Watford sack boss Still after less than three months
TL;DR
Watford have dismissed head coach Ed Still after just three months in charge, following a poor run of form. The team finished 16th in the league, just above the relegation zone, after losing five consecutive matches.
Key points
- Watford sacked head coach Ed Still after less than three months
- Still was appointed on a two-and-half-year contract
- The team finished 16th, just above the relegation zone
- Watford lost five consecutive matches under Still
- Still's final game ended in a 4-0 defeat to Coventry
Mentioned in this story
Watford have sacked head coach Ed Still after less than three months in charge at Vicarage Road.
The 35-year-old Belgian was appointed on a two-and-half-year contract on 9 February following the resignation of predecessor Javi Gracia.
The Hornets were 11th in the table, just three points outside the play-off places, at the time, but have won only three out of 15 league games since then and finished 16th, 16 points adrift of the top six and only 10 clear of the relegation places.
Still's final game as boss was Saturday's 4-0 thrashing by Champions Coventry at Vicarage Road, their fifth successive loss, during which they have conceded 16 goals and scored only one.
After the match he told BBC Three Counties Radio: "The end of season is needed and there is plenty of time to reset, reshape and start again afresh from the summer."
Watford will now begin a search for their 15th head coach, not counting interim bosses, since September 2019 when Gracia left for the first time, and their 12th since the end of the 2020-21 season.
A club statement said: "Watford FC have this morning parted company with head coach Ed Still.
"First-team coach Karim Belhocine has also left the club.
"We wish them all the best in their future endeavours."
Image caption,
Ed Still's final game in charge was Saturday's 4-0 home defeat by Coventry City
No way Still was going to survive - analysis
This has been inevitable for quite a few weeks, and the announcement comes as no surprise. No matter what would have happened against Coventry yesterday (and it was another abject performance) Still was on his way.
In the past two months the results have been awful, the performances dreadful and tactically the Hornets have lacked structure and recognised game-plan.
The players have looked fed up as well - morale, confidence, belief and team spirit is at rock bottom and there was no way that Still was going to survive this.
Owner Gino Pozzo doesn't hang around if the situation gets close to this point, let alone reaches it, and he was on the wrong end of chanting from home supporters in yesterday's defeat.
Like so many other ex-Watford head coaches, Still will argue that his chances were slim given the chaotic and misaligned culture of the club which has hampered them for so many years.
He certainly has a point. But, for me, he's been way out of his depth as a motivator and tactical coach and lacked the aura to lead at such a dysfunctional club.
Q&A
Why did Watford sack Ed Still as head coach?
Watford sacked Ed Still due to a disappointing performance, winning only three out of 15 league games and finishing 16th in the table.
What was Ed Still's record at Watford?
Ed Still had a record of three wins in 15 league matches during his brief tenure as head coach.
Who was Watford's previous head coach before Ed Still?
Javi Gracia was the head coach before Ed Still, resigning prior to Still's appointment.
