Silva tackles language barrier

NEW Watford manager Marco Silva is insisting his squad all speak English on the training ground to prevent a repeat of last season’s communication problems. Former manager Walter Mazzarri and his Italian team of staff caused confusion with their poor English. Messages to the players often had to be relayed by individual players in different languages. Mazzarri, who joined Watford last summer, was criticised for not learning the language and was accompanied by a translator even for his final match in charge. Silva, 40, only took his first job in England when he joined Hull City in January. He impressed enough to earn a move to Watford despite his inability to keep Hull in the Premier League, and yesterday conducted his unveiling press conference in excellent English. ‘The main language is English,’

he said. ‘I’ve come here to speak English. Sometimes I need to speak to Spanish players a bit in Spanish but that is not perfect.’ Silva’s star striker, Troy Deeney, has had surgery on a groin injury and Watford’s captain is unlikely to be fit for their opening Premier League game against Liverpool. ‘The first match is not easy, but he is maybe unavailable for the first match,’ Silva said. ‘We will see day by day, he improves day by day.’