Home
Blog
Careers
Forums
Downloads
FM24 Real Name Fix
FM23 Real Name Fix
FM24 New Leagues
FM23 New Leagues
FM24 Tactics
FM24 Data Update
FM Database
FM Guides
FM Shortlists
FM24 Wonderkids
FM24 Free Players
FM24 Bargains
FM24 Players to avoid
FM24 Club Budgets
FM24 Club Facilities
Graphics
Installation Guides
Records
Prediction League
Fantasy Football
Search
#712527 Burnley - The Dyche Era (FM12)
Taz.
I rarely pay much attention to the table at this early stage of the season, but I'm fairly satisfied with our performance so far. The team is yet to show the kind of defensive strength that I want but I know this will take time. Birmingham look like a good early bet for promotion if they can juggle their Europa League commitments as well as the league, while Nottingham Forest have started strongly under Steve McClaren.
.
#712523 Burnley - The Dyche Era (FM12)
Taz.
Our campaign began with the kind of performance I want to see as often as possible this season. We dominated the physical battle against reigning League One champions Brighton at Turf Moor and earned a comfortable win.
After a goal on the opening day, Rodriguez has already found his shooting boots and he tore apart our League Two opponents Port Vale in the Capital One Cup, bagging a first-half hat-trick as we progressed easily to the second round.
Despite their financial struggles, Portsmouth have retained a strong team and they gave us a serious test at Fratton Park. Trailing by two goals after a brace from Benjani, we somehow avoided defeat after a late tactical reshuffle. The introduction of Ings as an extra man up front helped us to earn two corners in the final five minutes, both converted by our centre-back colossus Amougou.
Never mind Burnley, we played more like prime Barcelona in the first half hour against Hull, running riot with four goals against a very poor visiting team. Trippier was the star of the show, scoring twice, while Wallace curled in the pick of the goals with a fabulous long-range free kick.
Our first defeat of the campaign was tough to take. We countered the all-out-attack style favoured by Reading boss Brian McDermott well, only to be met by a shot-stopping masterclass from home goalkeeper Adam Federici. All we had to show for our hard-working display was a late own goal.
The hangover continued into the first half of our Capital One Cup second round clash before Marney levelled on the brink of half-time. My words at the break inspired a much-improved second half and we won comfortably as Ings and Hines scored their first goals of the campaign.
We were cruising in this game after two goals in three minutes from Trippier and Rodriguez but lost concentration after the break. We endured a nervous final ten minutes once Derby pulled a goal back and I was relieved to just about hang onto the three points.
.
#709298 Burnley - The Dyche Era (FM12)
Taz.
Grant is the clear first-choice among our goalkeepers and in keeping with Dyche's reluctance to rotate his stoppers, he’s likely to start every game where possible. The veteran Jensen is a reasonable backup, while Stewart is here in case of emergencies.
I’ve appointed Brayford as our new captain and he'll be our first name on the teamsheet. A settled defence is vital to achieve the inch-perfect positioning of a Burnley back four, so I’ve decided on the imposing Amougou and Mee as our centre-back pairing, even for cup games.
Following Jordan's injury a few matches into the season, I'm giving Manchester City loanee Cunningham and Easton a run of games each to impress. Our longest-serving player Duff and versatile Canadian international Edgar are useful backups.
McCann's ability to tackle and pass effectively makes him our key man in midfield. The incredible stamina of Marney means he'll start alongside the Irishman in a double pivot. The tenacious former Tottenham man looks like a pressing machine.
Spearing will be a regular option from the bench when we want to close down games and I also want to try him out as a destroyer, breaking up attacks from an advanced position. We also have Bartley, who has a similar profile but lacks the Liverpool loanee's confidence in possession.
I'm keen to give Trippier some regular playing time on the right side of midfield with an eye on signing him permanently from Manchester City in January. He's unfortunately not up to scratch as a full-back yet. Stanislas is also a strong option on both flanks. On the left, Wallace's crossing ability narrowly gives him the edge over Treacy, although they're both similar types of wide midfielders who are somewhat lacking in pace.
Rodriguez is arguably the best striker in the Championship and he will be a definite starter. With no natural number tens in the squad, I'm going to experiment with one of Ings or Austin playing in a supporting role behind him. Hines is likely to get more minutes out on the right wing. The speedy Northern Irish international Paterson is out injured until the New Year.
.
#709088 Burnley - The Dyche Era (FM12)
Taz.
Addressing the lack of depth in the full-back positions was my top priority in my first transfer market as Burnley manager. Brayford is a player who can make the right-back spot his own for a good few years and I was willing to meet Derby's high demands.
On the left, I decided to bring the experienced Jordan back to Turf Moor after a couple of injury-plagued years away, but then had to scramble to bring in Cunningham as a replacement after he was sidelined again for several months early in the season.
Dyche's demand for an immense work ethic in midfield was firmly in my mind when we brought in Spearing on loan until the end of the season. The Liverpool youngster is a tireless runner and gives us both an extra body and some added bite in the centre of the park.
The only outgoings were players on the very fringes of the first team. Knowles will get the chance to lead the line in Wrexham's battle to return to the Football League, while MacDonald and Harvey should be involved in the League Two promotion race.
.
#708912 Burnley - The Dyche Era (FM12)
Taz.
Ten years ago today, Burnley appointed Sean Dyche as their manager.
In the decade that has passed since Dyche's arrival at Turf Moor, he has become one of the most recognisable coaches in English football. Dyche led Burnley to promotion to the Premier League on two occasions and ended the club's 51-year absence from European football with an outstanding seventh-placed finish in 2018. The Clarets would remain in the top flight until 2022.
Tactically, Dyche has established a well-known reputation for building a solid defence and making his teams difficult to beat. While he would bristle at being called a long-ball merchant, his Burnley sides played direct, effective football that suited his players' strengths. He masterminded victories against Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United during his time with the Clarets.
