Watford sack Pezzolano after 10 games and reappoint Gracia

Watford have sacked head coach Paulo Pezzolano after just 10 games in charge of the Championship club and replaced him with former boss Javi Gracia.

Pezzolano, 42, was appointed in May following Watford’s decision to sack Tom Cleverley, making him the club’s 12th boss since Gracia’s first spell ended in 2019.

The Hornets overhauled the squad by bringing in 13 players over the summer after last season’s 14th-place finish under Cleverley.

After a poor start to the campaign, they had shown signs of improvement, taking seven points from their past three games, including Saturday’s 2-1 win over Oxford United.

“We are very pleased to welcome back Javi,” Watford chairman and chief executive Scott Duxbury told the club website.

“His passion, leadership and clear strategy will help us build stability, unity and momentum.

“We are sure there are many supporters who wished Javi had never departed in 2019. With this young and exciting squad we are convinced his experience and qualities are exactly what we need now.”

Gracia’s return to Vicarage Road comes more than two years after he was sacked by Leeds United in May 2023, having been in charge for only 12 games, to make way for Sam Allardyce.

His first spell at Watford lasted from January 2018 to September 2019, that 20-month tenure being the longest enjoyed by any Hornets boss in the past 14 years.

During his time in charge, Watford achieved a best-ever Premier League finish of 11th place and also reached the FA Cup final before losing 6-0 to Manchester City.

They were, however, bottom of the top flight when Watford decided to part company with him, and bring back Quique Sanchez Flores for a second spell in charge, a decision which backfired as he only lasted three months.