To Watford Fans: From Gino Pozzo & Scott Duxbury (about Time!)

Discussion in 'The Hornets' Nest - Watford Chat' started by wfcSinatra, Jul 27, 2020.

  1. wfcSinatra

    wfcSinatra Predictor Choker 14/15

    Statement from Hornets’ Owner and Chairman & CEO

    The world hasn't stopped turning - even though at times yesterday we all had a feeling of despair.

    But from despair has to come hope. And that is why as a club, as a community and as a group who have Watford Football Club in our hearts, we must build for a successful future.

    There is obviously huge disappointment at losing our Premier League status, we cannot pretend otherwise. Every club wants to be playing at the highest possible level.

    What league we play in, however, does not define the football club. We will not allow the core values of Watford FC to become diluted simply because we are not playing in the Premier League.

    Everything we have achieved as a club over the past eight years should not be forgotten.

    The fact we have transformed Vicarage Road Stadium and built a club of true substance – with links to the community that are the envy of many – is a source of great pride. What we did for our NHS neighbours during a time of true crisis should stand as a beacon for what this club embodies.

    We have always said we are here for the long-term and we will not allow this one moment of great disappointment to stop the continued development of this club over the next eight years and beyond.

    That is not to detract from mistakes that were made surrounding the team this season. We have to be scrupulously honest with ourselves and admit our efforts surrounding the team were not good enough.

    There will be lessons learned and changes made but, from today, we move forward. We have to accept a different challenge.

    We will make changes where the team is concerned and those changes will make us stronger, ready to face the challenges that lie ahead and rekindle the passion that has always been a hallmark of this great club.

    In sport, you will always face moments of great disappointment but it's how you react that defines you.

    Rest assured, we will do everything in our power to take Watford Football Club back to the Premier League, something we all believe we can achieve.

    Best regards,

    Gino Pozzo, Owner, Scott Duxbury, Chairman & CEO
     
  2. Aymondo

    Aymondo First Year Pro

    Sort of statement I was hoping for, let's now see it followed through

    COYH
     
  3. Grrwood

    Grrwood Reservist

    Glad they spoke out. Will go some way towards helping to unite the fans behind them once again. Let's hope they have been long sighted enough to have a plan in place so that this relegation doesn't catch us unawares.
     
  4. wfcSinatra

    wfcSinatra Predictor Choker 14/15

    Good to finally hear from them, not sure what else I expected was always going to be a very "safe" statement.

    "We will not allow the core values of Watford FC to become diluted simply because we are not playing in the Premier League."

    That is worrying, we do not know what our core values are anymore, that's half the problem for the fans?

    Glad to see the acknowledgment of the fact the team has not been good enough and changes will be made there. We can blame everything else but at the end of the day the playing squad was not strong enough and that's a fact.

    Still, want clarity on the Pearson situation to be honest and what exactly the role of Giraldi is? And why a fitness coach is handing out instructions. Wishful thinking though.
     
    luke_golden, wfcmoog and 3000 like this.
  5. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Good statement. Glad they have spoken out. Onwards an upwards.
     
  6. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Good statement but
    "We will make changes where the team is concerned and those changes will make us stronger...."
    Hmmm I would like to believe that but.....
     
    Moosegasm likes this.
  7. Cthulhu

    Cthulhu Keyboard Warrior Staff Member

    It's a good statement.
    It's timely enough

    It admits mistakes in player recruitment which shows insight. I don't know what more we can expect at this stage.
     
  8. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    Glad "lessons learned" made an appearance. Wouldn't have been the same without it.

    Nice to see the corner flag getting another outing too.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2020
  9. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    If Giraldi goes, I'll believe what is said in this statement.
     
  10. Knight GT

    Knight GT Predictor extraordinaire 2013/14

    Good statement saying all the right things and I for one am pleased they are staying providing of course that they do what they say
     
    lutonh8a, W4BS, Watfordftw and 4 others like this.
  11. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    I'm not sure it means player recruitment or the coaches hired
    "That is not to detract from mistakes that were made surrounding the team this season. We have to be scrupulously honest with ourselves and admit our efforts surrounding the team were not good enough."
     
  12. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    We’ve been promised that before. The sum total was Craig Dawson and a plethora of extended, undeserved contracts.

    My anger with the club’s hierarchy and players doesn’t diminish because of these words. I’m glad they’ve spoken. But I want to see quick, decisive action more than anything.

    It needs to be quick. Relegation wasn’t the difference in this season being a disaster over being successful. It’s been a disaster from start to finish and any inquest as to why should have started weeks ago...not at 5:45pm yesterday.

    Ideal world? Giraldi is sacked in the next 24hrs and another statement is released outlining we are looking for a new management team to take us forward in a new way. It should outline that those out of contract are leaving, the loanees are returning and any prospective new coaching team will have an input on the makeup of their team next season and all first team issues.

    But I still fear the reality is that Giraldi will stay. If they believed that he was one of the mistakes ‘surrounding the team’ - then why did they continue to allow him such close contact at WHU and City? I don’t think they see him as an issue. I think when they talk about those ‘surrounding the team’, they are talking about the managerial appointments.
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2020
  13. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Put simply, I don’t suddenly have faith in them again because they’ve spoken and it’s theirs to lose again.

