Watford have appointed Xisco Munoz as manager

Xisco Muñoz appointed as new Watford head coach

have appointed Spaniard Xisco Muñoz as their new head coach, following the sacking of Vladimir Ivic on Saturday.

The Hornets have acted swiftly in appointing 40 year old Spaniard Xisco Muñoz to replace Serbian head coach Vladimir Ivic, dismissed after losing 2-0 to last weekend.

Ivic was only at the helm for four months of his one-year contract at Vicarage Road.

Muñoz has left his current role as manager of Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi to step into the post, with Watford currently fifth in the standings. He had led the club to the Georgian title during the 2019-20 season. Muñoz, 40, also has coaching experience at Spanish clubs Gimnàstic and Pobla Mafumet.

Xisco said in a club statement: “I am very happy to be here. This is a good chance at a very good club. We have everything and now is the moment to start work. I want to enjoy the situation. I am happy and I want to start work with the guys. I feel very good. We have very good players, we have good support from the fans and I can't wait to start.

“I tell the fans I give my maximum for the club. The focus is to work and to win. We need good energy. We need our fans and we need everyone in the same way. Together we can have big power. Everybody knows the goal.”

During his short-lived tenure, Ivic was accused of being too conservative with his tactics despite being in the play-off frame.

Defending his style of play, Ivic said in the week before his dismissal: “Sometimes you can win the game 1-0 in the 85th minute, sometimes you can win the game 3-0 or 4-0. In the end it's still three points. All of us want to play good and, if possible, score four or five goals and finish the game 5-0, but sometimes this is not realistic.”

During his playing career, Xisco was best known for being part of 's Valencia side who completed the UEFA Cup and La Liga double in 2003/04.

Muñoz's first game in the dugout will be a Boxing Day clash at Vicarage Road, with the visitors being current table-toppers City.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*