Dyche was also integral to the development of England internationals like Danny Ings, Michael Keane, Nick Pope, James Tarkowski and Kieran Trippier, all of whom were picked up cheaply from Football League clubs or Premier League reserve teams.
In this career, my aim is to emulate Dyche's style of management and match his achievements with Burnley. I'll be following his approach to tactics and transfers closely, building a defensively sound team and spending responsibly on realistic signings.
My primary goal is to keep Burnley in the Premier League for at least five seasons. I want to finish in the top half on at least two occasions, as Dyche did with his side in 2018 and 2020. I'm hoping that one of those finishes will also allow us to compete in the Europa League. As I'll be playing this career on FM12, I'll firstly need to steer the Clarets to promotion, which Dyche achieved in 2014 and 2016.
On the pitch, I want to play hard-working, pressing football that can drop back into a low block when we come under attack. I'll track how many clean sheets we keep each season. My team will line up in the 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 shapes favoured by Dyche, with lots of emphasis on work rate and stamina. Apart from occasional imports once we're in the Premier League, I'll be recruiting British and Irish players only.
.
#537080 .
Taz.
Meet João Sousa, the heir apparent to the King of Promotions and my character for this career.
Hailing from the suburb of Sintra around 30km outside of Lisbon, João is a former lower-league journeyman midfielder who has risen through the ranks as a reserve team coach for various sides before taking the plunge into management.
Alongside regular monthly recaps, I'll be updating his progress on the above tracker after the end of each campaign.
#429554 .
Taz.
The career of Vítor Manuel Oliveira is one of football's great curiosities.
Little known outside of his native Portugal, a swift glance at Oliveira's lengthy CV would draw you to believe that he was just another job-hopping journeyman, rarely spending more than a season at a club and never coaching one of the big three Portuguese sides. But his 30-year career in management included something that I'm fairly sure is unparalleled in football.
Oliveira won a staggering 11 promotions to the Primeira Liga, including an extraordinary run of five promotions with five different clubs from 2013 to 2017. He became known as O rei das subidas - the King of Promotions - a wily old manager drafted in by teams in the Segunda Liga looking to reach the top flight, finding success from Moreirense in the north to Portimonense in the south.
In an interview republished in 2020 after his sudden death aged only 67, Oliveira shared his most important principles. He always signed one-year contracts, often staying for only his first season at a club, and avoided joining teams in the middle of the campaign where possible. Oliveira saw his responsibility as fulfilling a club's potential and favoured strong squads that didn't require much rebuilding.
Tactically, he prioritised flexibility and pragmatism, adapting to the challenges of each opponent. Oliveira also made the most of the assets that were already at a club, typically working with the technical team left behind by his predecessor, and kept spending in the transfer market to a minimum. He jokingly referred to himself as the cheapest coach in Portugal for his ability to deliver on a budget.
In this career, my goal is to match Oliveira's incredible tally of 11 promotions to the Primeira Liga. Each season, I'll aim to finish in the top two of a tightly-contested, 16-team league that lasts 30 games. There are no play-offs, which means the margin of error is even lower.
I was lucky enough to catch a game in the Segunda Liga between Marítimo and Torreense while I was on holiday in Madeira last year, but I'm going into a competition I otherwise know very little about. Along with the main goal of the save, I'm keen to immerse myself in the world of Portuguese football and coach a wide variety of teams on this long and challenging journey.
#429418 .
Taz.
Bristol City stole all three points late on as Watford began the season with a defeat.
Gianfranco Zola named nine debutants in the line-up for the Golden Boys and his side occasionally strugged to find the attacking fluency that the Italian expects from his teams. The new head coach sent out his eleven in a 3-5-2 shape, with Allan Nyom and Guilherme Siqueira bombing down the flanks. The vastly-experienced skipper John Eustace and striker Troy Deeney were the only two of former Hornets manager Sean Dyche's men to keep their places in a lively-looking side. Zola deployed Almen Abdi playing in the hole behind Deeney and Odion Ighalo.
The hosts began the game brightly and Vito Mannone was twice forced into saves in the opening ten minutes. Cole Skuse ran the strings at times against a Hornets midfield that was playing together for the first time and was instrumental in the opening goal. Skuse found Liam Rosenior out wide and debutant Gabriele Angella was the unlucky man who diverted the cross beyond Mannone and into his own net.
After a shaky first half, Zola reshuffled the pack at the break. Ikechi Anya and Matej Vydra offered some much-needed pace in attack and the Golden Boys refused to roll over. Ighalo tested David James after some fine work from Anya, then Abdi drove the ball narrowly over the crossbar. Vydra drew Watford level in the sixty-sixth minute, prodding home after James dropped Anya's cross at his feet.
Vydra and Anya combined well again on the break minutes later and the Czech could have won it for the Hornets. His shot was straight at James and the home side would ultimately punish the Golden Boys. Liam Fontaine clipped the ball down the wing for Nicky Maynard, who left Angella trailing and slotted home. With nothing to lose, Zola urged his men forward and Angella almost earned redemption in added time, only to see his header blocked on the line by Fontaine. The head coach will hope for far more consistent displays over the next nine months.
#429403 .
Taz.
Gianfranco Zola is hoping for his Hornets side to play with smiles on their faces tomorrow.
After a busy long summer break, Watford will finally kick off the new season with a trip to Bristol City tomorrow afternoon. The Hornets squad is much-changed since the end of the previous campaign and a new head coach is in the dugout. That man is Serie A, UEFA Cup and FA Cup winner Gianfranco Zola and the Italian is calling for his side to build a strong team spirit in the opening months of the season.
