All major decisions are made by a triumvirate of Pozzo, Duxbury and Giraldi. If you sign a SouthAmerican, you can start at ten [thousand pounds] a month.. See all the latest from stars such as Troy Deeney, William Troost-Ekong, Nathaniel Chalobah, Ismala Sarr, Joo Pedro, Ken Sema, Domingos Quina and many more.Youll also be able to find out much more about the history of the club, including legends such as Graham Taylor, Elton John, Luther Blissett and John Barnes. Advertise with us This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. The head coach will say, for example, he wants a winger with pace who can play on both flanks and the scouting team will look for someone who meets those needs. But for a club with Watfords limited resources survival is the primary objective (the bottom three teams each season are relegated). The enshittification of apps is real. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. That is tough to actually deal with and we had to do that and we had to keep a team that was competitive with literally no income that was coming into the football club. After another three seasons with Udineses first team, Sanchez was sold to Barcelona for a reported fee of 23.4m. Our players and coaching staff have gone into the team hotel earlier than scheduled to take away all other distractions and ensure the sole focus hones in on delivering a performance that our supporters can be proud of this afternoon. They watch matches, then attempt to decipher which players have what it takes. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. To find out what Watford do differently, I travelled to their training ground just off the northern edge of the M25 motorway, Londons ring road. Picture: Holly Cant. Talk of buying Watford began around six months ago and negotiations started in March. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. Yet few made the big time. I have to try to offer the best performance we have and to get better results.. History If thats playing for Real Madrid orParis Saint-Germain, thats mutually compatible with our ambition because we will improve as a football club, they will improve as a player, and the merry-go-round will continue.. Scott Duxbury in 2021. They feel it in their bones, he says in a recent YouTube video series on the art of scouting. The suggestion that Watford is a London club is something of a touchy subject with a lot of supporters, considering the side are based in Hertfordshire, but the link with the capital was a huge positive for the Pozzos. In the three seasons since promotion, Watford have secured 12 victories on one occasion and 11 wins in the other two. His time at Upton Park was controversial though, with the club fined 30m because of the Carlos Tevez affair, and he left in 2010 when David Gold and David Sullivan took over. How the biggest companies plan mass lay-offs, The benefits of revealing neurodiversity in the workplace, Tim Peake: I do not see us having a problem getting to Mars, Michelle Yeoh: Finally we are being seen, Our ski trip made me question my life choices, Apocalypse then: lessons from history in tackling climate shocks, How data analysis helps football clubs make better signings. MX23RW : Tuesday, February 14 23:28:01| >> :600:110613:110613: Arsenal . The calendar adjusts to your time zone and will automatically update throughout the season, so you'll never miss a match! The ability to make such speedy decisions stems from extensive planning. That is why he chose Watford. Also arrived with Muoz in December 2020, having worked with him at Dinamo Tbilisi. For primary use with Football Manager 2021. The only thing at this time that remains in our gift is to work and to work harder. But once we make a plan, we share it. Here he explains why - along with Ajax's Head of Sport Science and Data Vosse de Boode. It must be on Watford's terms, too, as they showed when they held out until Everton paid . He worked with former Manchester United director Maurice Watkins at James Chapman and Co and was seconded to the Red Devils. Of course, no one is perfect and Watford have made mistakes. Won 44 caps for Croatia and played for clubs including Everton and West Ham. Training Ground Guru In a chaotic campaign, the club had four different managers. As a result, Colomer was recruited by the state of Qatar in 2007 to help to establish a programme called Football Dreams for the Doha-based Aspire Academy. The government has made that clear and the culture secretary Oliver Dowden enforced that . In acknowledging the continuing uncertainties around households financial commitments, we believe to provide a discount of at least seven per cent shows our recognition of loyal support across this and many previous seasons. Worked for Newcastle for five years before a four-month stint at Everton in 2021/22. As we chat, ravenous players filter in following a training session. Click HERE to sync your online/mobile calendar with all the club's 2021/22 fixtures. Goalkeeper Ben Foster cost 3.5m and Jose Holebas 2.5m. Increasingly, however, emerging English prospects, who can potentially earn higher salaries elsewhere, are also seeing the benefit. It never stops, says Duxbury. Watford have been criticised for their propensity to fire managers. Watford chief executive Scott Duxbury reveals that the Hornets will sign more new players during the January transfer window. However, he was also sacked with just two matches remaining, with under-23s boss Hayden Mullins put in charge, but back-to-back defeats condemned the Hornets to the Championship next season. If you didnt have that speed of decision-making, he wouldnt be here now.. In Pozzos six years of ownership, the club have hired nine head coaches. In the past, dictatorial managers such as Manchester Uniteds Sir Alex Ferguson or ArsenalsArsne Wenger, controlled most aspects of a