Unbelievably good signing & shows some intent heading into the second half of the season. Asprilla/Dennis/Sema/Giorgi/Martins/Bayo/Rajovic. We've got some very good attacking options there.
Loved Dennis. If he is coming back motivated and with a point to prove, that is very exciting news for us. He is definitely well above the standard for this league when on form.
Exactly. I also suspect we now have a manager who won’t hesitate to put him in his place or have a structure that keeps Dennis on the right and narrow to begin with - could end in tears, could be masterstroke…but give me that over 50k a week Kieffer Moore or Defrel every day of the week.
Fantastic if true, but didn’t VI turn down Dennis in the summer because he didn’t «fit the profile»? He’s hardly the type of striker that VI has been banging on about (A Haaland/Emile Heskey imaginary dream player…)
Of course not. He pockets the that additional 70% no doubt in agent fees. Have to keep the car salesman happy now. I say this in jest of course, but well it's Bayat.
This was before we signed Rajovic and we already had Healey. Fair to say he didn’t fit the profile at the time?
I’ve always liked Dennis. He had loads of baggage and so many said he was a bad egg. Bad in the dressing room and everyone cheered when he left. Well that “everyone” have left the club themselves. I never saw a sulky, indulgent player on the pitch. I saw someone who was always motivated and wanted to win. A real team player. Sure there’s no smoke without fire and I’m sure he does need managing, but the dressing room is now strong with a great leader in Val. I’m so excited by the prospect of this signing I’m prepared to go as far as say we’re no longer in a relegation scrap. 15th place is within our grasp
The season is saved. Get that other Nigerian chap in, get promoted, bulk up the squad with some experienced and ace (and handsome) Italians and we stay up comfortably next season. SCIENCE.
For anyone worried solely for the fact that Dennis allegedly had an attitude problem, let me tell you about a guy called Troy…
Considering we've made such a big deal of getting rid of lazy players with bad attitudes, including Sarr and Louza, you'd have to think that rumors of Dennis' issues have been over-exaggerated - otherwise we wouldn't have considered this move despite his talent.
Just seeing this now. Working late. Very happy with this. He will score for fun, if he comes back with the right attitude, which I think he will. Wants to prove that he is a very good player. Not expecting that signing at all.
As @Burnsy said above, Deeney had an ego the size of Hertfordshire. Although I/we have no proof either way, once he was gone a lot of that toxicity seemed to leave the club. Remember that Troy was the reason Ivic got booted, who yes was a right misriable sod but we were not exactly struggling under him. I guess player power really was ruling the club back then.
Fantastic signing. His season for us in the Prem was an incredible effort playing with a bunch of wallies! 16 goal contributions in 33 games and having to put up with idiots like Hodgson who'd have done his best to stifle his flamboyancy! Focused and locked in he will be devastating for us! Love it!
I think it's possible to be a winner on the pitch, but also be a malign influence around the club tbf, let's hope, if that were true at all, that he can change
To further my point, big ego’s and players with attitude can be fantastic given the environment is right and you have enough people around to harness it correctly and keep it in check. Dennis is arrogant but worked hard most of the time and just held poor players to his standard….give me that over Louza who thinks he has a divine right to play irrespective of desire to perform. I suspect Livermore, Hoedt, Porteous, Hamer etc will keep Dennis honest enough, backed up by a manager who has shown he won’t suffer fools. Healey for Dennis and turning a profit is spectacular business.
I remember the amazing upturn in team unity and performances when Dennis left. What a turnaround that was. The rest of the squad were transformed into winners. There was no looking back from that moment, was there? seriously though, welcome back to Watford.
Ironic you should mention Hoedt, as at Southampton and Anderlecht he seemed to be the toxic one who ended up a persona non grata. Hasn't seemed to be a peep of that here though, certainly not of late
Almost like investing in a manager and making him the authority figures works! (Hoedt has been a revelation in recent months - he just seems to get what being captain is about. Didn’t see it coming myself!)
Is there any evidence of his ‘bad attitude’ other than someone saying they spoke to a nameless person who remarkably backed his own opinion?
Do you really think this is an Ismael signing? Who dismissed him out of hand in the summer and laughed at the notion of it? I’m not convinced. Still, I’m not convinced that Ismael is anything more than the same mouthpiece for the hierarchy as all the others before him.
Just with a bit more authority? Or “lucky” that the expectations weren’t very high and he is succeeding .