"I have no doubt about the quality of the players," the head coach said after the Golden Boys recruited nineteen new faces over the summer. "The biggest challenge is to become a team. If you have no unity and compactness you will struggle in the Championship and this is my priority. We have a lot of new players coming in and they need time to settle. I want them to be there for each other on and off the pitch."
Zola's only injury concerns are two of the handful of remaining first-team squad members from last season. Long-serving centre-back Adrian Mariappa was ruled out of the opening two weeks of the campaign after pulling his hamstring in pre-season training. Midfielder Mark Yeates is also sidelined with a foot injury, meaning up to nine or ten debutants could take to the field for the Hornets at Ashton Gate.
"This is the very first step of the journey," Zola concluded upbeatly. "It is a long season and I am sure we will do well. We have changed a lot of things at the club and I think that is for the better. It will take a while for things to run smoothly but we have a good chance, both against Bristol City and over the rest of the year. Football is unpredictable and a little crazy. We hope that it will be on our side tomorrow."
#429350 .
Taz.
Watford FC have released the final list of squad numbers for the upcoming season.
After a summer of much change at Vicarage Road, the list of first-team squad numbers is as follows:
1. Vito MANNONE
2. Lee HODSON
3. José SHAFFER
4. John EUSTACE
5. NEUTON Piccoli
6. Adrian MARIAPPA
7. Mark YEATES
8. Jonathan HOGG
9. Troy DEENEY
11. Fernando FORESTIERI
12. Allan NYOM
14. Nenad MILIJAS
15. Thierry DOUBAÏ
16. Sean MURRAY
17. Richard STEARMAN
18. Guilherme SIQUEIRA
19. Prince BUABEN
20. Matej VYDRA
21. Gabriele ANGELLA
22. Almen ABDI
23. Ikechi ANYA
24. Odion IGHALO
25. Diego FABBRINI
28. Joel EKSTRAND
30. Jonathan BOND
31. Tommie HOBAN
34. Jack BONHAM
37. Roberto PEREYRA
38. Cristian BATTOCCHIO
44. ADRYAN Tavares
#429349 .
Taz.
Watford FC is delighted to announce the signings of four new players.
The club has completed the signings of Rodrigo Battaglia, Luis Muriel, Carlos Darwin Quintero and Alexandros Tziolis.
Battaglia has joined the Hornets from Argentine Primera División side Huracán in a deal worth around £800,000. The twenty-one year old is a talented young defensive midfielder who has represented Argentina at Under-20 level, finishing third in the South American U-20 Championship that took place last summer. Battaglia made his debut for Huracán aged nineteen and quickly claimed a place in the starting line-up, making over sixty first-team appearances across the previous two seasons. He will spend the season on loan at Granada in La Liga.
Colombian youngster Muriel has completed a move worth £1.1million from Serie B club Lecce. The twenty-one year old was spotted by the Pozzo family's network of scouts playing for Deportivo Cali in his home country, where as a teenager he scored nine goals in his first eleven games. The striker is known for his pace and composure and adapted well to playing in Europe, scoring seven goals for Lecce last season despite suffering relegation from Serie A. Muriel will be loaned out to his former club Udinese for the rest of the season.
The Golden Boys have signed highly-rated striker Quintero from Santos Laguna in a £2million deal. The twenty-four year old already has nine caps for Colombia and has played in Russia and Mexico. Quintero made a superb start to his career with his first club Deportivo Tolima, scoring nineteen goals in his first full season and earning a move to Krylia Sovetov. After a year in Russia, he rediscovered his scoring touch in moves to Deportivo Pereira and Santos Laguna, where he won his first ever title in April. Quintero will be loaned out to Granada this season.
Tziolis has signed a five-year deal after he was released by Segunda División side Racing Santander. The twenty-seven year old is an experienced midfielder who played in the 2009 UEFA Cup final for Werder Bremen and has featured in the UEFA Champions League for Panathinaikos. He has represented Greece on thirty-five occasions and played in every minute of his country's appearance at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Tziolis, who has also played in Serie A with Siena and in Ligue 2 with Monaco, will return to Spain this season on loan to Granada.
#429311 .
Taz.
Watford have completed the signing of midfielder Roberto Pereyra from Udinese.
The twenty-one year old has agreed to move to the Hornets on loan until the end of the season, joining eleven other Udinese players at the club. Pereyra had been earmarked as a star of the future by the Italian side's manager Francesco Guidolin but has now been sent to Vicarage Road for more first-team experience. The Argentine made eleven appearances for Udinese last season, scoring once against Lazio in April.
Pereyra began his professional career in Argentina with River Plate, coming through their academy to make his debut aged eighteen. He featured forty-three times for the Buenos Aires giants before their shocking relegation to the second tier led to a move away. The Argentina Under-20 international signed for Udinese in August 2011 and has produced flashes of talent in his limited time in the starting line-up.
Gianfranco Zola's side have now signed a remarkable nineteen players since their change of ownership in June. The arrival of new owner Gino Pozzo has led to twelve signings from Udinese and two from Granada, who are both owned by Gino's father Giampaolo Pozzo. The Hornets have also recruited Premier League experience in Vito Mannone, Nenad Milijas and Richard Stearman, as well as Brazilian wonderkid Adryan.
#429310 .
Taz.
Cheers, I'm enjoying the save so I'll try to make it last.
#429173 .
Taz.
Watford have completed the signing of Wolves duo Nenad Milijas and Richard Stearman.
Ståle Solbakken has presided over a summer clear-out after Wolves were relegated to the Championship, telling several of last season's first-team regulars that they were free to leave Molineux. Wolves finished rock bottom of the Premier League in May, winning just five matches and conceding more than eighty goals in a miserable campaign under Mick McCarthy and caretaker boss Terry Connor.
