Watford Plans Sacking Paulo Pezzolano After Five Months, Javi Gracia Expected Return

Watford is preparing to sack manager Paulo Pezzolano after just about five months and 10-11 games in charge, due to the team's underwhelming performance and 11th place standing in the Championship. Despite some recent positive results, including wins over Oxford United and Hull City, the club's board is not satisfied with the current form and has decided to make a change. Javi Gracia, a former Watford manager who led the club between 2018 and 2019 and briefly managed Leeds United, is the frontrunner to replace Pezzolano. Pezzolano's tenure is set to be one of the shortest in Watford's history, highlighting the club's frequent managerial changes — this would be their 13th since 2020. The decision reflects ongoing instability at Vicarage Road, where no manager appears to be given enough time to establish success. This managerial change is expected to be confirmed imminently, with talks scheduled between the club and Pezzolano.