Javi Gracia uncertain how long he'll last as Watford manager following appointment

Javi Gracia is uncertain as to exactly how long he will last as Watford’s head coach after being formally unveiled as the ninth man in that position in the space of six years.

The Spaniard has signed an 18-month deal to succeed Marco Silva but is well aware of the club’s recent history when it comes to the recruitment of figureheads.

Ambitious and likeable, the 47-year-old, who most recently was in charge of Malaga and Rubin Kazan, would like to be at the helm for years to come but is aware that could be unrealistic.

“I’d like to be here a long time but I don’t know,” he said. “Coaches’ lives many times depends on many things.

“I am confident. But you never know what happens in the future. I think Watford is a nice place and Watford is really good club and I really feel very comfortable. People are very nice.

“We need to get good results because the coach leave due to results.

“I knew [about the number of coaches Watford have had] when I came. You don’t know what happened in other situation.

“But I am confident I am different and can do it. I have confidence in my job.”

In recent years, Watford have employed a more European model of a head coach working separately to a recruitment team led by technical director Filippo Giraldi.

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But Gracia’s lack of knowledge over what players his club are interested in and wish to sell came across as rather surprising and a potential cause for concern.

“I don’t know,” he said when asked directly on the position of his captain Troy Deeney. “I don’t know what happens with players’ situations.

“Maybe one of them will go out. Maybe others go in. I don’t know.

“But I said the truth. I don’t know anything else about this situation. I don’t have time to prepare my job the best way.

“I don’t waste my time in other things. There are many other people in the club you can ask them.

“I am the coach of Watford. I signed my contract and my contract says I am the coach. That is all I can say.”

Watford may currently be 10th in the Premier League but their poor run of form, just one win in 11 in the league, means they have plenty of work to secure safety with the side currently sat only four points above the relegation zone.

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“I am sure we will stay up,” Gracia said. “I am sure. Based on everything, quality, effort, commitment, ambition, everything.

“I’m very comfortable here, Watford is like a family. It has a big heart. It’s a very nice place and I feel very welcome here.”

Gracia was able to articulate his messages in English and was adamant that his players must also speak that language.

“My English is bad, it’s bad,” he said. “In Spain when I was a child, there were no opportunities to see the internet or see films in English. In Spain, it is all in Spanish. It was difficult to learn. I need to go to learn.

“My last club there were 15 nationalities so I don’t worry about language being a challenge.

“But English must be the official language. In some moments I can speak to Roberto Pereyra in Spanish if I speak only with him.

“Or Carrillo or Richarlison, may they will understand better in Spanish than English. But we need to make a big effort to learn English and communicate in English.”

Gracia is overwhelmingly obsessed with the game and revealed that exactly seven days previous he was watching football on television.

“I was in Malaga with my family watching a lot of football with my kids but it feels a long time ago,” he said. “I have three boys, they spend time with me. I was enjoying football with them, always it is the same.”