Gianfranco Zola has opted to add some Premier League experience to his ambitious Hornets side, bringing in Stearman on a season-long loan. The twenty-four year old was played mostly as a right-back by McCarthy but is likely to feature as a centre-back with Watford, who already have Lee Hodson and Allan Nyom on their books. Stearman has already played over one hundred games for both Wolves and Leicester.
Milijas becomes Watford's second permanent signing of the summer after a cut-price fee of £125,000 was agreed by the two clubs. The Serbian international has signed a two-year deal with the Hornets. The twenty-nine year old fell out of favour under McCarthy and was mostly used as a late substitute for Wolves last season, starting just six games of his twenty Premier League appearances.
#429112 .
Taz.
Watford have won the race to sign highly-rated defender Guilherme Siqueira from Granada.
Siqueira, who had been tracked by several Premier League clubs including Everton, Liverpool and Newcastle, was expected to join Atlético Madrid after a fine first season in La Liga with Granada. In a major coup for the ambitious Championship side, the Hornets announced this morning that the twenty-six year old would spend the season on loan at Vicarage Road with a view to a permanent move instead. The Pozzo family own both clubs involved in the deal and have already allowed Ikechi Anya to trade Andalusia for the Home Counties.
Gianfranco Zola's side also confirmed their first permanent signing of the summer today. Watford have splashed out £925,000 to bring Brazilian starlet Adryan to the club from Flamengo in another surprise deal. The seventeen-year old prodigy rose to prominence with Brazil's Under-17 team, winning the Campeonato Sudamericano and reaching the semi-finals of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
Despite his international success, the midfielder has only made a handful of appearances for Flamengo. The prospect of regular first-team football in the Championship looks to have turned the young talent's head. Adryan has earned comparisons to Kaká and Ronaldinho for his dribbling skills and outrageous set pieces and reportedly turned down a move to Manchester United last summer.
#428985 .
Taz.
Another set of Udinese players have joined Watford on season-long loans.
The Hornets confirmed the arrival of another four new signings from their Italian partners today. The relationship between Watford and the two other clubs owned by the Pozzo family has drawn attention after eight players joined from Udinese and Granada. Gianfranco Zola's men have taken full advantage of a loophole in Football League rules and now have an impressive total of thirteen international loans.
Swedish international Joel Ekstrand made eighteen appearances for Udinese last season, playing in both legs of their Champions League play-off defeat to Arsenal. The twenty-three year old joined from Helsingborgs in January 2011 and has two caps for his national team. Tricky midfielder Cristian Battocchio also broke into the first-team at Stadio Friuli last season, playing against Celtic in the UEFA Europa League.
Fernando Forestieri has joined the Hornets after three seasons of being loaned out by Udinese. The number ten has already enjoyed spells with Málaga, Empoli and Bari. Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo will become the first man to play for all three Pozzo clubs when he eventually takes to the field for Watford. The twenty-three year old has made over eighty appearances for Granada in the last three seasons.
#428944 .
Taz.
Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone has joined Watford on loan until the end of the season.
The club has also confirmed the arrival of Benfica left-back José Shaffer on a season-long loan, taking Gianfranco Zola's summer signings to an impressive ten players. Mannone, who also spent the second half of last season in the Championship on loan to Hull, is likely to act as Watford's first-choice goalkeeper in the upcoming campaign following long-serving stopper Scott Loach's departure from Vicarage Road.
Mannone had expected to stake a stronger claim for a place in Arsène Wenger's team after Manuel Almunia was released in May but the twenty-four year old was permitted to leave the Emirates Stadium on loan once again. The Italian played twenty-one times for Hull last season in his second spell with the Tigers. He has made just ten competitive appearances for Arsenal since joining as a teenager in 2005.
Shaffer is another player that has struggled for game-time at one of Europe's biggest clubs. The Argentine defender joined Benfica three years ago after impressing in his homeland with Racing Club but he has made only four appearances for the Portuguese giants. The twenty-six year old has spent the past two seasons out on loan. Shaffer was a regular for União Leiria as they were relegated from the Primeira Liga in May.
#428943 .
Taz.
Cheers man, it feels like ages since I wrote anything. I do miss the old style of stories sometimes.
#428869 .
Taz.
Watford have welcomed eight new signings just days after they were taken over by the Pozzo family.
New owner Gino Pozzo is the son of Italian businessman Giampaolo Pozzo, who owns both Serie A side Udinese and La Liga outfit Granada. The Hornets chief has wasted no time in supplying new head coach Gianfranco Zola with virtually an entire starting line-up plucked from the two other clubs in the family portfolio. In an agreement that is sure to infuriate their Championship rivals, Watford announced the arrivals of eight loan signings this morning as they set their sights on challenging for promotion to the Premier League under Zola.
Swiss international Almen Abdi is the highest-profile of the new arrivals. The midfielder has thirteen caps for Switzerland and made over thirty appearances for Udinese last season, scoring against Celtic in the UEFA Europa League. Midfielder Diego Fabbrini also featured in the first-team at Stadio Friuli last season, scoring twice in fourteen appearances in Serie A. Ivorian midfielder Thierry Doubaï joins the Hornets after taking to the field just once for Francesco Guidolin's side, while Czech youngster Matej Vydra has featured twice for the Italians.
Right-back Allan Nyom has been contracted to Udinese for the last two years without making an appearance, having been farmed out to Pozzo's other club Granada. The twenty-four year old was a vital part of the Andalusian side's rise to La Liga. Scottish-born winger Ikechi Anya has enjoyed a nomadic route to Vicarage Road, having played for Wycombe and Northampton before joining Glenn Hoddle's Spanish-based academy. The twenty-four year old earned a contract with Granada, who loaned him out to third-tier side Cádiz last season.
