Watford already have eyes on new manager for 2023/24 season with Chris Wilder to leave

Watford already have eyes on appointing a new manager for the 2023/24 season with Chris Wilder to leave, according to reports.

Sources tell Football Insider that the Hornets have spoken to Francesco Farioli, a highly regarded Italian manager as they search for replacements for Chris Wilder.

After a disappointing run of form, Wilder is expected to be got rid of as the club wants to make major changes for next season.

Reports reaching us that Chris Wilder’s job at #WatfordFC is under threat …

No change at present, but what a basket case of a club.

How can you expect anyone to operate in an environment like this, players, coaches, fans disillusioned and you can understand why.

— Sam Matterface (@sammatterface) April 12, 2023

CLUB STATEMENT:

The Hornets confirm Chris Wilder will remain the club’s Head Coach until at least the end of the 2022/23 season, as per the terms he and Watford FC agreed upon his appointment in March.

“The speculation is totally disrespectful to Chris and his staff,” said Watford’s Technical Director Ben Manga.

“As Chris has said after recent games, we are all fully focused on ending the season strongly and pushing as hard as we can while there’s still a chance of making the play-offs.”

The club will offer no further comment on the position of Head Coach until beyond the end of the current campaign.

– STATEMENT ENDS –

Watford’s board are said to be preparing for next season by organising replacements and preparing for a challenge to gain promotion back to the Premier League.

Farioli, 34, is a highly-regarded young manger and Watford face competition by Braga for his signature.

After a spell that saw him being praised for his playing style while has also reach high league positions at a club which was expected to fight relegation, he has now left Turkish Super Lig club Alanyaspor.

Rangers also had spoken with Farioli also before they brought in Michael Beale as their boss. They were impressed by the young coach and added him to their list of potential future manager candidates.

Meanwhile, Head Coach Chris Wilder felt there were positives to take from Watford’s 2-2 draw with Coventry City on Monday.

“We won our headers, the first goal came from a Ryan Porteous tackle and we were positive. We held the ball at the top of the pitch, and got it out to our 10s – it was a different feel to the team and we did the fundamental aspects and non-negotiables better than we have done. We all wanted to step into the game and be a part of it.

“I’ll be really respectful to Mark Robins’ side because they have Viktor Gyökeres who is the best player in the division in my opinion. He is such a handful and they are a really good attacking side. Mark has done a great job here, so for us to get into that position [was good] and then we went looking for a third and we should’ve found it.

“That’s my little criticism, that we should’ve found a third. I believe that the third goal is the most important in the game and then they get it through a couple of mistakes and all of a sudden the picture changes. We are a little bit fragile from a confidence point of view, but it gave them a huge lift and then we were on the back foot.

He said: “The players are obviously disappointed, but the message to them this week was that the league table will look after itself – we needed to put a proper performance in and get ourselves going.

“We just lost that little bit of shape and Coventry got themselves going which we always knew they would, but I’d rather see that then them walking off the pitch as we did against Luton Town and Huddersfield Town, and feeling the way I did personally.

“We rolled the dice at the death putting Ken Sema and Yáser Asprilla on, and we tried to change the shape. We just lost our shape and went a little bit individual.

“We just emptied the middle of the park a little bit too easily and it allowed them to jump in and dominate that period. Coventry will be disappointed they didn’t win it, and we are disappointed we didn’t take it to three after the second half.”

💬 “Incredibly mixed emotions”

Wilder reviews a frustrating afternoon. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/dlK1QHvse3

— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) April 10, 2023

This is what fans said as Watford already have eyes on a new manager for 2023/24 season with Chris Wilder expected to leave…

@HollowayAdam: If the Wilder talk is true I’m seriously being pushed into hating the club I love and will even get the Watford tattoo on my leg coveted up. #watfordfc

@MT84618712: Pozzo “saved” the club in 2012, gave us a fantastic 7 years and built a PL standard stadium, however, since 2019 he has lost the plot, poor player recruitment and crazy “hire and fire” policy with Head Coaches. The sacking of Edwards was the final straw for most fans!

@EaglesPerchCPFC: The farce that is WatFired football club. As much as it was a “till the end of the season” appointment, you have to ask questions as any manager going in there is under threat from day one. After 10 to 15 games you could be out of a job. There needs to be more protection there.

@HJOHNSON_28: poisoned chalice taking over watford for any manager who chooses to go there 😂 will only end up sacked!

@NCFC_Adam: No fucking way ahahaha

@garyrudland1: Well it’s about time Watford changed their manager again 😂😂😂

@Fonzyy97: Imagine being a Watford fan trying to get behind the team with their current ownership, shambles

@TheValiants1876: Honestly can I have a go ? My FM record and FIFA career modes are the only thing I have on my CV, but give me 5 games like all your other managers and I reckon I can scrape at least a 0-0 draw 🤷‍♂️😂 #WatfordFC

@ltfc_scenes: Even for Watford, they are out Watford-ing themselves

@WHU_Analytics: Please don’t do this to my boy Farioli… I saw what Watford did to Rob Edwards and I didn’t like it one bit. Farioli should be eyeing up the Sassuolo job this summer; he worked there under De Zerbi, plays good football, and Dionissi’s contract expires in June… please, I beg.

@DrizzyCPFC: Watford are the gift that keeps on giving 😂 How many managers can they go through in a season 😭

@ltfcocr__: Shambles of a club, what you could call “soulless”

@WhyteleafeEagle: Only 5 Watford Managers until Xmas 🎅🎄

@sparky__26: What a club 🤣🤣

@wwfcrhys: Watford have had 17 full time managers in 12 years since June 2011. Their previous 17 full time managers before 2011 stretched back to November 1964.

@Lukenffc06: Year 7 relationships last longer than Watford managers these days.

@LutonTownExile: Get these ridiculous owners out of English football. It’s all hilarious of course, but it’s boring now. Enough is enough. Not fit for purpose. Not fit for anything. Wilder will be the happiest bloke around if this happens.

@carld1994_: Watford should just liquidate now, what’s the actual point in them, fans need to start protesting against those horrible owners