Liam Duckstein
Watford dismiss Paulo Pezzolano and bring back Javi Gracia
Watford have dismissed head coach Paulo Pezzolano after just 10 games and reappointed Javi Gracia as manager. Pezzolano, 42, had been hired in May following the club’s decision to sack Tom Cleverley.
The Hornets overhauled their squad over the summer, signing 13 players after finishing 14th in the Championship last season under Cleverley. Pezzolano’s short tenure made him the club’s 12th boss since Gracia left in 2019.
Results had been mixed. After a poor start, Watford took seven points from their previous three matches, including Saturday’s 2-1 win over Oxford United, but the board opted for change.
Pezzolano’s spell was even shorter than the 11 matches given to Rob Edwards in 2022.
“We are very pleased to welcome back Javi,” Watford chairman and chief executive Scott Duxbury said on 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.”
The club also said it “thank sincerely” Pezzolano and his staff “for their efforts and commitment during their time in charge.”
Gracia returns to Vicarage Road more than two years after his exit from Leeds United in May 2023, where he was dismissed after 12 matches to make way for Sam Allardyce. His first Watford spell ran from January 2018 to September 2019 — a 20-month stay that remains the longest any Hornets boss has had at the club in the past 14 years.
During that period Watford recorded their best-ever top-flight finish, 11th in the Premier League, and reached the FA Cup final, where they were beaten 6-0 by Manchester City. Despite those highs, the side were bottom of the division when the club moved on from Gracia and brought back Quique Sánchez Flores for a second spell — a move that lasted only three months.
Gracia will start work with the first team straight away. His first match back in charge is scheduled at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United on Saturday, 18 October.
Fans are expected to welcome the appointment. Gracia was a popular figure in his earlier spell, admired for his rapport with supporters and the style of his teams. For the board, his experience and familiarity with the club offer a route to steadiness after a turbulent start to the season.