Italian centre-back Gabriele Angella is another new addition to Zola's squad. The twenty-three year old was signed by Udinese two years ago and made eight appearances for the side before spending last season on loan with Reggina. Highly-rated defender Neuton was thrown into the starting line-up to face Arsenal in a Champions League qualifier for his Udinese debut but the Brazilian has struggled to hold down a starting place. Further players are expected to arrive in the coming days as Pozzo looks to build a team capable of challenging for promotion.
#428803 .
Taz.
Watford FC is delighted to announce the appointment of Gianfranco Zola as head coach.
The forty-six year old has signed a two-year deal with the Hornets running until June 2014. The former Italian international was the unanimous choice of the club's new board. Senior executives were highly impressed by his forward-thinking style of play and positive vision for the future of the club following the arrival of the Pozzo family at Vicarage Road. Zola will be joined at Watford by his newly-appointed assistant coaches Giancarlo Corradini and Dodo Surmani, who have both worked at the highest level in Italian football with Juventus and Napoli.
Zola was most recently in charge of West Ham United, leading the Hammers to mid-table finishes in the Premier League in his two full campaigns at Upton Park. He built a youthful, attacking side during his time in East London, securing finishes of ninth and seventeenth in his two seasons in charge. The two-time FA Cup winner left West Ham in May 2010 after a change in the club's ownership. Prior to his return to English football as a manager, Zola assisted his former Chelsea and Italy strike partner Pierluigi Casiraghi with the Azzurri's under-21 side.
"I want to play the best football possible," the Golden Boys' new coach revealed. "This is the way I was brought up in football, so it's what I know best. I don't want to compromise that. I believe football is not just all about the results. It can be something special and I want to build that here. This is not a short-term project for a quick return. We have one of the best scouting networks in the world and the resources to build a good team over time. It's a new challenge for me but I'm not afraid. I'm confident in my abilities and the staff around me."
"Everyone knows how Gianfranco Zola likes football to be played," new Hornets technical director Gianluca Nani said. "Gianfranco represents this project perfectly and I think Watford fans can expect an exciting and attacking style from his team. He knows English football and has a European mentality. We established an excellent working relationship in our time together at West Ham and I am confident that we will bring the stability and style that this club needs. We have a long-term project here and we want to achieve a lot."
#428798 .
Taz.
The Pozzo family have completed their takeover of Championship side Watford.
The deal was concluded yesterday, adding the Hornets to the Italians' portfolio of European clubs. Giampaolo Pozzo is the owner of Serie A side Udinese and La Liga club Granada, while his son Gino Pozzo is heavily involved in the operations of the two sides. The younger Pozzo will act on paper as owner of Watford, who finished eleventh in the Championship last season before manager Sean Dyche's departure to Burnley. Former West Ham director-of-football Gianluca Nani will take up the role of technical director at Vicarage Road as part of the takeover.
"We really believe Watford are going to be our top project for the future," Gino Pozzo said in a brief statement. "There is a huge amount of potential success in English football. We will be approaching this as a long-term project and I think this is a club that can grow much further than the Championship. We are bringing people that know England well to the club to help us and we all share a common vision."
The Pozzos' arrival brings Laurence Bassini's turbulent period of ownership to an end after just over two years. Bassini claimed to have rescued the club from going into administration but was criticised for ignoring fans and falling out with life president and club legend Graham Taylor. Watford had one of the smallest wage budgets in the Championship last season and were widely predicted to struggle before Dyche impressively steered the side to a comfortable mid-table finish. The former Hornets centre-back left the club last month to join Burnley.
Udinese and Granada have attracted attention for their close relationship, which regularly sees players loaned between the two clubs. The Andalusian side currently have six first-team players on loan from Udinese and a further five players on loan from other European clubs. This strategy has seen Granada rise from third-tier minnows to La Liga in consecutive seasons, while Udinese once again sealed qualification for the Champions League in May. The Pozzos are reportedly keen to use the model that brought this success at Vicarage Road.
#336206 Nous sommes les champions... (Euro 2016)
Taz.
Our annual charity match was the first fixture of pre-season, welcoming back Nigel Clough to the Pirelli Stadium with his Derby side.
While the Rams line-up was a mixture of first team players and reserves, I picked a strong first eleven and decided to give Ryan Austin and Chris Palmer their first opportunities to impress in the full-back positions.
We slipped behind to an early goal from a corner, perhaps showing a lack of sharpness, but we were much-improved after the break. Palmer enjoyed a solid game at left-back, although Austin was forced off at half-time through injury.
The trip to Conference North side Solihull was a good chance to earn a confidence-boosting victory on the road.
There was little to note in a lethargic first half of play at Damson Park, which ended goalless as we struggled to convert our chances into goals and held the hosts to zero shots on target.
The introduction of Calvin Zola at half-time changed our fortunes and he linked up well with Billy Kee after the break. Both men got on the scoresheet and Kee's late strike after a fine passing move was an early sign of progress.
Zola's impressive display earned him a start against Eastwood, another Conference North outfit based in nearby Nottinghamshire.
I'm still uncertain about the towering striker's ability in front of goal but he was on fire against a very poor home side, who went down to ten men just before half-time. Four goals was a superb return and it gives me a selection dilemma heading into the season.
It's difficult to take away much from such a one-sided game, but converting six of our nine shots on target was undoubtedly a big plus.
Our meeting with League One title favourites Sheffield United was set to be a tough final test on the eve of the new season.
We switched to a five-man midfield in anticipation of being pinned back in our own half for most of the game, but the Blades rested many of their key players and fielded basically a youth team after the break.
Taylor's goal was the highlight of the match, finishing off a magical passing move spearheaded by Jacques Maghoma, before Kee and Justin Richards caused plenty of problems for a very raw visiting defence in the second half.
#336203 Nous sommes les champions... (Euro 2016)
Taz.
