Bilic back as Watford’s 17th boss in 10 years!

SLAVEN BILIC is back in English football as Watford’s 17th manager in 10 years after Rob Edwards paid the price for a disappointing start to the season.

Bilic, who previously had spells in charge of West Ham and West Brom, signed an 18-month deal yesterday after flying into London for talks with chairman Scott Duxbury.

The Croatian is thrilled about the club’s potential and determined to take them back to the Premier League.

That had been Edwards’s target this season. But after a good start — two victories and a draw in his opening three fixtures — he was unable to stop Watford sliding down the table.

They are 10th in the Championship after a run of one win in seven games and lost at home to MK Dons in the Carabao Cup.

Gino Pozzo, Watford’s Italian owner, had become impatient with the way performances seemed to be tailing off and wanted to take action now to prevent the Hornets being cut adrift from the play-off places before the break for the World Cup in November.

Pozzo had considered Bilic, who guided West Brom to promotion in 2020, as a candidate to succeed Roy Hodgson at the end of last season. But he chose to go with former Forest Green Rovers boss Edwards, whose assistant Richie Kyle has also left Vicarage Road with immediate effect.

Sporting director Cristiano Giaretta is believed to be in situ at the club despite indications last week that he had left.

‘As with all decisions taken by the board, I believe this change to be in the best interests of the club,’ Pozzo said in a statement to Watford’s website. ‘We felt Rob had enough time to show us the identity of his team, however performances haven’t reflected our hopes and ambitions.

‘Now we must move forward, and, in Slaven Bilic, we have secured the services of an experienced coach who has recent experience of promotion to the Premier League.’

Bilic, whose last job was with Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan, will be joined at Watford by his assistants Dean Racunica and Danilo Butorovic. The Croatian is likely to make further additions to his backroom staff in the coming weeks.

It has long been Bilic’s desire to return to England. Burnley considered him for their vacant post earlier this year following Sean Dyche’s dismissal, before opting for Vincent Kompany.

Bilic will make his debut on the touchline at Stoke this Sunday.