IT’S WALTER EGO
Arrogance of Mazzarri lost players at Watford
Watford will begin their search for a ninth manager in five years after announcing they are to part company with Italian coach Walter Mazzarri.
Mazzarri’s fate was sealed in a meeting with the club board yesterday.
His final game in charge will be at home to Manchester City on Sunday. the 55-year-old, who has also managed at Inter Milan and Napoli, signed a three-year contract last summer, but will leave after just one season.
His side are 16th in the Premier League, just six points above the relegation zone, following five successive defeats.
Hull manager Marco Silva is in the frame to replace Mazzarri. the Portuguese coach could make an immediate return to the top flight, after his side were relegated on Sunday after defeat at Crystal Palace.
Meanwhile, the majority of Watford’s players won’t bat an eyelid at Mazzarri’s departure. they felt that under the Italian it was Walter fC, not Watford.
It didn’t take long for Mazzarri to alienate his new charges — no more than 10 minutes, in fact. during his first training session last July, the manager called the players for an introductory speech, through an interpreter. ‘I know you guys didn’t do very well last season, but we will do better with me here this time,’ was the gist.
Instantly, Mazzarri was fighting a losing battle.
the players felt finishing 13th on their return to the Premier League and reaching an fa Cup semi-final, where they lost narrowly to Crystal Palace at Wembley, was deserving of more respect. and from the first day players and existing staff were struck by Mazzarri’s air of self-importance.
‘Everything’s about him,’ said one training ground source. ‘You wouldn’t mind the arrogance if he was any good at his job.’
Mazzarri’s extensive entourage didn’t help change the players’ perception of him. at times he had as many as nine members of staff attending to his every need.
there was his own Pa, training ground translator, even his own English teacher who would travel into the club’s Hertfordshire HQ to help him master the language.
Not that it made much difference — his English today is just as broken as it was when he arrived.
on Monday night, as Watford lost 4-3 to Chelsea, Mazzarri barked instructions at daryl Janmaat in Italian. Janmaat is dutch. talk about lost in translation.
Mazzarri’s match- day conduct also often shocked staff.
at a rival Premier League ground, it is claimed that Mazzarri set off a smoke alarm after deciding to light a cigarette. at Stamford Bridge on Monday, he was chain smoking outside the stadium less than an hour before kick-off.
the Italian would often smoke during training sessions too.
Mazzarri’s training regime infuriated the players — their latest complaint earlier this month came when they were forced to work for 12 consecutive days up to a 3-0 defeat at Leicester on May 6.
Mazzarri then threatened to make them train every day up until the clash against Everton on May 12 — which would have made it 18 straight days — but the Italian eventually relented.
the bad blood between Mazzarri and members of his squad was no secret to owner Gino Pozzo. He knew of the problems and decided to address them yesterday. the manager was asked whether he’d make more of an effort to learn English and whether he was prepared to modernise his training. We now know his answer.
‘after the board discussed with Walter Mazzarri the club’s future goals and aspirations, it was decided he will be stepping down from his position as the club’s head coach after the final game of the 2016-17 season,’ said Watford chairman Scott duxbury.
Mazzarri is the seventh manager to be dismissed by the Pozzo family since they took over the club in 2012.
Spaniard Quique Sanchez flores was sacked last summer despite an encouraging first season back in the big time. Slavisa Jokanovic had departed a year earlier after leading Watford into the top flight.
Where do Watford go from here? as well as Silva, Claudio ranieri is available and ex-russia coach Leonid Slutsky, currently scouting for Chelsea, is also in the frame.
the future of star striker troy deeney could also be in doubt.
the club captain is an influential figure in the dressing room and there are those at Vicarage road who feel selling their striker will help the new manager start with a completely clean slate.