Watford FC may be searching for new manager soon as fresh Javi Gracia claim emerges | OneFootball

Javi Gracia has claimed that he won't be coaching for too much longer following his return to Watford the other month

Watford manager Javi Gracia has dropped a fresh bombshell that he doesn't see himself in management for too much longer, having returned to the Hornets as head coach in October.

In typical Watford fashion, they are on their second manager of the season, having not reached the halfway point in the 2025/26 campaign.

The Hornets have become renowned for their willingness to sack and appoint managers at the first sign of trouble. The appointment of Uruguayan head coach Paulo Pezzolano in the summer didn't last long at all, specifically ten games in charge with just three wins.

Watford then moved to re-appoint Spanish head coach Javi Gracia, who was the club's longest-serving head coach since Malky Mackay in 2011, having managed 66 matches for the Hornets between January 2018 and September 2019.

However, following his return, Gracia recently told Marca in an interview that he doesn't see himself coaching for too much longer, which won't come as welcome news for supporters of the club.

Javi Gracia makes fresh claim following Watford re-appointment

Indeed, the way Watford gets through head coaches and managers, it's hardly surprising that Gracia doesn't expect to be at Vicarage Road in the long-term.

In his interview, when asked about a possible return to management in Spain in the future, Gracia said, "I always say that I like to be respectful of the people who are at the clubs. I hope they stay for many years because it’s a good sign. In the future, you never know what might happen.

"I don’t know how long my career will last. I don’t think it will be much longer; I see myself enjoying family and friends from a different perspective. It’s a job I really enjoy. It’s my passion, but it’s very draining, and I have to give up a lot of things. I can’t find that balance, and I’m very involved when I’m coaching. I won’t be coaching for much longer."

Still only 55-years-old, which remains relatively young for a manager, Gracia has been in management since 2004, where he started as a youth coach at Villarreal, and his journey in management has spanned over 20 years in countries such as Greece, Russia, and Qatar, as well as England and Spain, of course.

The Spaniard is one of the most fondly remembered managers by Watford fans over the years, having had 17 different permanent head coaches since Sean Dyche in 2012. Gracia led the Hornets to an FA Cup final in 2019, where they lost out to Manchester City.

Gracia's return has been fairly underwhelming thus far, winning four, drawing five and losing three of his opening 12 games, and face Mark Robins' Stoke City in their next outing at the weekend, where they will hope to return to winning ways after just one win in their last five.

Watford may once again be on the hunt for a new manager before too long, following Javi Gracia's claim

It would be a surprise to see Watford caught off guard by the news of a managerial departure, with the club notorious for having a pipeline of options ready to take the reins at Vicarage Road at a moment's notice.

With Gracia's claim that he doesn't expect to be in management for too much longer, this doesn't necessarily mean that he will merely just walk away from the club anytime soon.

In complete transparency, it's much more likely that he will be relieved of his duties by the club at some stage rather than walk away, as has been the case with almost every manager before and after him.

As to who may be next in the Watford dugout is anyone's guess, but for the time being, Gracia doesn't look like he will be walking away, but has confirmed that his long-term future almost certainly doesn't lie in Hertfordshire.

The Hornets, like many teams in the division this year, will harness ambitions of a Premier League return this season, and under Gracia, supporters will be hoping that the Spaniard can go one better than his FA Cup final in 2019 and lead them back to the promised land.