    Only positive actions will see me regain my faith in those running the club.
     
    lutonh8a, Bubble, magic and 3 others like this.
  14. lowerrous

    lowerrous First Team

    This part is key - please no more Foster and Dawson smiling and shrugging their shoulders as we sink to another defeat, please no more Deeney strolling about the pitch like he's already got one eye and one arse-cheek on the pundit's settee, please no more Masina staring at his nails while the opposition winger lines up their next shot or cross, please no more Pereyra moping about with slumped shoulders like a goth-y teenager, please no more players that care so little about the club they'll put the whole squad at risk for the sake of an afternoon soiree.

    We need to bring in players that still have some passion and desire and throw out our has-beens and no-hopers.
     
  15. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    Well yeah, it's just a statement. Every man and his dog cries out for one but actually when it arrives it was always going to say very little. Or at least the interesting bits it does say are completely open to individual interpretation. There's probably a bit of something in there for everyone.

    I'm not criticising the club here. I'd just rather judge them on actions and how the team performs on the pitch.
     
  16. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    A step in the right direction!
     
  17. CaveManHornet

    CaveManHornet Reservist

    Talk is cheap tho. The statement is what we all want to hear but it’s now down to the board to remove the deadwood and bring in a coach that has a plan and ambition. I would personally start with getting Giraldi to **** off and then making a clear attempt to keep the ‘few’ good players we have. Keeping Deulofeu and Sarr would be massive
     
    Bubble likes this.
  18. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    I too don't take too much stock in that statement. Full of standard rhetoric.

    The truth will unveil itself in the coming weeks. This is probably reflection how far the ownership has fallen in my eyes. I don't believe them anymore. I used to think they could walk on water, now I'm not sure if they can even swim.

    Still, I'm very receptive to them winning me over again, and I'll be a doddle to get back onside. However, I do need to see evidence of things going in the the right direction before my blind faith is restored.
     
  19. Jack5

    Jack5 Academy Graduate

    In sport, you will always face moments of great disappointment but it's how you react that defines you.

    How would they suggest we have been defined this season after the disappointment of the FA cup final defeat?
     
  20. wfc124

    wfc124 Reservist

    So even the owners now admit they have made mistakes. Watford fans were shouted down with ' Gino knows best' from other supporters who had blind faith that the recruitment over the last 3 years on defence and strikers has been more than good enough. The owners caused our sluggish start to the season as the players lost enthusiasm after the cup final defeat and not being paid their bonus due. They did nothing about it until they then tried to remedy the poor start by sacking Gracia and re-hiring QSF. If Gino would of paid the bonus he and the club might of lost far less money in the long run as we might still be a Premier League club. Not easy to tell if that had a major impact or not, but it was the decent thing to do. Spending a few extra million for a Premier League standard defender would of helped rather than trying to save the money to the detriment of our Premier League status. Sometimes in football you need to spend money to make money.
     
    Moosegasm and Happy bunny like this.
  21. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

    This is a good start.
     
  22. Markoa$

    Markoa$ Squad Player

    If Gino fires Giraldi he will immediately have every fan back on side believing we are in for a great season. As long as Giraldi is here, every fan just feels like it will be rinse and repeat of this season.

    Giraldi is in charge of recruitment and first team affairs. He has failed at his job!

    Please sack Giraldi. When you do, that’s when the belief will come back to the club.

    Giraldi is a cancer to Watford FC!
     
  23. El distraído

    El distraído Johnny Foreigner

    What about the fancy dans and the johnny foreigners?
     
  24. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    Keeping Sarr would be huge. Can't see Delia staying.
     
  25. lowerrous

    lowerrous First Team

    If the "johnny foreigners" have as much passion as the likes of Holebas, Behrami, Abdi and Forestieri had for us then bring it.
     
  26. Not sure where deolufeu could go after 4 months off injured. Can't see anyone taking a risk on him yet, maybe in January if he's fit and playing well.
     
  27. J.B

    J.B First Team

    I'm amazed by how many people seem to be impressed with that statement.

    It's just empty, deliberately non-committal words.
     
  28. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    OK, but as long as we keep the Carlos Kickaballs.
     
  29. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    It's not rocket science. We needed to strengthen the team but spent £50m on young players for the Pozzo network as investments.

    As long as Gino's priority remains player trading over team success, we will repeat the failings of this season.
     
  30. wincey74

    wincey74 Academy Graduate

    So we will make changes to the team that will make us stronger?? If we couldn’t attract players to make us stronger in the prem how are they gonna do that in the championship? I’ll be interested to see who they do bring in
     
  31. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    Yup, it reads like a committee of PR wonks sat up all night and into this morning contributing different bits. I'm not amazed lots of people are impressed with it though.
     
  32. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    I agree with much of this, however:

    I think it at least shows the owners aren't imminently looking to leave (I know some would like them to). At the very least, this is a positive imo. They wouldn't want to stick around if they didn't have ambitions of promotion. There was no need to mention about the next 8 years etc.

    Of course actions speak louder than words. We will see etc.
     
    lutonh8a, sydney_horn and Moosegasm like this.
  33. Otter

    Otter Gambling industry insider

    One thing is consistent with Gino is action and very few words.

    I guess that they will be spending a lot of time this week working out what to do. Step one would be which players go and who to bring in as head coach. I would imagine that by the end of next week there will be a new head coach.
     
  34. miked2006

    miked2006 Premiership Prediction League Proprietor

    Lol. Sarr staying in the Championship.

    He's the only player in our squad that other clubs actually want. He'll likely end up at a side in a European competition.
     
  35. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    I think this is suitably vague, in that by saying team they aren’t specifically saying the players or the manager.

    IMO the biggest mistakes they made this season were around managerial decisions. I would’ve preferred it if they’d directly addressed that.
     

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