Watford boss Gianfranco Zola admits 16 summer signings is 'not ideal' and players will leave
3:00pm Friday 7th September 2012 in Latest Sport By Frank Smith
Zola also accepted it will be hard for the new signings to replace Martin Taylor. Picture: Holly Cant
Gianfranco Zola admits the high number of summer arrivals at Watford is “not ideal” and having 39 professionals at the club is “not normal” but he expects a number of players to leave the Hornets shortly.
Watford signed 16 players this summer following the Pozzos’ takeover of the club, with 12 coming from the family’s other clubs Udinese and Granada.
The Hornets made six signings last Friday on transfer deadline day and Zola admitted signing and selling players five games in to the season was unsettling – describing the transfer system as “crazy”.
Zola is Watford’s head coach and technical director Gian Luca Nani is in charge of recruiting players, with the Pozzos providing a large pool of players due to their large squad.
The Chelsea legend prefers not to discuss transfer dealings and leaves the detail to Nani.
Zola explained: “It works like every team in Europe does and also some of the biggest teams in this country. I work on the pitch, the club knows what type of football I want to play, the club knows what type of players I need to play my best football and the club provides me with a choice of different players. Then I choose them.
“With Udinese behind us it allows me to have instead of one choice in one position or two choices, to have four and five very high quality players to choose.
“So I think it is not a system that [just] Watford use, this is a system that the majority of big clubs in Europe use.
“So for me as, I have to look at so many things on the pitch and if the club can provide me with good quality players, that we can play the kind of football I want to play, then I’m happy.”
When asked whether he wanted to sign all 16 players, Zola replied: “I don’t mind having good quality players, obviously when there are many it might be a problem but we will be able to sort it out.
“I think it is better to have some extra players than to not have enough players.”
He added: “It is not ideal but we have to do the best we can to make the club successful.”
The 16 summer arrivals has increased the squad to 39 professionals – 42 if you include the trio out on loan at other clubs – and Zola accepts players will need to leave.
He said: “I think 39 players is a big number, very big, and I’m the type of manager who likes to give attention to the players so obviously we will have to find a solution.
“There will be some players who will be going but I believe it will also be for their own good because they can not stay here training and not playing. So, yes, there will be players that will have the choice to go.
“We will see. We are looking at the situation. We know it is not normal and we will try to do the best for the players and for the club.”
The loan window reopens today (Friday) and several Watford players will leave in the coming weeks.
Last Friday saw the departure of Martin Taylor but that day the club also announced the arrival of Udinese defenders Joel Ekstrand and Neuton Piccoli and Chelsea youngster Nathaniel Chalobah, who can all play at centre-back. Fitz Hall is also expected to be fit in the next couple of weeks.
Watford had been linked with Neuton and Ekstrand for a couple of weeks and when asked if the pair had been lined up before Taylor’s departure on Friday, Zola replied: “Whether they were lined up, I don’t know. There was a possibility but it wasn’t there because otherwise they would have come earlier I believe.”
Zola added: “The players who have come to take Taylor’s spot are not going to be Martin Taylor, but maybe they can be good for the team.
“So we are doing our best to make them settle well and make sure they can perform well for us.”
Comments(30)
EstebanSemtex
says...
3:42pm Fri 7 Sep 12
dal8oy
says...
3:51pm Fri 7 Sep 12
WFC4ever wrote:Maybe GZ hasnt been given the choice of some of the loans but he will be the one choosing the side so if he doesnt like them they dont get in the squad. I think now we can get rid of a lot of dead wood like Dickinson who quite frankly we only kept before because we had nobody else to chose from. I think its good. I look forward to the next few months watching the squad blend and start seeing some nice football.
I know it goes on at other clubs too but it does seem some of the later incoming loan players have just been given to Zola and he has been told to work with them.
honest-view
says...
4:01pm Fri 7 Sep 12
wfc lad
says...
4:54pm Fri 7 Sep 12
WFC4ever
says...
5:04pm Fri 7 Sep 12
Boxhorn
says...
5:41pm Fri 7 Sep 12
Still, that's the situation we are in and it may take Zola longer than 10 games to find his ideal starting eleven.
Anyway, despite the have loss at Derby (blast, I was beginning to forget about that!) the future looks bright...the future is Yellow.....!
