As far as I know, Gino was involved with the running of Granada. But even if this is his first job where he's making all the decisions on his own, we are still much better off than we've ever been since the days of EJ. I don't believe for one minute, we won't get promoted under the ownership of the Pozzo's, but even if we do not, is that a big problem? For a fan it shouldn't really be. We're seeing some of the best individual players I've in a Watford shirt for a long, long time. The stadium is looking much better and the debts are clearly under control. What more could fans really ask for? We may even get promoted, and we certainly have the best opportunity of doing so than we had before. So whether Gino is a rookie owner making mistakes with the best of intentions or a shrewd cookie knowing exactly what he is doing.........Watford are in very safe hands these days and all the better for their association with Gino Pozzo.
Scott Duxbury at the fans forum on October 16th 2014 said they would never again employ a manager who couldn't speak English. Jokanovic can speak English perfectly well. He's learning on the job and considers it a working holiday. Beyond belief.
He does speak English but not necessarily exactly like a native. It's obviously just lost in translation. You really are an intellectual pygmy.
That's fantastic. He says he's here on a working holiday and quite remarkably of everything he has said this one sentence in particular has been 'obviously just lost in translation'
I was about to take this thread into serious consideration then I realised it was a Meldrew thread. As I was, then...
Maybe "working holiday" is a Serbian expression for being paid to do something you would do for pleasure. Perhaps a better linguist than me could advise.
A couple of observations: 1. It took the Pozzo's about 10 years to really make their mark with Udinese - I know there were some mitigating circumstances (relegation due to match fixing accusations etc) - but the point I'm trying to make is, these things take time. Yes, they have been very bullish in stating publicly that they are going for it and finishing second would be seen as failure - not much room for error, but in a way I'd much rather hear those comments than something along the line of 'let's get to 52 and see where it takes us after that'! I'm not sure how long it took to turn Granada around but I doubt they did that straight away - these things take time. 2. Regarding the non playing of Abdi, playing devils advocate, if Abdi had played and had a reoccurrence of his shoulder injury, Jokanovic would have got hell's abuse on here - also, with his game plan to soak up the pressure - would this have suited Abdi? Munari and Vydra coming on as Derby tired worked well, we don't know what would have happened if they'd started, but at least he tried to do something different, if he's learnt from this, then all well and good. I have to admit I am an eternal optimist and I do see things through rose tinted spectacles a lot of the time - I still see this season panning out well, time will tell I guess.
I'd say there'd be quite a big difference to working under someone else than being at the top, so if he was 'involved' it mightn't tell us much unless, like at Watford, he was the main man. As I said, I don't know what his role was with Granada so I am just asking
No. He speaks good English but he regularly uses different phrases than we would and some are open to interpretation. Beppe spoke less good English and ALL of his phrases were open to interpretation. hornetboy1 #70 has given you a perfectly good alternative interpretation of this particular phrase in the context of it being delivered by a Slav native speaker. But you cling to your rigid interpretation because it suits your negative argument. Answer this. If the Joka actually thought what you think he meant, is that something he'd say to the Wobbly? I think not. Your #66 post was very good. Negative but in a constructive criticism kinda way, was well argued and made some good points. But slavishly hanging on to an interpretation of a single phrase when it's obviously wrong does you no service and is a wee bit pathetic. P.S. The word wee can be interpreted as either small/little or taking a p*ss. Probably depends on whether you're a Scots native speaker or not.
Fair point. I don't know what his role at Granada was either. I was assuming it was the same or similar to his role with us. But you're right - that's just an assumption.
Well immediately at Granada actually. The Pozzo's took over at the start of the 2009-2010 season. Granada were in Segunda B - the third tier of Spanish football. That's a regional competition in four regional groups. Granada won their group that season and then the rather complicated inter-group play off to gain promotion to Segunda - the second tier. They were overall champions. The next season, 2010-2011, they finished 5th in Segunda and entered the play-off for promotion. It was a brand new system and very similar to our own - top two promoted automatically, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in the play-off except both the semis and final are played over two legs. Granada beat Celta de Vigo on a penalty shoot out in the semis and Elche on away goals in the final. So they were promoted to La Liga but by the skin of their teeth. Since then they have hung on in there finishing 17,15,15 and are currently 15th. When they gained the first promotion it was the first time they'd been in Segunda for 22 years and after the second promotion it was the first time they'd been in La Liga for 35 years. So unless they're some sort of 'sleeping giant' that suggests a pretty small club currently punching significantly above its weight. The promotions were achieved with extensive loans from Udinese, similar to us at the start of 2012-2013. It is undoubtedly easier to climb out of Segunda B, and probably Segunda too, than it is to be upwardly mobile from the Championship.
Meldrew - genuine question, why are you only ever to be seen when something negative is going on? If your dog ran out in the road in front of you and got mowed down would you start celebrating and talking to everyone about it frantically with a massive grin on your face
If we achieve promotion then I will be happy and celebrate. However we are simply getting worse and worse. If you had a dog and it took a dump on you would you pat it and then clap him as he walked off to his dog bed?
Well at least if our respective clubs carry on like this we'll be treated to another classic instalment of the James Chambers Derby next year.
We'd play Lloyd Dyer, but he'd get confused score an own goal, celebrate with your fans, and then shrink back into his turtle shell.
We'll have the YTS lads carry a 25 stone Anthony Knockaert onto the pitch. He'll drop his brie, cry, everyone will cheer and we'll all go home.
In a confusing state of affairs, James Chambers plays for Lestarrrr at the Vic, and for watford at the crisp packet.
The tone and direction set by the OP are both ludicrous and counter - productive. All you can do whn people point this out to you is criticise them for worshiping the owners. Do you want the bloke with the salad leaves back!? Unbelievable lack of perspective. On a different note. This is an interesting article on the Derby game. I agree with a lot of it but not all. http://inthewolfsmouth.com/2014/11/22/devils-advocate-derby-county-h-221114/
Incidentally meldrew, if we got promoted I kinda think you would move straight onto bemoaning our inability to stay up the next season rather than even bother with a celebratory period. Why beat around the bush huh? If we got promoted the owners would surely fk it up within days...
If I asked the dog to fetch me a ball though I would congratulate him. The point is, do you really believe there is nothing positive to say about my club.
Meldrews original post for this thread was well written piece and has prompted much debate. The numbers who constantly criticise him for an argument that is not what the masses want to hear are missing many of the valid points he makes. At the present time all is not well following all the management upheaval we have seen this season and results on the pitch are not what we would all like to see. However when someone raises valid criticisms he has a right to be heard without being howled down by those who may not agree with his viewpoint and equally without the personal abuse that often follows. We will never all be singing from the same sheet but we all want the same end result and that is a well run club off the pitch which the Pozzos seem to have delivered in bucket loads and a successful team on the pitch which is still very much work in progress and until that is achieved we will continue to have much debate on the best way to get there.
Filbert, I don't if you've answered this already in a thread coz I can't be arsed to read all of the over reaction posts. Do you have anyone that can rival Meldrew, on your board ?
Oh absolutely. Some of them are nowhere to be seen when the goals are flying in and the champagne corks are popping, then they're all over the forums like a rash after a poor performance. At the minute there's just a sense that we're wasting a good opportunity for the club to progress, no chat about the club going backwards though.
There was me thinking Meldrew was special. Meldrew, it appears there are many like you so at least you can take comfort in the fact that, although your life must be very miserable, you could get help by searching out like minded people on other forums and start a self help discussion group
