Simply put, staying in the Premier League is valuable. Of course, no one is perfect and Watford have made mistakes. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. IMPORTANT NOTICEFINALLY, we have the new official winter patch! We have to accept a different challenge.". Highly experienced, having held senior recruitment roles with Fulham, Wolves and Brentford. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Also arrived with Muoz in December 2020, having worked with him at Dinamo Tbilisi. Only one has to make the big time to achieve huge returns. Then, Pozzo, Giraldi and Duxbury draw up lists of around four desirable players in each position, as well as tallies of younger targets that could eventually graduate into the side. Those regimes are motivated, at least in part, by marketing the brands of the owners. Editors' Code of Practice. That is why he chose Watford. Watford chairman and CEO Scott Duxbury has described the club's promotion to the Premier League as the biggest achievement in his career. Everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment. Having sold Granada two years ago, the Pozzos are considering the purchase of a lower-league Spanish club to build their network once again. Being a small club has advantages. The calendar adjusts to your time zone and will automatically update throughout the season, so you'll never miss a match! Their opponents in Saturdays FA Cup Final, Manchester City, may be viewed as leaders in the transfer market, given their power to sign marquee names, but Watfords ability to build a squad on a fraction of the budget of their Wembley rivals arguably makes them one of the best operators. There is an assumption the head coach just sits there as players come and go like diners at a buffet. This year, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that tax officials in Italy and Spain were investigating the familys clubs, alleging a complex ownership structure including offshore companies helped to funnel revenues from Udinese and Granada away from local tax authorities, all to provide more funding to Watford. "Relegation'stough as it is, but when you have a worldwide pandemic, you have the Coronavirus, it nearly brought the club to its knees and to be able to navigate through that, and come back and be back in the Premier League, it's everything. Thats the emotion, laughs Duxbury as he recounts the story to me. In the UK, footballers from non-EU countries cannot gain work visas unless they satisfy certain eligibility requirements, such as playing for their national teams or racking up games in a major European league. You deserve better. Joined in August 2020 from Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia, where he had worked since February 2019. Its not a joke. He aspires to scale greater heights, of course. Duxbury calls them absolute nonsense. Pen pics of Watford's coaching, science, medicine and analytics staff. To receive exclusive content every month and other great benefits sign up to our monthly eNewsletter. "And there weremoments where the family was a little bit against us. Was Bilics assistant at Hajduk Split, Al-Ittihad, West Brom and Beijing Guoan and does opposition scouting and analysis as well as coaching. . Role: Chairperson. Now Arsenal and Manchester United are looking to copy the model. . It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. The Watford hierarchy have said their "efforts surrounding the team were not good enough" following the Hornets' relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season. Captain Troy Deeney said he does not know if he has played his last game for the club. Improvements and developments must and will be made. He is the managing director of Vitol, a Geneva-based oil trading company. This account already exists. Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. The Pozzos are the clubs owners and son Gino will be the one who is more involved than his father Gianpaolo. His time at Upton Park was controversial though, with the club fined 30m because of the Carlos Tevez affair, and he left in 2010 when David Gold and David Sullivan took over. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please However, in reality the head coach is naturally involved in discussions but the key is he is one cog of the mechanism not the entire engine. of belonging, and its wish to inspire those in the local community. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. The question ishow? The CEO said that will only be achieved if all at Watford, fans, players and staff,aretogether. He had been signed for 11m the year before and was sold with his replacement, Roberto Pereyra, already in place. Until a remarkable climb up the league in the late 1970s, they had spent most of their history in English footballs lower divisions. But outliers such as Sterling and Bale (who have each gone on to command combined transfer fees in excess of 100m) distract from the brutal realities. Watford chief executive Scott Duxbury reveals that the Hornets will sign more new players during the January transfer window. contact the editor here. They brought a similarly savvy approach to Watford. I have to try to offer the best performance we have and to get better results.. Though there is a desire to develop other parts of Watfords business, from expanding their stadium and seeking sponsorship deals, the obsession is trading players. Was a teacher in Mlaga before moving into coaching and performance analysis in 2005. It is most certainly not a closed shop or invite only. 00:00, Sun, May 10, 2020 | UPDATED: 22:29, Sun, May 10, 2020. Scott Duxbury Nationality: English Qualified as a lawyer and worked in that capacity for West Ham before becoming their chief executive. Other clubs deploy these tactics but few as often as Watford. They cannot afford to purchase established stars as fans prefer. They should not be competing in the Champions League but it is only because of the expertise of the Pozzos and the infrastructure they have developed that they are doing it year in and year out. Data profile of Scott Duxbury who is contracted to Watford. Still, the longer they stay in the Premier League, the richer the club get. "We came here eight years ago, we are now an established Premier League football club and that's where we belong.". Watford have also had their share of regulatory problems. If Im the club thats buying a player for 40m because youve heard of him onMatch of the Day, somethings gone wrong., Murad Ahmed is the FTs sports correspondent, Follow@FTMag on Twitter to find out about our latest stories first. He has seen it at Udinese and he has seen it at Granada. Following the takeover, Watford signed 10 players on loan from Udinese to boost the team. Qualified as a lawyer and worked in that capacity for West Ham before becoming their chief executive. Earlier that day, Watford had lost 4-0 to English Premier League rivals Bournemouth on a dismal, drizzly day at their home ground of Vicarage Road. Simple in theory. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please . In acknowledging the continuing uncertainties around households financial commitments, we believe to provide a discount of at least seven per cent shows our recognition of loyal support across this and many previous seasons. Should a club hire a player on their recommendation, a scout earns a bonus of a few hundred pounds. Their greatest finds include Chilean striker Alexis Snchez, who has gone on to play for European superpowers such as Barcelona, Arsenal and Manchester United. Also what the Pozzos don't do is just sign an influx of foreign players. Was a goalkeeper in his homeland, playing more than 300 senior games, before moving into coaching with Como and then Udinese, Watford's sister club. If he leaves, he can be replaced and the whole system does not fall apart. Love, Elton.. On Monday, Pozzo and Duxbury added: "Every club wants to be playing at the highest possible level. A fair assessment is they get one in three signings right, which in the current transfer market is a pretty high success rate. Other organisations maintain a similar constellation of clubs. If we think a players good enough, we will sign him regardless, says Duxbury. Somewhere, there is a better player than [the one] you are chasing. A powerful documentary marks the first anniversary of the Ukraine war through five people's diaries, Celebrate the American rapper, Megan Thee Stallion, with an epic mix of tunes and chats, In a long, hot, post-exam summer friends are seduced by a powerful app, Watford's five-year top-flight stay ended after a. owner Gino Pozzo and chief executive Scott Duxbury expressed "great disappointment". The latest rumours and stories from around the world of football. His time at Upton Park was controversial though, with the club fined 30m because of the Carlos Tevez affair, and he left in 2010 when David Gold and David Sullivan took over. Hopefully it won't be delayed & we can come back to business soon!Thank you so far for the trust & preference, especially those who became premium members! cookies Please report any comments that break our rules. We want everyone to understand we accept that whats happened on the field of play, particularly at home, is unacceptable. Scott Duxbury in 2021. . Calvin after shadowing people such as Mel Johnson, who spotted current international starsGareth Bale andRaheem Sterling as teenagers reckons scouts develop intuition that allows them to divine which players will make it to the top. Two-thirds of those awarded a professional contract at the age of 18 abandon the sport by 21. A row of small buildings contains offices, a canteen, a gym and changing facilities, with windows that look out on to a handful of carefully manicured pitches and the Hertfordshire hills in the distance. By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. One strategy is to use the loan market to their advantage. "That's been our biggest strength that, as a fan base, asan ownership, as a management, we're all together. Comments have been closed on this article. The lucky few are on a salary but live in perennial fear of the sack, frequently turfed out along with a teams manager when results go south. And if we stay together, we will continue to achieve great things. Read about our approach to external linking. A Gannett Company. MX23RW : Tuesday, February 14 23:28:01| >> :600:110613:110613: Arsenal . Tom Heaton. Whether its Chalobah or whoever, they will go when were ready for them to go because itll be a huge transfer fee, he says. But with less money to spend, Watford seek a different calculation: buying undervalued players. Former Chelsea and England striker Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live: "The owner dictates everything and he needs to have a good look at himself. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. In his award-winning 2013 bookThe Nowhere Men, football writer Michael Calvin followed the lives of English talent spotters. No teams ever been relegated with 11 wins, says Duxbury. As we chat, ravenous players filter in following a training session. Sir Elton, a life-long fan who previously owned the club, reacted to the poor result as supporters often do; apportioning blame, calling for drastic changes. But is it bad? The club simply changed tack. Udinese, a small-town club in the north-east of the country, play in Serie A, Italys top division. Last updated on 27 July 202027 July 2020.From the section Watford. Worked for Newcastle for five years before a four-month stint at Everton in 2021/22. He had been bought just a season earlier for 11.5m from Brazils Fluminense but Duxbury says he was actually the clubs second choice for a new attacking player. The company made a turnover of $297 billion in 2011. Editor's . Watford chairman Scott Duxbury has questioned whether the Premier League should return amid the coronavirus pandemic. Of the 28 teams to have played in the Premier League in the past three years, only four have bought a lower percentage of players from the British Isles, according to 21st Club. The Pozzos have faced more serious allegations. Watford's five-year top-flight stay ended after a 3-2 loss at Arsenal and Aston Villa's draw against West Ham. It is the breadth of Watfords scouts and contacts that allows them to utilise the market so well and find value where others cannot. Won 44 caps for Croatia and played for clubs including Everton and West Ham. Last year, the club were fined 3.95m after admitting that one of their senior executives submitted a forged bank letter in filings related to Gino Pozzos takeover. Enough. Research interests: Crime and deviance; social control and conflict; computational and mathematical sociology; relational sociology . They just want to do a deal because they know theyre going to lose him in January, [so] we have a guy in a car park with 10 minutes to go before the window closes., Duxbury spoke to Pozzo, who instantly gave the green light. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. "He has done it before. To have great resources and for them not to bear fruit is bitterly disappointing. In 2012, they arrived in England to buy Watford, where Gino is sole owner. Watford have been criticised for their propensity to fire managers. Watford look set for another season in Englands top tier following an outstanding start to this term. He was told that Domingos Quina, an 18-year-old Portuguese midfielder with West Ham United, was in the car park of Watfords training ground and wanted a move to Watford. The multi-platinum selling singer is Watford's honorary life president and was chairman during their rise from the old Fourth Division to the top flight during the 1970s and early 80s. Duxbury claimed that financial pressure was not the only thing the clubfound it difficult to contend with during the season, saying that the Watford "family" not being entirely on the same page at moments during the campaign caused added stress. Our players and coaching staff have gone into the team hotel earlier than scheduled to take away all other distractions and ensure the sole focus hones in on delivering a performance that our supporters can be proud of this afternoon. They have bought Watford solely so it can become an established Premier League club. Duxbury declines to speak about the details, saying that the owner has no reason to sell. Scott Ian DUXBURY. Has a strong background in analysis as well as coaching. Recruitment is, in many ways, a bit of a lottery, he says. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. The club have 100 potential contracts already drawn up should the opportunity to sign a targeted player arise. Terms & Conditions Training Ground Guru Abdoulaye Doucoure has won several suitors for his performances this term, You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number, I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard.