Watford sack Pezzolano after 10 games in charge having been appointed in May and has Watford 11th in the table.
Watford sack Pezzolano after 10 games and bring back Gracia as manager.
After just five months and ten games in charge, Watford fired manager Paulo Pezzolano, and Javi Gracia, the team’s former manager, was confirmed as his replacement.
Pezzolano, who was hired in May to succeed Tom Cleverley, and his technical team were reportedly instructed not to attend training on Wednesday after rumours that he was leaving started to circulate on Tuesday.
At a meeting called by the Uruguayan, he was named the eleventh manager Watford has let go of since the beginning of 2020.
“We are very pleased to welcome back Javi,” the Watford chairman and chief executive, Scott Duxbury, said. “His passion, leadership and clear strategy will help us build stability, unity and momentum.
“We are sure there are many supporters who wished Javi had never departed in 2019. With this young and exciting squad we are convinced his experience and qualities are exactly what we need now.”
For just the second time in Watford’s history, Gracia led the team to the FA Cup final in 2019. However, he was fired a few games into the next season and managed Leeds for the final time in 2023.
“For me, the feeling I have in this moment is that I’m going back home. It was the happiest time of my career,” Gracia said. “I have very good memories and we have unfinished business here. For us it’s another important step in our career.
“It is something special for us, and at the same time we are very ambitious for this season. If we are together, we are stronger.”
Despite their victory over Oxford at Vicarage Road on Saturday, which moved them up to 11th place in the Championship following a sluggish start that saw them earn just five points from the first six games, Pezzolano was fired.
After leading Watford to a three-game winning streak, which includes a home victory against Hull and a draw at Portsmouth, the Uruguayan is reportedly devastated by the decision to fire him. This puts Watford three points outside of the playoff spots.