Troy Deeney makes claim on what he's heard about Paulo Pezzolano at Watford - Javi Gracia won't have the same problems | OneFootball

The Hornets are set to make yet another change in the dugout

Former Watford striker and captain Troy Deeney has issued a brutally contrasting verdict on both Paulo Pezzolano and Javi Gracia, with the Hornets expected to make yet another managerial switch.

The Hertfordshire side have become synonymous with making constant changes in the dugout, with Pezzolano only taking the reins in June following the dismissal of current Plymouth Argyle boss, Tom Cleverley, at the end of last season's Championship campaign.

The Uruguayan had got off to an extremely sluggish start at Vicarage Road despite seeing a major squad overhaul with impressive performers such as Nestory Irankunda joining the club from German giants and Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich.

Yet, whilst the 42-year-old has recently turned the tide with two wins and a draw in the past three second tier encounters - a run which has shot the Yellows up to 11th in the table heading into the October international break - he is set to become the latest managerial casualty in Hertfordshire.

Amid reports from Sky Sports of his expected sacking ahead of 'crunch talks' with the hierarchy, it was claimed that the Pozzo family's number one target to replace Pezzolano is ex-Watford boss, Javi Gracia, who oversaw matters at the club between January 2018 and September 2019, before he was replaced by Quique Sanchez Flores, who then embarked on his second spell at the club within a matter of years.

Unsurprisingly, having played under the Spaniard, Deeney has been able to issue a verdict on what the Hornets' current crop of players are to expect should he take over imminently, whilst also not holding back in his assessment of Pezzolano, whose tenure is set to last 10 competitive matches.

Pezzolano was the latest man instilled in the Hornets hotseat back in May, with the club identifying similarities in his managerial style to that of Gracia, as well as former promotion winners at the club in Slavisa Jokanovic and Xisco Munoz.

Although no decision is yet to be confirmed, after just nine Championship matches in charge, in which Pezzolano has yielded a win percentage of 30%, he is set to be replaced by Gracia, whose last managerial job came at Leeds United between February and May 2023 in chaotic circumstances at Elland Road, who replaced the Pamplona native with Sam Allardyce just weeks before their relegation to the second tier was confirmed.

Recently, despite coming from behind to earn a 2-1 victory against Hull City on home turf, a social media post from Watford's official club channels regarding Pezzolano's post-match speech massively divided opinion due to his persona and body language towards those on the pitch.

As such, Deeney, who scored 140 times in 419 appearances for the club, isn't surprised by the pending decision, claiming that the Hornets boss had lost the dressing room.

"This is probably breaking confidences a little bit but I know he has fallen out with everybody," he said via the Watford Observer.

"When you fall out with everybody, you haven’t got someone there holding the ship together. Going at players, falling out with fans, it's never going to work.

"We already know this ownership is not afraid to pull the trigger. Unfortunately for him it didn’t work," Deeney added.

"I actually feel sorry for the players at this moment in time. There's no real sense of direction," the pundit stated.

"There's no real system, they’ve changed system four times already this season, there's no continuous team."

However, he believes that is a stark contrast to the style implemented by Gracia, who guided the club to the 2019 FA Cup final before being sacked months later after a poor start to the Premier League campaign.

"It was probably our most talented squad when he was sacked but we had a bit of a hangover from the year before," Deeney admitted.

"He's a great guy and a great coach. He's very good with man-management and understands people really well.

"If it's the same coaching staff, they all complemented each other really well," he claimed.

"For us, he was great and it worked. But then again, they say 'never go back', don't they?

"Let's see. I hope it works."

Watford FC need stability amid pending managerial change

This would represent a 22nd managerial change of the Pozzo era at Vicarage Road, which showcases a lack of long-term planning and stability - two of the hallmarks required if a club is to become successful.

As Deeney alluded to, in a plethora of encounters thus far, Pezzolano failed to stick to one way of playing which has clearly impacted results, but with a mis-mash of an overall squad due to players being brought to the club by several previous managers and head coaches, it isn't a guarantee that replacing the Uruguayan with Gracia will bring instant results and success.

After selling Serie A club, Udinese, Pozzo admitted that his main focus would be on progressing Watford back to their previous position, and whilst that aim very much remains the same, so does the club's somewhat baffling ruthless streak when it comes to hiring and firing those in the dugout.

However, it is clear that Gracia will already have the backing of supporters given his prior exploits, and the 55-year-old will certainly hope to last way longer at the helm than plenty of his predecessors.