Watford's owners, the Pozzo family, are notoriously impatient with their managers. The Italians also own Granada and Udinese, and have consistently denounced the idea of managerial stability, preferring to rely on their vast scouting network, with managers simply overseers of the owners' transfer policy. Despite a fine return season to the Premier League, Quique Sanchez Flores is about to taste his owners' methodical wrath, as his contract contains a clause allowing the club to relieve him of his duties after 12 months.
It seems rather harsh for a man who guided Watford to the warm and comfortable mediocrity of mid-table along with an FA Cup semi-final, but there has admittedly been a drop off in performances of late, as Flores' 4-4-2 has proved less effective during a barren run for both Odion Ighalo and, to a lesser extent, Troy Deeney. Watford have lost ten of the 16 league games they have played in 2016.
As Flores prepares to shuffle away, Watford are targeting Robert Di Matteo as his replacement, according to Duncan Castles of the Sunday Times. Di Matteo famously guided Chelsea to an improbable double of European Cup and FA Cup in 2012, only to be sacked months later in favour of Rafa Benitez, who proved himself to be the most unpopular Chelsea manager of all time. Di Matteo has worked since, although with little success, resigning as Schalke manager a year ago.
As for Flores, the Mirror are reporting that he is among the candidates to replace Roberto Martinez at Everton. Everton were hammered 3-1 at Leicester's title party last night, meaning that, since September 28, his side have beaten just one side -Stoke - who are not currently in the bottom five. Martinez said afterwards that "there are no positives", a remarkable admission from a man who consistently finds the brighter side of life. It seems as if Everton have finally broken him. Poor Martinez. We thought he would have enjoyed yesterday, he is a man born to stand in a guard of honour.
[The Sunday Times]
