Watford Blame Everton As They Sack Silva

Watford have sacked manager Marco Silva, blaming Everton’s approach for the Portuguese in November as the “catalyst for this decision.”

The Hornets have won one of their last 11 Premier League games and are 10th in the table, five points above relegation after Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Leicester.

Spaniard Javi Gracia is expected to be named as Silva’s replacement this week.

Gracia, 47, left Russian club Rubin Kazan in June after a 10-year coaching career in his homeland and in Greece,

He will become the 10th manager to work at the club under the Pozzo family since 2012.

In a statement, Watford said they were “convinced” that 40-year-old Silva’s appointment in May “was the right one” and, without “the unwarranted approach” they would have “continued to prosper”.

“This has been a difficult decision and one not taken lightly,” the club added.

“The catalyst is that approach, something which the board believes has seen a significant deterioration in both focus and results to the point where the long-term future of Watford has been jeopardised.”

Silva has become the eighth Premier League manager to lose his job this season following changes at Crystal Palace, Everton, Leicester City, Stoke, Swansea, West Brom and West Ham.

What happened around Everton’s approach for Silva?

Dutchman Ronald Koeman was sacked by Everton on 23 October – fewer than 24 hours after a 5-2 home defeat by Arsenal left them in the Premier League relegation zone. That was despite spending £140m in the summer.

Everton were understood to be willing to pay about £10m in compensation for Silva, who signed a two-year contract with Watford in the summer after leaving relegated Hull City at the end of last season.

Previously, Silva guided Olympiakos to the Greek title and claimed a Champions League group-stage victory at Arsenal in September 2015, having already tasted Portuguese Cup success with Sporting.

At the time of Everton’s interest, Silva declined to pledge his long-term future to Watford both before and after the home win against West Ham United on 19 November – but the Hornets still made it clear they were unwilling to release

At the time of the approach, Silva said: “I don’t want to talk about Everton. It’s not where I work. It’s a big club, nothing more.”

He later said that the speculation was “not a problem” for him and that “this type of interest in players and coaches happens but it is not fair to question our commitment”.

Under-23 coach David Unsworth spent five weeks in temporary charge at Everton before Sam Allardyce was eventually appointed on 30 November.