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da bet nacional： Back in 2012, Watford were taken over by the wealthy Pozzo family. What’s occurred since has been a roller coaster of a ride for the Hornets.
From a failed promotion campaign to a stint in the Premier League, the club is now on the verge of FA Cup glory.
This weekend, the Hertfordshire side will make the short journey south to Wembley. It’ll be their first appearance in an FA Cup final for over 30 years.
The club has clearly come a long way since.
But it’s not just matters on the pitch that have been boosted. The environment and atmosphere surrounding the club has improved too, and opinions on Watford from supporters elsewhere has also risen in stock.
This is largely thanks to Javi Gracia. The Spanish manager has done a phenomenal job, doing what no other Watford boss has done since the Pozzo’s arrived: achieve stability and long-term success.
The Hornets have gone through nine managers in seven years, Gracia is just the second to clear a half-century of games. Symbolically, the other was Gianfranco Zola, the man who started the Pozzo’s revolution.
Zola’s first season saw the club score 85 goals, it also saw that classic ‘Hogg-Deeney’ moment against Leicester in the play-off semi-final. But despite all that, the club failed to go up.
Before that campaign, Watford were easy to dismiss. However, the Pozzo’s influence eradicated that. Along came ten Udinese players, all signed on loan as a wave of hostility towards the club began.
Watford’s new owners had ties with the Italian club and Granada, two teams they’d also stabilised. However, it provoked a feeling of hatred. With Twitter still relatively in its infancy, individuals were quick to jump on the bandwagon, slamming the way the club operated.
This was a key theme from the Pozzo’s early days at Watford. They were ridiculed, as the club was predominantly made up of players not even belonging to them.
Almen Abdi and Matej Vydra were chief suspects, playing hugely influential roles in the club’s early success. The latter was vital, striking up a fine partnership with Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney in the year Watford achieved promotion.
Whether or not you agree with how the club went about doing things, you can’t argue it didn’t work.
But those admissions have now essentially been forgotten about. No longer are fans calling Watford a B team. Rather ironically, it’s Udinese now benefiting. In January, Stefano Okaka, Marvin Zeegelaar and Ben Wilmot all joined them on loan. It’s funny how times change.
Watford are now at the top of the Pozzo’s thoughts. Udinese finished 16th in Serie A, Granada spent the season in the Segunda Division.
But those two teams aren’t the story here, Watford are. Ahead of their first major cup final since 1984 they have a list of people to thank.
Not least Gracia who has them playing an entertaining brand of football supporters would only have dreamt of before 2012.
Slavisa Jokanovic also deserves praise for getting the club promoted. Yet, in typical Watford fashion, he wasn’t to last.
Initially, it looked as though the policy to change managers on a regular basis was vindicated. After all, it kept them in the Premier League. Quique Sanchez Flores and Walter Mazarri’s methods weren’t always easy to agree with but they ensured survival.
The Pozzo’s best appointment was arguably last season. It wasn’t Gracia, but instead, it was Marco Silva. He took their football to the next level and with players like Richarlison and Ricardo Pereyra brought a style that had never been associated with the club.
Silva’s replacement then took over the mantle to devastating effect
Are Watford the most likely club to break the top 6 next season? The fans in the video below certainly agree the ‘W’ part of that statement is correct…
The thought is now no longer about being Udinese B’s team and that’s been significantly aided by Gracia.
Watford has never been a club to rave about but the last seven years have been fascinating to watch. Should they beat Manchester City on Saturday, it’ll be up there as one of the greatest achievements in their history.
For a team who were once so reliant on players from other clubs, it would be quite the story.