Javi Gracia RESIGNS as Watford head coach after meeting with the board following a 2-0 defeat to Swansea on Saturday afternoon.
Second-half goals from Marko Stamenic and Joshua Key meant that Watford extended their winless run to five matches across all competitions and left them slipping further behind in the Championship play-off race, sitting 10th, four points off the top six.
Gracia had spoke of his disappointment with the team’s level and situation, wanting to discuss the future and the owner’s views on everything.
But it seems it proved to be his final game in charge, with 55-year-old ending his second stint at Vicarage Road.
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) February 1, 2026
BREAKING: Understand Javi Gracia has resigned as Watford manager.
Under-23 coach Charlie Daniels is expected to take charge of Tuesday’s trip to Hull City.
🤝 @alex_crook pic.twitter.com/BJpKLKvZ4H
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) February 1, 2026
WATFORD STATEMENT:
The club is sad and disappointed to confirm the resignation of Javi Gracia as Head Coach.
We retain the belief Javi was the right man to lead the club towards its push for promotion, but Javi felt he no longer had the motivation and was not the right man to continue coaching this exciting group of young players.
We respect his decision and accept his wish to leave Vicarage Road with immediate effect.
Charlie Daniels, Dan Gosling and Adrian Mariappa will take charge of the team against Hull City on Tuesday night. We remain well placed in the Championship, four points off the play-offs with a game in hand and 17 matches remaining.
Everybody at the club believes wholeheartedly this is a squad capable of challenging for promotion.
We would like to thank Javi and his team for their work during two spells at the club. We wish him and his family the best and they will always receive the warmest of welcomes at Watford.
Javi Gracia has left Watford after a meeting with the board today.
Sky Sports News understands Gracia has resigned.
Charlie Daniels, Dan Gosling and Adrian Mariappa are set to take the team for the trip to Hull on Tuesday.
— Mark McAdam (@markmcadamtv) February 1, 2026
FAVOURITES TO BECOME NEW WATFORD MANAGER:
BetVictor – 3rd February
Will Still – 2/1
Marti Cifuentes – 6/1
Russell Martin – 12/1
Jose Rojo Martin – 12/1
Javi said post match: “I’m really disappointed and I only want to speak with the owner, to feel and to know how they feel in this moment.
“I’m really disappointed with the level of the team, the situation of the team and maybe the future of the team as well.
“It’s something I want to know and speak about.
“It’s about everything that is happening on the pitch, about what they think, about what they want and expect of the future. About everything.”
On if he wanted discussions to take place “as soon as possible”, he replied: “Yeah, tonight if I can.
“I think you have to do it as soon as possible. Today, if it’s possible. If it’s not possible then in one, two or three days, I don’t know when it will be possible.
“As soon as possible.”
Gracia stated that the squad were in a “difficult moment” and added that those problems contributed to the poor response to going behind.
“I asked for the support of the fans and I’m grateful for the support today but I knew before the game that maybe this can happen,” Gracia added.
“We have players who are injured, players are gone, players are coming.
“Some players are playing with discomfort. The team we have in this moment is this and that’s what I can say.
“If you see the last results, it speaks about the team. There are some moments of the games where we compete well but we are not consistent enough to get the results that we want.”
Here’s how fans reacted after Javi Gracia RESIGNS as Watford head coach after meeting with the board following defeat to Swansea…
@Freddie11Bishop: Good for him. Will feel like a kick in the teeth for Pozzo not being able to sack someone.
@CharlieM_84: Once again manager let down by entitled, spineless players. Maybe one day the players will take some sort of blame.
@JamesGraham3: Pathetic, days like today I wish I didn’t support this club. Fans have been let down again, no wonder he left when people at club think this squad has enough to get promoted. He needed backing and he needed 2/3 quality signings. What we have up top and lack of depth at cb is a joke🤬
@HornetHampshire : I am not buying the “Javi has lost his motivation” thing #watfordfc are tying to spin. It’s clear that like every of the other 25 coaches before him, he’s been lied to. #pozzoout, Duxburry et al are just in it for themselves, & have run out of ideas of how to run a football club
@WatfordSam: And here we are. Javi walks. Perhaps finally realising just how toxic the ownership is at #WatfordFC and empty the words and reassurances are from above. It didn’t work. He wasn’t the right coach. But he’ll always be liked. Fair play to him.
@WatfordWatching: Personally don’t think we’ll see much of a change in fortune this season. Javi wasn’t making the most of the squad but asking someone to now get us promoted in 17 games is asking a lot. #watfordfc
@wfccaity: We’re genuinely the biggest joke of a club
@Richarmphotos: Honestly however shit we are, and we are shit, we will never ever be as embarrassing as this lot. How do they continually manage to do it? 😂 #LTFC
@HJClarke95: “… Javi was the right man to lead the club towards its push for promotion, but Javi felt he no longer had the motivation” Call with Gino clearly illustrates the ambition of this club is in the mud (which we knew). Fair play for walking Javi, pay isn’t everything #WatfordFC
@muggins_77: A vile and toxic ownership, supported by a pathetic and weak CEO & Chairman who is as culpable. The sooner they sell up the better. #watfordfc
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