‘It’s the most unstable team in England’ – Paulo Pezzolano speaks on his time at Watford

‘It’s the most unstable team in England’ – Paulo Pezzolano speaks on his time at Watford, sacked after just 10 games in charge.

The 42 year old, was appointed back in May, with the Hornets overhauling the squad with 13 new additions over the summer after last season’s 14th-place finish under Cleverley in the Championship.

After a poor start to the 2025/26 season, they had shown signs of improvement, picking seven points from their past three games, climbing up to 11th.

He felt the team was improving and on an upward trajectory, acknowledged he ignored that chaotic history when he took the job, and admitted he accepted the Watford position more with his heart than his head because of the excitement managing in the Championship.”

Paulo Pezzolano: “Our departure wasn’t an issue of results but Watford is a very unstable club.”

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Interviewer: “So, how would you describe your year? Because you had high expectations for Watford, you took over there in July of this season. They officially announced it in May with the presentation. You prepared, you studied, not only the language, but also the competition, the players.

“There were high expectations, and yet, officially, the cycle lasted nine games. Looking back now, with the passage of time, there’s certainly been some healing to do because you have high expectations. What exactly happened?”

Paulo Pezzolano: “Well, look, the year was very good for me. Having arrived in this league, which isn’t easy to get into and succeed in. Sometimes you don’t just want to arrive, you want to succeed everywhere you go. But well, it was a short stay, we had four or five months.

“The truth is, it was very good, very good in every sense. It wasn’t about results or anything like that, the team was improving and everything. But well, it’s a club whose history, from what I’ve seen before, changes a lot with each manager.

“In its last five years, Watford has had 13 managers. It’s the most unstable team in England, in both the second and first divisions. Sometimes we think we can change that because we’re enthusiastic, we’re eager, we believe in what we’re doing, but well, that history sometimes leaves its mark, and we soon found ourselves in a short-lived situation. So, I’m happy with the team, we’re evolving and all.”

Interviewer: “And regarding the competition, what was your assessment? What was it like managing in the Championship? What kind of tactical challenges did you face? What solutions did you find? Were you able to instill a clear vision of your approach in the team during that time? What was it like, when you encounter different budgets, where there’s a real gap, how did you adapt to that?”

Paulo: “Yes, it was very good. Look, it’s a super physical league, right? The players are truly beasts—powerful, strong, fast. It was really exciting, with lots of duels and transitions.

“But we were improving tactically. What you see is one thing, but what you’re actually adapting with your players is another. And we were doing really well, and in the end, the team played exceptionally well, and we were clearly on the rise. The only Championship here in England, well, Bielsa has been there, and so have other great coaches. It’s not just one of the top ten leagues in the world, but one of the top five or six. Financially, the players, the atmosphere, the passion of the fans in the stadiums here in England is unique, spectacular, different, and the respect for the coach and the players is unparalleled. It was a wonderful experience, and we would have loved to stay much longer, without a doubt, but things happen for a reason. We have to look ahead and embrace the next challenge.

“So, the truth is, tactically, each league has its own strengths. We had the Spanish league, which is more positional, and here we had the English league, a more physical game. But of course, there you have to really understand the spaces; you have little time to use them. So, it was a very good experience.”

Interviewer: “Paulo, and thinking precisely about all of this, about continuing to prepare yourself, after having been in Mexico, in a different league like Brazil’s, then you jumped to Europe, you went to Valladolid, and now you have this experience at Watford, how do you choose what’s next?”

Paulo: “It often depends on the project that might come up”

Interviewer: “But what kind of offers have you received lately? And where are you looking? Because you have to be careful with the next choices you make. What do you choose? A team or a league? Or a different market? What’s your perspective for 2026?

Paulo: “No, the most important thing is the team, the project, right? I can’t make the same mistake I did this time.

“This was a decision I made more with my heart than rationally, given the history of this institution, to reach this league.

“So, yes, I need to use my head more, be more level-headed, and obviously, as a team, I need to be more strategic.

“The project, who’s behind the team, all those things we have to consider, whoever has the resources, all those little details, we have to study it very carefully, and not so much with our hearts like when I came here.”

Interviewer: “Then, which league?”

Paulo: “Honestly, staying in Europe would be spectacular, but we’re getting calls from very important teams in Brazil, important teams in Mexico, we’ve already had calls here in Spain too, but well, we also have to go to a solid team that can stay in the first division or that wants to get promoted to the first division in Spain, welcome, no problem, because I’m 42 years old, I’m still growing, and I believe strongly in development, so the step-by-step process we’ve had as a coaching staff is excellent in my opinion.

“We already have 90 games in Europe, and what I’m talking about is transforming, continuing to grow, so, well, choosing well for my growth as a coach, and well, whichever team it is will be the best.”