Pran plan if a move for Marco collapses
CESARE PRANDELLI is the latest name being thrown into the ring for the vacant Watford manager’s job.
The Hornets are seeking a replacement for the EIGHTH boss sacked by the Pozzo family since they took over almost five years ago.
Hull’s Marco Silva remains favourite to replace Walter Mazzarri who was axed on Wednesday but will bizarrely be in charge of their final game of the season against Manchester City today.
Fellow Italian Prandelli, 59, is a free agent after quitting Valencia in December after being in charge for only 10 games, claiming he was frustrated by off-field problems.
He previously led Italy to the finals of Euro 2012 but resigned two years later after the Azzurri failed to progress from the group stages of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Prandelli had earlier led Fiorentina to fourth spot in Serie A twice and earned the Italian top flight’s Manager of the Year gong in 2008.
In 2014 he had a short spell at Galatasaray where he was heavily criticised by his players for his tactics and management style.
Mazzarri, 55, leaves Vicarage Road claiming he has no regrets despite only being there 12 months after the sacking of Quique Sanchez Flores – another short-term casualty.
Watford have lost their last five matches but he said: “We got the magic 40 points, the objective of the season, with six games left.”
His final press conference on Friday featured a 14-minute pre-prepared statement from him in which he thanked the supporters and the players and denied having a fallout with some players, notably skipper Troy Deeney.
Mazzarri said: “’Deeney is a player who scored more than last year, he played a lot this year and he helped the team reach the 40 points. This is what counts, nothing else.”
He blamed Watford’s wobble on injuries and added: “Never in my career have I had so many injuries in one season.
“There were some games when I did not even know who to put on the pitch. But I don’t have any regrets.”
Mazzarri is confident his players will not down tools and said: “I spoke with them one by one as soon as they knew I would not be here next season. I’m sure they will go and give everything. It’s a feeling I got inside me when I spoke to them.
“I already feel emotional about Sunday. Although I didn’t imagine leaving, it will be very emotional.”