes transfers after the services of technical director Ben Manga were recently no longer required and Watford were presented with a chance to sign former forward Emmanuel Dennis again this summer, it has been revealed.

Just a few months after selling the Nigerian forward to Nottingham Forest last year, it was revealed by The Sun that they were trying to do a deal to send Dennis back to Vicarage Road as he could not play for another club in Europe due to appearing for two teams already in that season.

Dennis eventually signed for Istanbul Basaksehir of the Turkish Super Lig last month on loan, but there was the opportunity for a return to Vicarage Road on the table; however, it was turned down by Ismael.

He scored 10 goals and provided six assists in 37 games for the Hornets in all competitions during their stay in the Premier League but Ismael did not want him for the 2023/24 Championship season.

“His name came on my desk, but I said no. Simple as that,” Ismael told the Watford Observer bluntly about the possibility of re-signing the 25-year-old over the summer.

Carlton Palmer feels as though the Hornets made the right decision in the end, as the wages for Dennis would not have justified the likely goal return.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, he said:"Ismael has revealed he turned down the chance to sign former player Emmanuel Dennis this summer.

"I honestly don't think this was a mistake for Watford. He's not been that prolific in his career.

"Yes, he had that one season where he scored 10 goals and earnt that move to Nottingham Forest, but that has been his best tally in his whole career to date. "You would have to bring him back on a big salary, and unless he guaranteed 20 goals it would be a huge mistake.

"In my opinion, it is the right call by Val."

What is the verdict on Emmanuel Dennis to Watford?

It's a difficult one, because he has the quality to be one of Watford's better players on paper. However, his wages would likely have been problematic, as Palmer alludes to.

Then again, scoring 10 goals in the top-flight would likely have translated well to the second tier and Watford know what he's about.