15:00 SUBS FOR BOTH TEAMS
It's a double substitution for ten-man Slovenia as Katanec replaces the injured Robert Beric with Tim Matavz and brings Miral Samardzic on for the left wing-back Stojanevic. Hiddink replaces Daryl Janmaat with Virgil van Dijk.
15:10 OFF THE LINE!
The Netherlands are inches away from making it 2-0. Jordy Clasie's corner is helped on by Depay at the near post and Joël Veltman rises to meet the ball with a firm header. Roman Bezjak makes a vital intervention on the line and smashes it clear.
15:12
The Dutch have been far from spectacular but they finally find a second goal on the counter. Nigel de Jong makes a great challenge on Blaz Vrhovec and knocks the ball on for Lens. The winger skips down the flanks and Blind makes up the ground, drifting into the area to meet Lens' low cross at the near post. The Manchester United man's first effort hits the woodwork but Blind stabs the rebound over the line.
15:16 HUNTELAAR FIRES WIDE
Hiddink has brought on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to try and kill off the game and the veteran striker nearly makes an instant impact. A slick passing move sees van Persie cut inside and find Depay, who slips it centrally for Clasie. The Liverpool man finds Huntelaar with his back to goal in the box. He holds off Andraz Struna, swivels and fires just wide of Handanovic's right-hand post.
15:31 NETHERLANDS GO CLOSE
Emanuelson has gone forward well in this game and the left-back nearly hits a third for the Netherlands. Kevin Strootman heads the ball to van Persie, who holds up play and spots Emanuelson charging past Pucko. The West Ham man skins Maroh but drives the ball into the side netting as the Dutch fans prepare to celebrate.
15:43 WHAT A SAVE!
Handanovic has had a great game for Slovenia and the goalkeeper makes another unbelievable save. Emanuelson controls Blind's throw-in and clips the ball to Huntelaar out on the left flank. The striker chips a cross over the head of Maroh and Lens must surely score from six yards. Handanovic makes a stunning instinctive save and Samardzic blocks Emanuelson's follow-up.
15:48 FULL TIME
The second half comes to a conclusion and the Netherlands record a comfortable win to join Portugal in the second round. Hiddink will hope for a more clinical performance in the final game as the two giants fight for top spot in Group B.
#336202 Nous sommes les champions... (Euro 2016)
Taz.
14:00 STARTING LINE-UPS
Slovenia: Handanovic - Maroh, Cesar, Balazic - Stojanovic, Krhin, Kampl, Vrhovec, Pucko - Beric, Bezjak.
Netherlands: Cillessen - Janmaat, De Vrij, Veltman, Emanuelson - De Jong, Blind, Clasie - Lens, Van Persie, Depay.
14:18 LENS GOES CLOSE
Robin van Persie breaks into the danger zone, shrugging off a challenge from Dominic Maroh, but the striker gets clattered by centre-back Bostjan Cesar. Paolo Tagliavento shows the defender a yellow card and Jeremain Lens steps up to take the free-kick, firing just over from twenty yards out.
14:19
Daley Blind makes a superb interception to cut out Petar Stojanevic's pass and drives the ball forward for van Persie. The captain picks out Lens, who plays a one-two with Clasie and goes around Matej Pucko, before laying the ball off for Urby Emanuelson on the overlap. It's a great cross from the left-back and van Persie runs into the space between Maroh and Cesar to crash the ball home.
14:28 BRILLIANT SAVE
Slovenia are blessed in the goalkeeping department and Samir Handanovic shows exactly why he's keeping Jan Oblak on the bench with a stunning save. The Netherlands side construct a nice move, pinning Slovenia into their own area as Blind pings it across for Nigel de Jong, who spots Memphis Depay free in the box. Depay sweeps a first-time shot towards goal but Handanovic makes a fabulous reaction save.
14:45 RED CARD FOR SLOVENIA!
Srecko Katanec's half time team talk was just made a little more tricky. Cesar has committed a number of wild challenges in the first half and the referee runs out of patience as he brings down van Persie, showing him a second yellow card.
14:47 HALF TIME
Guus Hiddink's side haven't showed the goalscoring prowess of Sunday's win over Greece but Slovenia have barely threatened the Dutch goal and would surely be further behind without the heroics of Handanovic.
#336199 Nous sommes les champions... (Euro 2016)
Taz.
Greece 1-2 Portugal
Late heroics from Ronaldo book second round place for under-par Portugal
Last Updated: 15 June 2016, 21:57 BST
Two moments of magic from Cristiano Ronaldo were enough for Portugal to see off Greece.
Greece defended stoutly in Lille and Fernando Santos' side struggled to carve a way through a compact defence. Ronaldo opened the scoring with a stunning thirty-yard strike in the first half but the Greeks fought back after the break and Dimitris Salpingidis' goal looked to have preserved Claudio Ranieri's side's chances of finishing in the top two in Group B. Ronaldo's late finish sealed a place in the knockout stages, meaning Greece must pin their hopes of qualification on finishing as one of the four strongest third-placed teams.
Greece nearly went ahead in the eighth minute as José Holebas curled a free-kick into the box for Panagiotis Kone. The playmaker's looping header was cleared off the line by João Moutinho. After a porous display against the Netherlands in their opening game, Ranieri set his side up far more defensively and Portugal were restricted to ambitious long-range shots for much of the first half. Ronaldo accepted the challenge and smashed a marvellous thirty-yard effort past Orestis Karnezis in the twenty-fourth minute to give his side the lead.
Santos was left fuming on the touchline by his side's sloppy defending from set pieces and Kone should have equalised in the first half. Pepe left the midfielder unmarked at the near post from Dimitris Anakoglou's free-kick and Kone somehow nodded it wide. Portugal were improved in the second half and William Carvalho had a goal narrowly disallowed for offside just after the break. Greece continued to crowd the midfield and Ronaldo once again was forced to attempt the spectacular, sending an audacious effort inches over the bar.
