Watford FC - The Pozzo Family

Giampaolo Pozzo

Giampaolo Pozzo (Udine, 21 May 1941) is an Italian businessman, owner of the Italian football team Udinese and Spanish club Granada.

Giampaolo Pozzo bought Udinese Calcio in July 1986. The team, involved in a betting scandal, was first sent back to Serie B; later, it was penalized by nine points in the Serie A championship in 1986/1987. To save the team, Pozzo bought fine players: Francesco Graziani, Fulvio Collovati, Bertoni. Udinese ended at the last place, and was sent back to Serie B; without the nine-point penalty it would have saved itself.

After the troubled season 1987/1988, in summer 1988 Pozzo engaged Sonetti as coach of the team with De Vitis, Minaudo, Angelo Orlando, Lucci, Antonio Paganin, Garella, Zennoni, Catalan and Branca. Udinese came back in Serie A

In 1990, a phone call between Pozzo and the president of S.S. Lazio team just before a match was alleged as prove of illicit deals. Pozzo defended himself, but was forbidden to hold social positions. Since then he did no longer accept to be President of the Udinese Calcio which he still owns.

Since 1994/1995, the last year in B league, Udinese became a sort of miracle in Italian Football: the team qualified to eight Uefa Cups, an Intertoto Cup, obtained a third place in the 1997/1998 season (with coach Alberto Zaccheroni) and the fourth place in the 2004/2005 season with Luciano Spalletti. Thus it reached Champions League where it beat the Sporting Lisbon.

Pozzo discovered all over the world young under-paid talents, who soon became champions: Nestor Sensini, Oliver Bierhoff, Marcio Amoroso, Vincenzo Iaquinta, David Pizarro, Martin Jørgensen, not to mention Sulley Muntari, Fabio Quagliarella, Antonio Di Natale, Felipe, Cristián Zapata G*khan Inler and Alexis Sánchez; these players coming from various strong teams made Udinese a model for the entire Italian football.

In season 2007-2008 Pozzo was elected the best president of the Serie A.

After Pallacanestro Amatori Udine, better known as Snaidero Udine was sent back to the minor league, Pozzo helped his friend Edy Snaidero, majority shareholder of the basketball society. Pozzo and some other entrepreneurs from Friuli saved Snaidero which could restart playing from the Lega Basket Serie A2 championship.

In 2009, he bought the Spanish club Granada.[1].

On 10 February 2012, a report in Gazzetta dello Sport states that Giampaolo Pozzo is interested in buying Watford F.C.. Giampaolo Pozzo is keen on stepping into English football with Watford on his radar.

 

Priorities for Pozzo

It seems fairly apparent we will have some money to spend but I think it is essential that Pozzo has his priorities straight.

In my opinion, the first thing that needs to be done is obviously completing the work on the pitch. Secondly, if Pozzo is to throw a little cash into the club then it should primarily be directed as ensuring the academy is Cat 1 for when the EPPP comes into play next season.

After this I think we can then look into the SW corner, east stand and summer transfers. I think if we are to protect the clubs long term future, the academy is the key and I think was the USP when selling the club.

 

I agree that the academy must be one of the priorities and any further investment would only be welcome. Imagine having a 2nd Harefield opened somewhere ! Apart from it won't be Harefield but you know...

The ground, being where it is, leaves very little room for great improvement. As long as we have 4 decent stands and its not over built so that we have mass gaps of seats and no atmosphere, I will be happy.

I like being a community cub, I like the Watford Way, I like everything that we are as a club, the bringing through of academy players and the frustrations of the championship. Of course I like the odd forray into the big time but the excitement of the odd big cup tie for me is more enjoyable than the almost machanical droan of a week to week premiership season.

I hope things change, I hope things change for the better, but i don't want us to lose our identity, our Watford.

( a new left back would also be good )

 

His first priority should be to come to his senses and do something else with his money.

 

He'll spend his money as he choses, it's unlikely he'll take the fans views into consideration, he's kinda done all this before hasn't he?

 

Complete the pitch and corners and settle the debts. Take stock of the league position in December. There's no rush to make massive changes. With a bit of stability and the odd new player we can challenge for a play-off place.

 

Their first target will be to get back in the Premiership.

 

Still, every prospect of an hilarious italian themed 'teamtalk' though so it's not all bad news.

 

STABILITY is what WFC needs, so hopefully that is what the new prospective owner will initially set out to achieve!!! Followed by a steady progression into an established Premiership Club!!!

 

He needs to get the academy to category 1, strengthen the squad a little bit and sort out the South West corner.

 

Buy L***n & close them down. Shouldn't cost much.

 

This for me would be the best part of any investment.

 

Priority 1 - complete purchase of club.

 

I disagree.

Priority 1 - Order a good 10 pizzas for delivery to the Watford FC boardoom, because it's going to be a long night, and a deal won't be signed until everyone has been fed any watered, especially Baz. We don't want him getting cranky because he has to negotiate on an empty stomach.

 

From what i know it was the academy that first attracted the Pozzo family to the club, it's easy to see why as Harefield is arguably the best youth academy set up in the country.
The reason it is one of the best and what seperates it from other acadamies (apart from the intergrated schooling) is the fact they they have belief in homegrown local talent. They try to take kids through the whole system from start to finish (as a professional footballer) not like all the other academies who at 16 years old release all but 2 locals and flood it with talent found from around the globe. This is the very reason why England aren't producing anywhere near the amount of world class players as other european countries. Watford are the exception to the rule and as time goes Harefield will be a production line for english talent and an excellent revenue stream for the club.
My worry is if the Pozzo's come in and turn Harefield into an academy simular to their own where at 16 years old the locals lads who have been with the academy most of their lives get turfed out and replaced by south american or african players making us just like all the other acadamies(that dont produce good english players) around the country. is their interest in the academy a route to get their south american starlets into the english game and make money? i sincerly hope not.
Watford's academy is well respected throughout Europe for the reason it produces 'local' talent and that should remain the priority of the new owners as quite simply that is the heart of the club.

**since posting this i have read that at Granada they actually work their academy with players only from the province so this is excellent news! lets hope they do the same with Harefield.

 

Pozzo out!

Takeover been done since 'the early hours of the morning' yet still no players in, no discussions with the fans and staff yet to be paid

Im sure the Pozzo happy clappers will be along soon but this isnt good enough :dismay:

 

:boo:

 

We want Bazza back

 

I miss him.

 

Bazza gave us a feeling that whilst he was in charge nothing bad would ever happen....

 

They haven't even built the new Pozzo (East) Stand yet. They are ****! Out NOW!

 

Rome wasn't built in a day :biggrin:

 

To the Pozzo if you are reading this we are all joking lol
Welcome To england is the club going to start saleing more pizza and paste now?

 

Either speak for yourself, or join the WST and speak on behalf of the rest of us.

 

From what I'm hearing, this takeover could be VERY bad for the club. Can't say anymore at this stage.

 

No, you mean..."Bazza gave us a feeling that whilst he was in charge nothing would ever happen."

 

HEY! WE HAD SOME SEATS REPLACED! Thank you very much!

 

Don't forget the PA system upgrade!!

 

And the missing big screen!!!

 

And he spoke to some people in passing once about the SW corner.

 

And where is our new manager?

 

And the pub...

Which Baz may or may not have....

 

Sir Phillip Green was going to build a gym and a hotel!

All ruined now :doom:

 

Harefield has failed.