ElGingerino
says...
6:28pm Fri 7 Sep 12
rousman 2
says...
6:31pm Fri 7 Sep 12
wfc lad wrote:So he should be.
zola sounds really p***** off
rousman 2
says...
6:33pm Fri 7 Sep 12
WFC4ever wrote:The problem is we now have more deadwood than we had B4.
Trouble is who will want some of our deadwood..they've been such for a whille now.
gloryhornet4
says...
6:44pm Fri 7 Sep 12
Casterbridge
says...
6:47pm Fri 7 Sep 12
honest-view wrote:Ans all the time that GZ is rotating the squad to give everyone a few games, the team isn't gelling.
With this many new players, I think it will take a long time to sort out his first team and then his back up players. I can not see him knowing this for a few months. Full clear out will not be until January.
But the system he's playing demands that players pass instinctively. Hold the ball whilst you look around to see who's available and you're caught in possession.
He would be better to make some hard choices sooner rather than later.
Travelling Hornet
says...
7:00pm Fri 7 Sep 12
WFC4ever wrote:Calling any of our players 'deadwood' is not only spiteful but disrespectful to honest professionals that have sweated blood and given 100% to the Watford cause !
Trouble is who will want some of our deadwood..they've been such for a whille now.
It's not their fault,but a problem with the coaching through most levels of the English game.( Just look at the England team!)
These players cannot pass to member of the same side under pressure !
I'm sure they will find other clubs.
Oracledave
says...
7:19pm Fri 7 Sep 12
ElGingerino wrote:Warning folks !
More placating words and it ignores the fact the person in charge of our transfers is a happy ammature with a less than impressive track record.
This chap is almost certainly a reincarnation of previous posters (who remembers the late and unlamented 'Rick Almighty'). The 'modus operandi' is relentlessly negative. And of course with spelling like this entirely assinine.
Best to ignore and stick to proper debate.
Starved of the 'oxygen' of response (even insulting ) he/she may high tail it back to Luton !
aefevans
says...
7:33pm Fri 7 Sep 12
ElGingerino wrote:Oh look, it's you again...
More placating words and it ignores the fact the person in charge of our transfers is a happy ammature with a less than impressive track record.
lutondown
says...
8:41pm Fri 7 Sep 12
gloryhornet4 wrote:Gorywasp, that's really giving people a chance.
39 players so a years salary for say14 games average for a player- small wonder it costs a bomb to watch football.
I hear Lutons horrid this time of year, please go there
WFC4ever
says...
12:15am Sat 8 Sep 12
rousman 2 wrote:Quite agree and the last 2 performance won't help get rid of them!
WFC4ever wrote:The problem is we now have more deadwood than we had B4.
Trouble is who will want some of our deadwood..they've been such for a whille now.
Bush Hornet
says...
2:20am Sat 8 Sep 12
corbindallas
says...
9:53am Sat 8 Sep 12
davbat
says...
10:26am Sat 8 Sep 12
Travelling Hornet wrote:I agree with you TH in that l don't think 'deadwood' is a good term to use. And remember those same players got us to 10th spot last season under SD which was way above expectation!
WFC4ever wrote:Calling any of our players 'deadwood' is not only spiteful but disrespectful to honest professionals that have sweated blood and given 100% to the Watford cause !
Trouble is who will want some of our deadwood..they've been such for a whille now.
It's not their fault,but a problem with the coaching through most levels of the English game.( Just look at the England team!)
These players cannot pass to member of the same side under pressure !
I'm sure they will find other clubs.
stiffler99
says...
10:53am Sat 8 Sep 12
I try not to be negative but I do have my concerns about becoming Udinese Reserves and about our youth policy. However one of the best things a about the new set-up is the financial stability and as long as we don't get relegated I am more than happy to give them time to build our "premiership" club.
gloryhornet4
says...
11:25am Sat 8 Sep 12
lutondown wrote:I can afford the admission fees but as true supporter I am concerned the player salary bill will not encourage new local supporters, if reflected in Chelsea style admission tariffs.
gloryhornet4 wrote:Gorywasp, that's really giving people a chance.
39 players so a years salary for say14 games average for a player- small wonder it costs a bomb to watch football.