clubs operations, including transfers. Watford employ 12 senior scouts who travel the world, as well as a wider network of junior scouts, consultants and coaches, who live in different countries and provide recommendations. A Gannett Company. Pen pics of Watford's coaching, science, medicine and analytics staff. One of their former coaches, Manuel Sanchez, tells us why the sport is part of the football fabric there. A larger scouting network is able to cover more ground. Theyre there at the birth of the dream.. Scott Duxbury, Watford FC Chairman, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Stake as our principal shirt sponsor ahead of the 2021/2022 season. Watford chairman and CEO Scott Duxbury has described the club's promotion to the Premier League as the biggest achievement in his career. Duxbury calls them absolute nonsense. Premier League champions Manchester City have created a database of 300,000 players, with the club identifying just three targets in each position they consider the best in the world. Their greatest finds include Chilean striker Alexis Snchez, who has gone on to play for European superpowers such as Barcelona, Arsenal and Manchester United. "And there weremoments where the family was a little bit against us. Not any more. On Monday, Pozzo and Duxbury added: "Every club wants to be playing at the highest possible level. Has one Premier League football club cracked the system for trading talent? well take a risk. It is the breadth of Watfords scouts and contacts that allows them to utilise the market so well and find value where others cannot. Scott Duxbury Watford You might like Man City charged with breaking financial rules and may face points deduction or expulsion Man City not guaranteed EFL place if relegated, Pochettino to. "That is not to detract from mistakes that were made surrounding the team this season. Scott Duxbury speaking after Watford were promoted to the Premier League. Well send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Life & Arts news every morning. The move to acquire clubs has given the Pozzos operation greater scale. . "Watford don't have managers, the owner totally runs the club.". He has seen it at Udinese and he has seen it at Granada. Players leaving doesnt concern me, he told talkSPORT. Everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment. Only then can they benefit from a share of the Premier Leagues broadcasting contracts, worth a combined 8bn. Given the clubs faith in their scouting network, they are not fearful of players leaving and as such they can be upfront to them when they join. Each email has a link to unsubscribe. Recruitment is, in many ways, a bit of a lottery, he says. If we simply replicate what the bigger clubs are doing, were going to fail, because we dont have their resources, says Duxbury. Born on 1st March 1972. To receive exclusive content every month and other great benefits sign up to our monthly eNewsletter. We dont want a guy from Watford and one from Udinese watching the same game, that would be stupid.. Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. Watford can now afford the price tags attached to better-known players. The close relationships with the local community in all its forms and the investment in club infrastructure will continue with purpose and enthusiasm. Role: Chairperson. If we need their support with scouting networks, players and commercial know-how, then they are very much there for us in a supporting function, rather than interfering in the day-to-day running of the club. Others follow a similar method. Earlier that day, Watford had lost 4-0 to English Premier League rivals Bournemouth on a dismal, drizzly day at their home ground of Vicarage Road. Most, however, are obsessive freelancers who travel thousands of miles a season, are paid little more than 40 pence a mile for petrol, and are sustained by a diet of bacon sandwiches. Qualified as a lawyer and worked in that capacity for West Ham before becoming their chief executive. If he leaves, he can be replaced and the whole system does not fall apart. Omar Chaudhuri, an executive at 21st Club, a football consultancy, says the best way to judge whether a transfer is a success is the amount of time a new signing actually appears on the pitch. Watford often acquire players who do not satisfy these immigration rules but loan them to Udinese or other teams to build the experience needed to gain a work permit. Watford chairman Scott Duxbury says at least six of the 20 English Premier League clubs are concerned about the plan to use neutral stadiums to finish the season. The company made a turnover of $297 billion in 2011. Privacy Policy & Cookies, 2023 Training Ground Guru. This will be an extremely exciting campaign for the club . Please report any comments that break our rules. He has a history of doing this. Football is a machine that grinds the dreams of thousands of boys. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Having sold Granada two years ago, the Pozzos are considering the purchase of a lower-league Spanish club to build their network once again. Watford FC Chairman & CEO Scott Duxbury shares his thoughts ahead of this afternoon's Premier League clash with Leeds United. NewsNow: Scott Duxbury news | Breaking News & Search 24/7 Scott Duxbury Sport Football Championship Watford Latest News In the last month Tribute: Oliver Phillips (1941-2023) Watford FC - Official Site 17:07 2-Feb-23 view more headlines 2 Feb 17:07 Get the latest transfer news and rumours from the world of football Don't miss a move! The club have 100 potential contracts already drawn up should the opportunity to sign a targeted player arise. The lucky few are on a salary but live in perennial fear of the sack, frequently turfed out along with a teams manager when results go south. I want them to achieve the best that they could possibly do in their career. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website, Here's How Drew Barrymore Made Her $125 Million Fortune, Kim Kardashians $150 Million Private Jet Has Strict Rules, Travis Barker Releases New CBD Skincare, But Its Causing Controversy, Moving To Canada? How to get into football - the most popular sport in the world, with clubs and facilities throughout the UK. A subsequent EFL inquiry found that the owner was unaware of the document and the club had not gained a competitive advantage. Data profile of Scott Duxbury who is contracted to Watford. "Watford have never built with a manger, you would not put a family photo on your desk or buy a house in the area. For me personally, its more trying to improve as a player by getting the experience that I need to get and hopefully go on to bigger things. Chalobah was recently called up by the England national team. Foreign imports, says Giraldi, offer better value for money: If you want to be economically efficient, [buy players in] South America. Ultimately, the Premier League is where Duxbury and the rest of the Watford's hierarchy believe the club ought to be. Watford FC Chairman & CEO Scott Duxbury shares his thoughts ahead of Saturdays Premier League clash with Burnley We are very proud of this football club. But what if Watford simply underpay their players relative to their true worth? Suggested targets are whittled down to two or three and presented to Duxbury, Giraldi and Pozzo, who are based at the clubs training ground. Until a remarkable climb up the league in the late 1970s, they had spent most of their history in English footballs lower divisions. . In 2006, Udinese signed a 17-year-old Alexis Snchez for 2.7m from Chilean club Cobreloa but immediately loaned him to other South American sides. Duxbury has spent most of his adult life involved in football after qualifying as a lawyer. Was a teacher in Mlaga before moving into coaching and performance analysis in 2005. We are very proud of this football club. Their regular defence this season, for example, cost around 6million, with Kiko Femenia, Craig Cathcart and Adrian Mariappa all signed for free. Captain Troy Deeney said he does not know if he has played his last game for the club. Knows Watford owners the Pozzos from his three-year spell as Sporting Director of their other club, Udinese. There is a long list of top footballers who have emerged through Udineses ranks, including Colombias Juan Cuadrado, Moroccos Medhi Benatia and Slovenias Samir Handanovi. A couple of seasons later he was a battle-hardened attacker ready to play in Italy. We had the worldwide pandemic, we had no fans here. "There was moments where we weren't perhaps achieving what we thought we would do and people were turning against us, and the fans were turning against us, but we believed in what we were doing. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. . And only just. "Relegation'stough as it is, but when you have a worldwide pandemic, you have the Coronavirus, it nearly brought the club to its knees and to be able to navigate through that, and come back and be back in the Premier League, it's everything. Joined Watford in December 2022. Russian far-right fighter claims border stunt exposes Putins weakness, Germany seeks to buy Leopard tanks from Switzerland, Germany and Italy stall EU ban on combustion engines, Ukraine asks EU for 250,000 artillery shells a month, Russia on alert after reconnaissance group crosses over from Ukraine, Panic station at Fox News: how the Murdochs agonised over Trumps loss, Saudi owner of Londons most expensive house sued over alleged unpaid private jet bills, UK cabbage king turns to plant-based proteins, UK housing market braced for make-or-break spring, Airlines plan to sue Dutch government over Schiphol airport flight cap, There are no domestic equity investors: why companies are fleeing Londons stock market, Live news updates from March 3: Amazon pauses HQ2 construction, UK regulators launch LME probe, Deluge of inflation data pushes US borrowing costs to 2007 levels, FCA regulator blamed for Arms decision to shun London listing, Clutching Warrens letter, Im still positive on stocks, Joe Biden teaches the EU a lesson or two on big state dirigisme. To what end? The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. Comments have been closed on this article. They employ scouts who watch players before the board convene every three months or so to be updated. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Since their most recent promotion to the Premier League in 2015, they have, on average, acquired and sold more players than any other side in Englands top division. Scott Duxbury, Watford FC chairman and chief executive, wrote an opinion piece in The Times of London whose headline lamented the "devastating effects" of a plan to play the season's final . You can opt-out at any time by signing in to your account to manage your preferences. Scouts deliver their reports directly to the ruling trio rather than through other layers of management. Then, Pozzo, Giraldi and Duxbury draw up lists of around four desirable players in each position, as well as tallies of younger targets that could eventually graduate into the side. He is the managing director of Vitol, a Geneva-based oil trading company. Watford get a good fee, the player gets his move and the system kicks into life again. . To see staff profiles for other clubs, click here. If you look at the world in front of you, there is somewhere a better player than [the one] you are chasing., The same approach applies to managers. But no club in the Pozzo family stable has been relegated for more than 20 years. A row of small buildings contains offices, a canteen, a gym and changing facilities, with windows that look out on to a handful of carefully manicured pitches and the Hertfordshire hills in the distance. But other variables, such as the ability to control a ball under pressure, are near impossible to assess empirically. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. Team Focus: Watford Formed: 1881 Stadium: Vicarage Road Stadium (21,000) Captain: Tom Cleverley Chairman: Scott Duxbury Manager: Slaven Bili Competitions: Championship position 3 On Monday, Pozzo and Duxbury added: "Every club wants to be playing at the highest possible level. Analysis and opinion from our chief football writer. Watford FC Chairman & CEO Scott Duxbury shares his thoughts ahead of this afternoons Premier League clash with Leeds United Late last week, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting a small group of fans to begin a longer-term and wide-ranging process of discussions under the banner of a newly-constituted Fans Committee. To keep up with their peers, Watford are increasing their spending on acquisitions. The multi-platinum selling singer is Watford's honorary life president and was chairman during their rise from the old Fourth Division to the top flight during the 1970s and early 80s. Two-thirds of those awarded a professional contract at the age of 18 abandon the sport by 21. In response, the English Football League (EFL), the body that regulates professional divisions below the Premier League, changed its rules so that clubs could no longer benefit from a huge influx of foreign loanees. For a young player, being at a big club, if youre just sat there and not playing, not getting the opportunity, youre not showcasing your talent, says Nathaniel Chalobah, a 23-year-old midfielder who joined the club last year from Chelsea, one of Englands richest and most successful clubs. Although supporter engagement of this kind has been a while in the making during this season, we feel last weeks meeting constituted a really positive first step in better opening up structured and long-lasting lines of two-way communication. He had been bought just a season earlier for 11.5m from Brazils Fluminense but Duxbury says he was actually the clubs second choice for a new attacking player. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. HP10 9TY. Read our, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. cookies Editors' Code of Practice. If we think a players good enough, we will sign him regardless, says Duxbury. [Its about] getting the experience I need to hopefully go on to bigger things. We dont want that disruption when a coach leaves a football club., Those who take the seat in Watfords dugout understand their task is to work with the players they are given. The plan now is to establish the Hornets in the top flight once again and grow from there. Saturday May 09 2020, 12.01am, The Times. That is what we are all working towards.. But they also know most players found by scouts will not succeed. Fosters not consistent. Watford have also had their share of regulatory problems. Subscribe toFT Life on YouTube for the latest FT Weekend videos. Scouts deploy no fixed tests. Duxbury has spent most of his adult life involved in football after qualifying as a lawyer. Duxbury recalls: I said to Filippo, Is he any good? [Giraldi] went, Yes, hes phenomenal, Scott, but its got to be a joke, how on earth can we do this?, I phone West Ham. By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. Its values, its sense of belonging, and its wish to inspire those in the local community. It is quite reassuring for me, and it should be for the Watford fans, that he knows the template for success. "We came here eight years ago, we are now an established Premier League football club and that's where we belong.". Only one has to make the big time to achieve huge returns. A handful were selected for training at Aspires state-of-the-art facilities. Scott Duxbury sets out #watfordfc's position on Project Restart. A powerful documentary marks the first anniversary of the Ukraine war through five people's diaries, Celebrate the American rapper, Megan Thee Stallion, with an epic mix of tunes and chats, In a long, hot, post-exam summer friends are seduced by a powerful app, Watford's five-year top-flight stay ended after a. owner Gino Pozzo and chief executive Scott Duxbury expressed "great disappointment". Hes got a year left of his contract. A greater windfall is possible. While the club has sought to extend invites to a broad church of the supporter base, everyone can have a voice whether representing a group or individually by contacting the Supporter Liaison Team via supporters@watfordfc.com. If we just simply replicate what the bigger clubs are doing, were going to fail, because we dont have their resources. The Pozzos are the clubs owners and son Gino will be the one who is more involved than his father Gianpaolo. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations. Enter your password to log in. They leave the management to myself, Gian Luca and Gianfranco, but we know they are always there if we need help and support.. For primary use with Football Manager 2021. It is most certainly not a closed shop or invite only. "There will be lessons learned and changes made but, from today, we move forward. In a joint statement,external-link owner Gino Pozzo and chief executive Scott Duxbury expressed "great disappointment". Still, the longer they stay in the Premier League, the richer the club get. A few weeks ago, SirElton John, international pop star, sent a message to Scott Duxbury, chief executive of Watford football club. . Yet a better way to understand how the club play the transfer market is to look at their wage bill the fifth lowest in the division. It is when players dont leave, thats the issue.. Worked for Tottenham for three-and-a-half years, latterly as Head of Academy Analysis, before joining Watford in June 2021. F ootball is coming back.