Ranieri's counter-attacking gameplan bore fruit in the seventy-second minute. Sokratis Papastathopoulos hoofed the ball clear for Petros Mantalos, who cut the ball back for Holebas. His fine cross evaded Maicon and Salpingidis prodded home his third goal of the tournament. Kostas Mitroglou nodded just over before Portugal stole a priceless win. Moutinho slipped a brilliant pass through a gap in the defence and Ronaldo calmly slotted past Karnezis. Dimitris Kourbelis was sent off for diving in added time as Greece slipped to a painful late defeat.
Player Ratings
Greece Karnezis 6 - Pliatsikas 6, Papastathopoulos 6, Kolovetsios 5, Holebas 6 - Kourbelis 6 - Maniatis 6, Anakoglou 6 - Kone 5 (Mantalos, Fetfatzidis 6) - Nazlidis 6 (Mitroglou 5), Salpingidis 7.
Portugal Patrício 6 - Cédric 7, Pepe 7, Maicon 5 (Alves 6), Eliseu 7 - Moutinho 7, Carvalho 7, Veloso 5 (Mário 6) - Nani 6, Almeida 5 (Oliveira 5), Ronaldo 9.
#336064 Nous sommes les champions... (Euro 2016)
Taz.
New chapter in same old story for Ireland
Euro 2016 must go down as a huge missed opportunity for Martin O'Neill's men
Wednesday 15 June 2016 - 19.40 BST
An all-too-familiar tale came to an end in Marseille as Ireland's tournament hopes took a fatal blow.
After Giovanni Trapattoni's team found themselves embarrassingly out of their depths four years ago, Ireland arrived in France with renewed hope. A kind group featuring beatable opposition allowed the fiercely loyal Irish fans to dream of a place in the knock-out stages of a major tournament for the first time in a generation. After two games, Ireland must beat the rampant hosts in their next game to progress and the planes back to Dublin are surely waiting on the tarmac. This time, it feels even more disappointing.
Two goals from the recalled Andy Keogh gave Martin O'Neill's side a commanding lead within twenty-two minutes at Stade Vélodrome but the mentality of the side must come under question after a humiliating collapse against a Bosnian side that were trounced 4-0 in the tournament's opening game. There was a depressing inevitability that Marc Wilson's own goal would bring about a comeback and Ermin Bicakcic's late winner for Bosnia would bring about the usual headlines about broken Irish hearts. We know the narrative all too well.
O'Neill fulfilled the expectations of the FAI by guiding the Boys in Green to the finals but the manager and his assistant Roy Keane must answer how Ireland have produced two gutless performances on their big return to the finals. Failure to see off Romania and this evening's capitulation are example of an Irish side that is pleased just to come along and join in the fun. Keane spoke of his belief in Ireland's chances of progress from Group A prior to the tournament but his words look hollow after two under-par performances against two average sides.
Departing a tournament at the first hurdle is often cause for introspection and calls to rebuild from the ground up. Aside from the established Premier League talents like Séamus Coleman and Shane Long, Ireland's squad has a soft centre and there is a real lack of young talent coming through the ranks. O'Neill is likely to keep his job but he must surely oversee a rethink of the Irish youth setup and change his side's approach to international tournaments. Until then, Ireland are unlikely to escape the tag of good losers.
#336061 Nous sommes les champions... (Euro 2016)
Taz.
18:05
Martin O'Neill's side have sat back far too much since Keogh's second goal and Bosnia claim a thoroughly deserved equaliser. Coleman's poor clearance gifts the ball to Prcic, who finds Ibisevic. Dzeko collects the lay-off and Mudjza again breaks forward brilliantly. The striker fires the ball out wide and the defender supplies another great cross. Ibisevic outleaps McShane and powers a header past McCarthy.
18:08 GREAT SAVE FROM MCCARTHY
Another excellent stop from the Irish goalkeeper. Lulic finds Ibisevic from a throw-in on the left flank and the striker shrugs off Shane Long's challenge. Ireland are far too loose on Prcic, who is waiting on the edge of the box. Ibisevic squares it for the Rennes midfielder and he drills the ball hard and low towards the bottom corner. McCarthy gets a hand to the stinging shot and pushes it wide.
18:22 MCCARTHY RESCUES IRELAND
Ireland are under huge pressure as Bosnia sense a chance to claim a crucial three points. Safet Susic has introduced Sejad Salihovic and Sead Kolasinac to chase the win and the duo combine well. Salihovic guides the ball between Long and James McCarthy to find Kolasinac, who drills the ball across the box for Ibisevic. McCarthy again palms it away from point-blank range.
18:35 OFF THE POST!
David Meyler's long ball completely catches out the Bosnia defence, who are playing a very high line. The pace of Keogh carries him past Bicakcic but the impressive Mujdza manages to force the Perth Glory striker wide. Aiden McGeady scampers into the are and Keogh slips it through for the winger. McGeady wriggles past Miralem Pjanic and his shot hits the outside of the post and bounces out.
18:38
Bosnia have a free-kick on the edge of the area. Salihovic stands over it, takes a run up and smashes it into the wall but it falls luckily for the substitute Ermin Zec. Ireland are slow to react and Zec squares it for Pjanic, who shapes up to shoot but feints past McShane. The midfielder rolls it into the box for the centre-back Bicakcic, who holds off Cunningham... and guides the ball into the top corner!
18:50 FULL TIME
The referee blows the final whistle and Ireland look absolutely gutted. Martin O'Neill's men are surely staring elimination in the face but Bosnia recovered superbly from going two goals down and punished some poor Irish defending to claim a huge win.
#336060 Nous sommes les champions... (Euro 2016)
Taz.