I hear Lutons horrid this time of year, please go there
Sammy Chung
says...
4:33pm Sat 8 Sep 12
Hornet Cornet
says...
9:41pm Sat 8 Sep 12
Sammy Chung wrote:42
I've asked this question before, but how many goals does Asombalonga have to score before he gets a run out of a few games?.
D.unstable
says...
10:02pm Sat 8 Sep 12
gloryhornet4 wrote:Would you liked to translate to give others a chance?
lutondown wrote:I can afford the admission fees but as true supporter I am concerned the player salary bill will not encourage new local supporters, if reflected in Chelsea style admission tariffs.
gloryhornet4 wrote:Gorywasp, that's really giving people a chance.
39 players so a years salary for say14 games average for a player- small wonder it costs a bomb to watch football.
I hear Lutons horrid this time of year, please go there
buckler
says...
10:58pm Sat 8 Sep 12
Sammy Chung wrote:He looked like a fish out of water the few games he played! Massive difference between wealdstone , Southend and the championship! Let's all do the conga?
I've asked this question before, but how many goals does Asombalonga have to score before he gets a run out of a few games?.
lutondown
says...
7:11am Sun 9 Sep 12
Hornet Cornet wrote:Disappointing response flakey one.
Sammy Chung wrote:42
I've asked this question before, but how many goals does Asombalonga have to score before he gets a run out of a few games?.
Really expect an ode every time now!
gilesy97
says...
10:42am Sun 9 Sep 12
davbat wrote:I agree too very disrepectful. This new system is "foreign" to a lot of footballers and to ask them to change a style in a few weeks , from a lifetime of playing other ways is harsh. Just read today that Liverpool's goalkeeper Reina is struggling with the "passing game " up at Liverpool so it can happen to the best.
Travelling Hornet wrote:I agree with you TH in that l don't think 'deadwood' is a good term to use. And remember those same players got us to 10th spot last season under SD which was way above expectation!
WFC4ever wrote:Calling any of our players 'deadwood' is not only spiteful but disrespectful to honest professionals that have sweated blood and given 100% to the Watford cause !
Trouble is who will want some of our deadwood..they've been such for a whille now.
It's not their fault,but a problem with the coaching through most levels of the English game.( Just look at the England team!)
These players cannot pass to member of the same side under pressure !
I'm sure they will find other clubs.
One other point , despite being "deadwood" these players , from relegation favorites , kept this club in the championship. Their effort has to be applauded .Would the Pozzo's have bought us had we been a Div 1 team ??? So repect please to last years team , who under the dfficult circumstances did us proud .
ElGingerino
says...
11:45am Sun 9 Sep 12
Oracledave wrote:I'm negative because I am not too enamored with how things have gone club wise, its not the Pozzo's its the D-N-Z triumvirate in charge that worries me, they failed miserably at West Ham doing the same thing as now (same talk of projects, strange signings, trying to re-structure the club at short notice that from the outside looks more destructive than constructive), others have expressed the same fears, maybe I am overly harsh on Zola due to him having at most a minimal role as a well known face in all of this but I remember when the club had a manager in control of things, not a novice head coach and a coupe of what appears to be a couple of footballing chancers with previous form of bad footballing decisions, these people are not to thank for our new found stability (even if it does appear to be more or less self funding) they appear to have sold the idea and put themselves in charge of another club as a reward, it is also disrespectful to imply all our players from the previous regime are deadwood when they clearly have done the club proud up until the point that DNZ appeared and changed everything.
ElGingerino wrote:Warning folks !
More placating words and it ignores the fact the person in charge of our transfers is a happy ammature with a less than impressive track record.
This chap is almost certainly a reincarnation of previous posters (who remembers the late and unlamented 'Rick Almighty'). The 'modus operandi' is relentlessly negative. And of course with spelling like this entirely assinine.
Best to ignore and stick to proper debate.
Starved of the 'oxygen' of response (even insulting ) he/she may high tail it back to Luton !
Bit of a childish mentality you display, 'this poster doesn't agree with things 100% so I shall cast him as a Luton supporter and tell everyone not to answer' OK online newspaper discussion board god, people will obey.
Chris the Vic
says...
8:48am Mon 10 Sep 12
WFC4ever says...
3:28pm Fri 7 Sep 12