Ben Manga

Discussion in 'The Hornets' Nest - Watford Chat' started by reids, Nov 7, 2022.

  1. reids

    reids First Team

    https://www.kicker.de/manga-verhandlungen-mit-watford-924756/artikel#twfeed

    Looks as if we're signing Ben Manga from Eintracht Frankfurt.

    Quite the coup if true imo, although depends how much he'll be listened to over Mogi.
     
  2. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Can he fill in at left back/centre half too ?
     
    Hogg-DEENEY!!! likes this.
  3. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    Incredible appointment if we pull this one off. Watford are reborn.
     
  4. Lloyd

    Lloyd Squad Player

    Carpster likes this.
  5. CaveManHornet

    CaveManHornet Reservist

    Can someone explain why this is so good? Saw the same sort of comments from Forrest fans when they hired Giraldi.
     
  6. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    Bit strange considering we have Giaretta and Bayat essentially doing this role already.

    Would make sense if the talk of outside investment is true and those investors did not want Pozzo and his lackeys solely in charge of the money and where it goes. Considering how highly rated this guy supposedly is and the media response appears to be ‘WTF he’s going to Watford?’, there must be something afoot.
     
  7. reids

    reids First Team

    Eintracht Frankfurt finished 16th the season before he joined. Since then they've finished 11th, 8th, 7th, 9th, 5th, 11th and are currently 5th.

    According to transfermarkt over the time he's spent at Frankfurt (although impossible to say how many of these were "his" players) they've had a net spend of -€35m. So basically he's turned a relegation level Bundesliga team into a solid mid-table/challenging for Europe team, whilst turning a profit on transfers. Frankfurt currently have a valuation of €227m on transfermarkt as well.

    Some notable buys:

    Luka Jovic (bought for €22m, sold a season later for €63m)
    Seb Haller (bought for €7m, sold 2 seasons later for €50m)
    Andre Silva (bought for €3m, sold a season later for €22m)
    Rafael Borre (free transfer, currently valued at €20m on transfermarkt)
    Muani (free transfer, currently valued at €20m on transfermarkt)
    Ndicka (bought for €5.5m, currently valued at €32m on transfermarkt)
    Sow (bought for €10m, currently valued at €22m on transfermarkt)
    Kamada (free transfer, currently valued at €22m on transfermarkt)
    Lindstrom (bought for €7m, currently valued at €17m on transfermarkt)
     
  8. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    Basically he does the Pozzo model better than Pozzo potentially ever has. I remember us heavily linked with Borre and I desperately wanted him to join.

    I’d like to think this is a shrewd move based on a radical changing of philosophy and thinking and would be the smartest move the owner has made in years maybe ever. But then I remember who we’re talking about.
     
  9. tonycotonstache

    tonycotonstache Squad Player

    Was ist das?
     
  10. reids

    reids First Team

    Yeah Borre was my choice to join as well, instead we ended up signing King... :(
     
  11. Steve Leo Beleck

    Steve Leo Beleck Squad Player

    'Hi Ben, welcome to the club. As agreed, we will give you total independence to make any signing you want...




    ... provided they're on this list of bang average footballers from the Belgian league.'
     
    Bubble, Heidar and SkylaRose like this.
  12. Stuey

    Stuey Reservist

    Well I had some champagne on ice when Gieretta was going but then he bizarrely came back (Lazarus style) perhaps I can crack out the champagne again?
     
  13. reids

    reids First Team

    I wonder if Giaretta will be moved to a different scouting role instead. Gino stuck his neck out by sticking by him so would be odd to sack him again a couple of months later. We lost an important scout to Spurs in the summer so could be a slight restructure in the scouting department
     
  14. Stuey

    Stuey Reservist

    Well maybe if he is employed to clean the football boots of the U18s team then I'm game otherwise get shot.
     
    lutonh8a and Happy bunny like this.
  15. SkylaRose

    SkylaRose Administrator Staff Member

    Will be interesting to see what he can provide, as long as his is not smothered by Gino and given room to do his thing. He seems to be very highly regarded so in that respect one would hope he is given the time to make an impact. So if we are now finally re-structuring our scouting, how long till we can re-structure our ownership?
     
  16. SkylaRose

    SkylaRose Administrator Staff Member

    Maybe, but he's no Gaspar.
     
  17. reids

    reids First Team

  18. luke_golden

    luke_golden Space Cadet

    Maybe this is the start of a deviation from the current (mostly failing) model many of us have been crying out for?

    Plenty of false dawns and missed opportunities since things started going wrong, but if this guy is coming in to run the recruitment side of things and Gino is taking a hands off approach, I think that’s something to be optimistic about.

    Whether he’s given free reign to implement change is another matter, but if nothing else, his appointment seems to be a step in the right direction.
     
    PowerJugs, EB Hornet, Chumlax and 2 others like this.
  19. domthehornet

    domthehornet Moderator Staff Member

    Giaretta off to the Spanish club?
     
  20. RS2

    RS2 Squad Player

    Wow, impressive appointment if it happens. If it's the start of real change then I'm all for it.
     
  21. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    God help them !
     
    domthehornet likes this.
  22. domthehornet

    domthehornet Moderator Staff Member

    Pards will lead them to glory.
     
  23. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    More shoulders to bear the blame ?
     
  24. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

  25. Heidar

    Heidar Squad Player

    So assuming this is Option 1 then we can expect the announcement of Gianluca Nani.
     
  26. cyaninternetdog

    cyaninternetdog Forum Hippie

    Putting the "n" in Maga, iamofwfc wont be happy.
     
    reids likes this.
  27. nornironhorn

    nornironhorn Administrator Staff Member

    I do find it amusing seeing Watford Twitter raving about this guy.

    No doubt that, like me, the vast majority had never heard of him until today.

    That's not an insult to the man (I haven't heard of any sporting directors bar our own and 1 or 2 more), but it's amusing seeing the reaction nonetheless.
     
  28. Arakel

    Arakel First Team

    Never heard of him before, but seems an ambitious signing based on what others have said. Fingers crossed.
     
    dynamo380 likes this.
  29. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    That'd be great. His hit rate was outstanding compared to the clowns that followed him.
     
    Heidar likes this.
  30. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

  31. lutonh8a

    lutonh8a Squad Player

    Ben Manga would be an absolutely fantastic appointment I do wonder why he would want to come here and work under Gino though.
     
  32. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Part of a deal bringing in new investors ?
     
  33. BeersThen

    BeersThen Reservist

    An anagram of 'Ben Manga' is 'Ban Mange' so it's just as well that Rose has left.
     
  34. Lloyd

    Lloyd Squad Player

    I wonder if money has got something to do with it?
     
    Steve Leo Beleck likes this.
  35. ForzaWatford

    ForzaWatford Squad Player

    I know people on here are cynical, but with the Udinese connection & football experience within the club, we're an attractive and fairly unique proposition I think. Also a complete free hit, doesn't work out 'ah Watford are a basket case, look at Frankfurt'. Does work out he looks like even more of a genius.
     

Share This Page