17:00 STARTING LINE-UPS
Ireland: A. McCarthy - Coleman, Wilson, McShane, Cunningham - J. McCarthy, Gibson, Meyler - Long, A. Keogh, Brady.
Bosnia: Begovic - Mujdza, Bicakcic, Pandza, Lulic - Pjanic, Hadzic, Prcic - Susic - Dzeko, Ibisevic.
17:02
What a brilliant start for Ireland! Shane Long steals the ball from Sanjin Prcic and finds Darron Gibson. The Everton man sprays the ball out to the left flank for the marauding Robbie Brady. The winger outpaces Mensur Mujdza and delivers a magnificent cross to the far post. Asmir Begovic misjudges the flight of the ball and Andy Keogh climbs above Boris Pandza to nod the ball into an empty net.
17:20 WHAT A SAVE!
Tino Susic is enjoying plenty of space in the number ten role and the playmaker orchestrates this move. Senad Lulic sprints down the left wing on the overlap and Susic plays a perfectly-timed through ball for the left-back. The Irish defence is overwhelmed and Lulic whips the ball to the near post, where Prcic sweeps the ball towards goal. Alex McCarthy twists his body superbly and somehow manages to parry the shot clear.
17:22
Ireland have struggled to cope with Bosnia at times but their finishing has been clinical and Martin O'Neill's side double their lead in Marseille. Brady has been the best player on the pitch so far and the Nottingham Forest man carves out another goal. He curls a free-kick into the box and Shane Long glances the ball on for Keogh, who stabs it over the line from a yard out. One from the training ground for Ireland.
17:27
Bosnia are right back in this. Ibisevic does well to hold up the ball under pressure from Séamus Coleman and the striker finds Prcic. Brady is out of position and Mujdza is free on the right flank as Prcic sprays the ball out wide. The right-back weaves past Greg Cunningham and curls a cross into the box. Marc Wilson slides in to block off Susic but deflects the ball past McCarthy into his own net.
17:37 DZEKO GOES CLOSE
Safet Susic's side are taking the game to Ireland and Bosnia are unlucky not to equalise here. Ermin Bicakcic lofts the ball forward and the towering Edin Dzeko bounds after it, outmuscling Paul McShane. Wilson has looked shaky in the first half and he can't get it away quick enough. The Bosnian captain robs the ball but snatches at his shot and fires over the bar.
17:46 HALF TIME
Ireland have picked their moments well but Bosnia look threatening going forward and Susic has given David Meyler the runaround in midfield. Dzeko is yet to hit top gear but if Bosnia can create some chances, McCarthy cannot hold them off single-handedly.
#335585 Nous sommes les champions... (Euro 2016)
Taz.
France 4-0 Romania
Brilliant hosts breeze into second round after another rout
Last Updated: 14 June 2016, 21:59 BST
France confirmed their place in the second round of Euro 2016 with an emphatic win over Romania.
The hosts continued their scintillating start to the tournament with their second consecutive 4-0 win in Paris. After thrashing Bosnia in the opening game of the finals, Les Bleus sent a warning to their tournament rivals by comprehensively outplaying Romania. Antoine Griezmann opened the scoring for France before Paul Pogba's strike, a penalty from substitute Loïc Rémy and Karim Benzema's late goal sealed a place in the second round and seriously dented Victor Piturca's side's hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
Didier Deschamps will have been delighted with his side's silky passing play as France completely controlled the first half. Les Bleus could have taken the lead in the third minute as a slick combination between Griezmann and Pogba found Geoffrey Kondogbia, whose firm shot was tipped over by Ciprian Tatarusanu. The hosts made the breakthrough three minutes later. Benzema latched onto Kondogbia's brilliant through ball and when the Real Madrid striker's effort hit the post, Griezmann sprinted in to turn the rebound over the line.
France claimed a second goal in the seventeenth minute. Griezmann's free-kick bounced off the upright and in the ensuing scramble, Pogba blocked Dragos Grigore's clearance and blasted the ball home. Parc des Princes was in impressive voice and Adil Rami nearly added a third goal before half time as the centre-back headed against the side netting. Another beautiful passing move saw Rémy play a neat cross-field pass to Jérémy Ménez, who flicked the ball on for Benzema, only for Tatarusanu to make a fine reaction save.
Rémy dusted himself off after Mihai Pintilii's foul to convert a spot-kick on the hour mark. Romania were much-improved following Piturca's introduction of Ciprian Marica and they nearly claimed a consolation goal. Alexandru Bourceanu's excellent lobbed pass caught out the French defence and Hugo Lloris made a terrific one-on-one save from Marica. Benzema eventually capped off the win with his third goal of the tournament. Man of the match Bacary Sagna curled a fine cross to the near post where Benzema glanced the ball home.
Player Ratings
France Lloris 7 - Sagna 9, Rami 8, Koscielny 8, Clichy 7 - Matuidi 7, Pogba 8 (Cabaye 6), Kondogbia 7 - Ménez 7 (Lacazette 6), Benzema 8, Griezmann 7 (Rémy 6).
Romania Tatarusanu 6 - Manea 5, Papp 6 (Gardos 6), Grigore 5, Latovlevici 5 - Enache 6 (Marica 5), Bourceanu 7, Pintilii 6, Anton 5, Rotariu 6 (Maxim 6) - Stancu 5.
#335266 Nous sommes les champions... (Euro 2016)
Taz.
Group Stage - Matchday Two
14 June 2016 - 18 June 2016
Tuesday 14 June
20:00 - Group A -
Wednesday 15 June
17:00 - Group A -
20:00 - Group B -
Thursday 16 June
14:00 - Group B -
17:00 - Group C -
20:00 - Group C -
Friday 17 June
14:00 - Group E -
17:00 - Group D -
20:00 - Group D -
Saturday 18 June
14:00 - Group E -
17:00 - Group F -
20:00 - Group F -