Championship vacancy filled as new boss told he must impress quickly
Watford have given Paulo Pezzolano a short-term deal and strict orders if he wants to stay longer
Watford have appointed well-travelled Uruguayan Paulo Pezzolano as their new head coach on a one-year contract.
Pezzolano replaces Tom Cleverley, who was sacked after a year in charge this month when Watford finished 14th in the Championship. He becomes the club’s 12th head coach since Javi Gracia left in September 2019 and the ninth since the end of the 2020-21 season.
He played as a midfielder in Uruguay, Brazil, Spain and China before guiding Montevideo City Torque to the Segunda Division title as manager in 2017. He won promotion to Serie A in Brazil with Cruzeiro too and then to La Liga in Spain with Real Valladolid, where he was sacked in November as they struggled in the top flight.
The length of contract and talk of challenging for promotion in an accompanying statement from sporting director Gianluca Nani mean he will arrive at Vicarage Road knowing he must hit the ground running.
The Watford Observer report: “A one-year contract which the club have the option to extend, signed with owner Gino Pozzo’s words about challenging for the play-offs – and hopefully promotion – next season still hanging in the air.
“Pezzolano arrives under no illusions what is expected of him, and that he’ll need to impress quickly if he wants his stay to be longer than the eight-month average of his predecessors under the current owner.
