They just want to do a deal because they know theyre going to lose him in January, [so] we have a guy in a car park with 10 minutes to go before the window closes., Duxbury spoke to Pozzo, who instantly gave the green light. Instead, Watford appear to deploy a series of trading strategies that mean their recruitment choices are smarter and more bankable than their rivals: At 4.50pm on August9 2018, 10 minutes before the closure of the summer transfer window, a period in which players can be traded between clubs, Duxbury received a call. Talk of buying Watford began around six months ago and negotiations started in March. That is tough to actually deal with and we had to do that and we had to keep a team that was competitive with literally no income that was coming into the football club. Joined Watford in August 2022. By James Walters. It is the breadth of Watfords scouts and contacts that allows them to utilise the market so well and find value where others cannot. After leaving the Hammers in January 2010 following the clubs takeover, Duxbury joined Sydney Rovers as the newly-founded club attempted to secure a spot in the A-League, unsuccessfully. Watford have been criticised for their propensity to fire managers. Scott Duxbury, Chairman & CEO. The deal would have been quite a return for Pozzo, given he paid 500,000 to buy Watford six years ago as well clearing the clubs debts of about 10m. [Its about] getting the experience I need to hopefully go on to bigger things. But no club in the Pozzo family stable has been relegated for more than 20 years. Well send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Life & Arts news every morning. A powerful documentary marks the first anniversary of the Ukraine war through five people's diaries, Celebrate the American rapper, Megan Thee Stallion, with an epic mix of tunes and chats, In a long, hot, post-exam summer friends are seduced by a powerful app, Watford's five-year top-flight stay ended after a. owner Gino Pozzo and chief executive Scott Duxbury expressed "great disappointment". But for a club with Watfords limited resources survival is the primary objective (the bottom three teams each season are relegated). Even so, the Watford way is not to be tampered with. Instead, the Pozzo model is akin to venture capital investing. They cannot afford to purchase established stars as fans prefer. In an office locked away from the hubbub is Gino Pozzo, Watfords owner. Scott Duxbury, Watford FC chairman and chief executive, wrote an opinion piece in The Times of London whose headline lamented the "devastating effects" of a plan to play the season's final . . "Watford have never built with a manger, you would not put a family photo on your desk or buy a house in the area. The question ishow? Then, Pozzo, Giraldi and Duxbury draw up lists of around four desirable players in each position, as well as tallies of younger targets that could eventually graduate into the side. He has a history of doing this. Academic research suggests the best predictor of a teams league placing is its wage bill. His time at Upton Park was controversial though, with the club fined 30m because of the Carlos Tevez affair, and he left in 2010 when David Gold and David Sullivan took over. Analysis and opinion from our chief football writer. It must be on Watfords terms, too, as they showed when they held out until Everton paid 40m for Richarlison. F ootball is coming back. Scott Duxbury Nationality: English Qualified as a lawyer and worked in that capacity for West Ham before becoming their chief executive. Click HERE to sync your online/mobile calendar with all the club's 2021/22 fixtures. If you look at the balance sheet of Watford, what people would see as a negative in terms of certain incomes being low Gino sees as a positive, because he believes with the clubs fan base, Watford can grow. We are all focused on putting this right. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. The decision over Pearson has been an emotional, impulsive decision. Joined the club as an intern in October 2015. Data profile of Scott Duxbury who is contracted to Watford. Others follow a similar method. It's the finest moment I've had in football," said Duxbury. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. atford chairman and CEO Scott Duxbury made a statement in a recent interview you would not expect from a Premier League club chief. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Its been discussed, its been accepted. In 2009, Pozzo led the familys acquisition of Spanish club Granada (subsequently sold in 2016 to Chinese group Link International Sports for a reported 37m). A manager is incentivised to pick the best possible team, so if new signings are good, they will play frequently. Comments have been closed on this article. A lot of the bigger clubs, they will look at a player and they need a little more convincing, a little more proof. Scott Duxbury sets out #watfordfc's position on Project Restart. If we just simply replicate what the bigger clubs are doing, were going to fail, because we dont have their resources. "There was moments where we weren't perhaps achieving what we thought we would do and people were turning against us, and the fans were turning against us, but we believed in what we were doing. Duxbury calls them absolute nonsense. The company made a turnover of $297 billion in 2011. The move to acquire clubs has given the Pozzos operation greater scale. It was how they were able to persuade Gerard Deulofeu to sign from Barcelona and Nathaniel Chalobah from Chelsea, while Domingos Quina turned up at the training ground on deadline day in the summer when West Ham said he could go because he knew Watford would give him a chance. Watford chairman Scott Duxbury says at least six of the 20 English Premier League clubs are concerned about the plan to use neutral stadiums to finish the season. Raffaele Riva resigned as executive chairman over the incident. Recruitment is, in many ways, a bit of a lottery, he says. The family can develop the club, they can increase revenues and can help Watford grow.. . Though they employ an outside firm to provide some data analysis on players, the club rely on the subjective judgments of their scouts. Please report any comments that break our rules. Scott Duxbury, Watford FC Chairman, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Stake as our principal shirt sponsor ahead of the 2021/2022 season. Our team will resume duty as soon as possible to start preparing for the best summer transfers file! At clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester City, the idea is that recruitment is carried out by an executive team that remain in place even if the manager who picks the team changes. Scott Duxbury sat down with the Watford Observer's Frank Smith this week. It can be considered a London club, it has great history and - ironically as it annoys the fans - the fact the stand has not been developed is seen as a positive because they know they can make a big impact. The Pozzos are the clubs owners and son Gino will be the one who is more involved than his father Gianpaolo. Editors' Code of Practice. "We are a Premier League football club now. Our Supporter Liaison team contacted a number of different supporter groups, and they were joined by a mix of those that broadcast and write about club goings-on; including podcasters, bloggers, fanzine editors and YouTubers. After spending more than $100m but failing to find the next Messi, Football Dreams was disbanded in 2016. I want them to achieve the best that they could possibly do in their career. Of the 28 teams to have played in the Premier League in the past three years, only four have bought a lower percentage of players from the British Isles, according to 21st Club. "That is not to detract from mistakes that were made surrounding the team this season. Scouts deploy no fixed tests. "He has done it before. Watford often acquire players who do not satisfy these immigration rules but loan them to Udinese or other teams to build the experience needed to gain a work permit. Beneath them is best described as a scouting board, with eight or nine individuals based around the world. Played professionally in Germany before moving into coaching and scouting. This will be an extremely exciting campaign for the club . Everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment. Was a manager in his own right, for HNK Orijent 1919 in Croatia, before linking up with Bilic at Al-Ittihad, West Brom and Beijing Guoan. If thats playing for Real Madrid orParis Saint-Germain, thats mutually compatible with our ambition because we will improve as a football club, they will improve as a player, and the merry-go-round will continue.. Difficult in practice. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. But what if Watford simply underpay their players relative to their true worth? Saturday May 09 2020, 12.01am, The Times. But other variables, such as the ability to control a ball under pressure, are near impossible to assess empirically. In the three seasons since promotion, Watford have secured 12 victories on one occasion and 11 wins in the other two. Scott Duxbury Watford You might like Man City charged with breaking financial rules and may face points deduction or expulsion Man City not guaranteed EFL place if relegated, Pochettino to. Over the course of a decade, he held trials for five million children across Africa, Latin America and south-east Asia. We dont have an owner taking money out [or] as a vehicle for him to make money.. Born on 1st March 1972. Most, however, are obsessive freelancers who travel thousands of miles a season, are paid little more than 40 pence a mile for petrol, and are sustained by a diet of bacon sandwiches. Truth be told there is a myth about Watfords transfer set-up. In a joint statement,external-link owner Gino Pozzo and chief executive Scott Duxbury expressed "great disappointment". Heurelho Gomes, who is likely to start in goal on Saturday, was a free signing. Watford FC Chairman & CEO Scott Duxbury shares his thoughts ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Burnley. 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Scott Duxbury in 2021. Duxbury responded Sir Elton texts most days and always gets a reply but politely declined the advice. Date: 27/07/2020 By: Watford FC Statement from Hornets' Owner and Chairman & CEO . All Rights Reserved, Webber considering long-term future outside football after abuse, Strudwick steps down as Wales Head of Performance after five years, Plymouth secure permanent home for Academy as they prepare for Cat 2, Inside Brentfords new Robert Rowan Performance Centre, How futsal is part of the football fabric of River Plate in Argentina, App that gives released players new Routes after Academy football, How Ajax are building a full model of football, John Morling: Ferguson, Moran and different approaches to development. They are footballs last romantics. 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Only a couple of months into a long season, Watford are already more than halfway to reaching an internal target. To what end? Everybody wins. Along with the clubs Finance Director Emiliano Russo and Head of Communications Richard Walker, it was refreshing to be able to speak with supporters in an environment where confidentiality from both sides was assured. A greater windfall is possible. "We came here eight years ago, we are now an established Premier League football club and that's where we belong.". Not any more. Elon Musks Twitter is dying a slow and tedious death, Who to fire? Manchester United, the richest club in the world, employ 50 full-time scouts globally. He had been bought just a season earlier for 11.5m from Brazils Fluminense but Duxbury says he was actually the clubs second choice for a new attacking player. We dont want to hide behind anything. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to They are not putting a time frame on that, but I am extremely confident it is just a matter of when, and not if. They try to keep the identity of the club, so I think Watford fans should be really encouraged. The financial constraints of dropping down a division, coupled with the added pressure of the global pandemic meant that the odds were stacked against the Hornets, but their win against Millwall on Saturday confirmed they would be returning to the top flight at the first time of asking. Since their most recent promotion to the Premier League in 2015, they have, on average, acquired and sold more players than any other side in Englands top division. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? They brought a similarly savvy approach to Watford. Whether its Chalobah or whoever, they will go when were ready for them to go because itll be a huge transfer fee, he says. In 1986, his father Giampaolo bought Italian club Udinese with money from the familys toolmaking company. Watford look set for another season in Englands top tier following an outstanding start to this term. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. But it will be the trio of Duxbury, Nani and Zola who will run the club, on and off the pitch. Won 44 caps for Croatia and played for clubs including Everton and West Ham. Data profile of Scott Duxbury who is contracted to Watford. The small room, packed with circular tables, fills with noise. Picture: Holly Cant. One example is Richarlison de Andrade, the Brazilian forward sold to Everton this summer for a reported 35.2m. Simply put, staying in the Premier League is valuable. Duxbury claimed that financial pressure was not the only thing the clubfound it difficult to contend with during the season, saying that the Watford "family" not being entirely on the same page at moments during the campaign caused added stress. My continued very best wishes, on behalf of everyone here at Watford Football Club, to you and your families. Its a big operation for a club of their size, but those with more money can afford more spotters. Only one has to make the big time to achieve huge returns. Udinese is a really small town on the outskirts of Italy. It is most certainly not a closed shop or invite only. Goalkeeper Ben Foster cost 3.5m and Jose Holebas 2.5m. To see staff profiles for other clubs, click here. Joined club in November 2020, having been assistant at Deportivo Alavs in La Liga. Premier League champions Manchester City have created a database of 300,000 players, with the club identifying just three targets in each position they consider the best in the world. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations with other readers. Was Bilics assistant at Hajduk Split, Al-Ittihad, West Brom and Beijing Guoan and does opposition scouting and analysis as well as coaching. Brother of the Head Coach and also arrived at the club in December 2020, having previously spent a season with Valencia in La Liga. For now, then, on the back of several weeks without a home fixture, lets all come together and create something special this afternoon; something everyone can use as a catalyst for a very positive end to the season as we bid to retain Premier League status. We cannot suggest for one moment you havent tried to play your part. Knows Watford owners the Pozzos from his three-year spell as Sporting Director of their other club, Udinese. The company made a turnover of $297 billion in 2011. You can opt-out at any time by signing in to your account to manage your preferences. We try to have independence between [Udinese and Watford], says Giraldi. Elton John Splurges On Luxury Toronto Apartment, The 8 Biggest Deals On Shark Tank Ever, Ranked, John Wick's Garage: 10 Crazy Expensive Motorcycles In Keanu Reeves' Collection, Inside Red Sea Project: The $5 Billion Saudi Desert Megaresort, Larsa Pippens New $3.3 Million Miami Penthouse, A Peek Inside Tom Hardy's Insane Car Collection. In his award-winning 2013 bookThe Nowhere Men, football writer Michael Calvin followed the lives of English talent spotters. The multi-platinum selling singer is Watford's honorary life president and was chairman during their rise from the old Fourth Division to the top flight during the 1970s and early 80s. He decided to do something about it and the result is the Routes App - a digital record of a scholar's journey. In 2012, they arrived in England to buy Watford, where Gino is sole owner. Abu Dhabi-controlled City Football Group, which ownsManchester City, also has sides in the US and Australia, while energy drinks manufacturerRed Bull owns teams in Austria and Germany. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. They feel it in their bones, he says in a recent YouTube video series on the art of scouting. Earlier that day, Watford had lost 4-0 to English Premier League rivals Bournemouth on a dismal, drizzly day at their home ground of Vicarage Road. The Pozzos are focused solely on football. Terms & Conditions The Watford hierarchy have said their "efforts surrounding the team were not good enough" following the Hornets' relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season. Was U23 physio for a year before becoming Head of Medical at Peterborough in June 2018. On Monday, Pozzo and Duxbury added: "Every club wants to be playing at the highest possible level. of belonging, and its wish to inspire those in the local community. Following the takeover, Watford signed 10 players on loan from Udinese to boost the team. Theydidn't see quite what we were doing, but I like to think that, as we proved what we were trying to do, the family stayed with us and then they saw that we were trying to build a football club that was going to achievesuccess. Far from discouraging the desire to leave the club, Duxbury says such ambition can be harnessed. Editor's . The suggestion that Watford is a London club is something of a touchy subject with a lot of supporters, considering the side are based in Hertfordshire, but the link with the capital was a huge positive for the Pozzos. And while our full focus is of course on the current season, if you are thinking about things beyond the end of this campaign then I do hope Season Ticket holders reading in have already seen fit to renew for next year courtesy of the reduced prices offered within our Early Renewal period. In 2006, Udinese signed a 17-year-old Alexis Snchez for 2.7m from Chilean club Cobreloa but immediately loaned him to other South American sides. WATFORD ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED(THE) (00104194) Company status Active Correspondence address Vicarage Road Stadium, Vicarage Road, Watford Hertfordshire, WD18 0ER. ARGENTINA star Lionel Messi has said futsal really helped me become who I am today and River Plate are typical of pro clubs in the country in having a futsal division. Everybody wins. Two-thirds of those awarded a professional contract at the age of 18 abandon the sport by 21. Scott Duxbury, Watford chief executive. By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. Football is an efficient market: the more a club spends, the better the results. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? Scott Duxbury in 2021. The creation of the Fans Committee comes with the distribution of a Memorandum of Understanding, so that all those taking part are clear about the terms of reference for involvement; what can be shared more widely and what should remain within the room, so to speak. Privacy Policy & Cookies, 2023 Training Ground Guru. Thats the emotion, laughs Duxbury as he recounts the story to me. That's where we've moved Watford. Clubs such as Liverpool and Arsenal have invested millions of pounds building in-house teams. Watfords scouts are instructed to get to know a players agents, even his parents, to better understand their desires in advance of any transfer. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. British businessman and board member of Watford FC, David Fransen has a net worth of$104.26 million. For primary use with Football Manager 2021. Has one Premier League football club cracked the system for trading talent? Its not a joke. To receive exclusive content every month and other great benefits sign up to our monthly eNewsletter. He is the managing director of Vitol, a Geneva-based oil trading company. Watford chairman Scott Duxbury has questioned whether the Premier League should return amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Pozzos were keen to buy an English club following the success of Granada and after discussing several possibilities, the family decided Watford were the perfect project. Foreign imports, says Giraldi, offer better value for money: If you want to be economically efficient, [buy players in] South America. Training Ground Guru In the past, dictatorial managers such as Manchester Uniteds Sir Alex Ferguson or ArsenalsArsne Wenger, controlled most aspects of a clubs operations, including transfers. However, in reality the head coach is naturally involved in discussions but the key is he is one cog of the mechanism not the entire engine. Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. It was an excellent mix across the wide demographic of Watfords fanbase and allowed for some very robust and open conversation about the clubs current circumstances, the challenges we have had to face on its behalf in the recent years (in particular during the Covid pandemic and relegation) and what the short-term and longer-term future might look like. and other data for a number of reasons, such as keeping FT Sites reliable and secure, Love, Elton.. However, he was also sacked with just two matches remaining, with under-23s boss Hayden Mullins put in charge, but back-to-back defeats condemned the Hornets to the Championship next season. History . Watford get a good fee, the player gets his move and the system kicks into life again. This is your chance to discuss club matters with senior club officials, as host Michael Kurn is joined by Scott Duxbury, CEO & Chairman, and Head Coach Vladi. Duxbury returned to England to head up a sports practice and it was then that he met Gino Pozzo. To have great resources and for them not to bear fruit is bitterly disappointing. We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. We wait until he gets his national qualifying games, and then he can come to us., I never fall in love with a player. info@trainingground.guru, About Also a well-travelled coach, having managed sides in Croatia, Russia, Turkey, England, Saudi Arabia and China. "And there weremoments where the family was a little bit against us. The latest rumours and stories from around the world of football. The ability to make such speedy decisions stems from extensive planning. "There were moments where it was touch and go whether we thought we could actually continue, but we managed to find a way through, we managed to adapt, and we've got back to the Premier League, which iseverything for this football club.