New name comes from nowhere to be bookies favourite for Watford job
New name comes from nowhere to be bookies favourite for Watford job
Diego Alonso (Image: Action Images)
A Uruguayan who has managed his national team as well as the likes of Panathinaikos and Sevilla has come from nowhere to be the bookies favourite to replace Tom Cleverley as Watford head coach.
Diego Alonso has been out of work since being sacked by Greek side Panathinaikos in October.
The 50-year-old from Montevideo was appointed manager of Uruguay in December 2021, and after four wins in his first four games in charge, he secured qualification for the World Cup in Qatar.
A year later, after failing to progress from the group stage in the finals, he handed in his resignation and said he wanted to return to club management.
His next job was as manager of Sevilla, taking over in October 2023 when the Spanish side were 14th in the La Liga
On December 16, having failed to win any of his eight league matches and having been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League after finishing last in their group, Sevilla sacked Alonso.
The Uruguayan is now the 2/1 favourite to be next in the hot seat at Vicarage Road.
Next in the betting at 3/1 is Jose Rojo Martin – known as Pacheta – who is the Spaniard that was heavily linked with replacing Cleverley at the start of this year.
Current Hornets coach Alberto Garrido is then quoted at 4/1 with Englishman Will Still, manager of French club Lens, a 5/1 shot.
Former QPR manager Marti Cifuentes is rated at 6/1 – ironically, Cleverley is the 4/1 second favourite to replace the Spaniard at Loftus Road.
Sean Dyche, who was sacked by the Pozzo family when they bought Watford, is 20/1 to make a return while Plymouth manager Miron Muslic is the same price.
Ex-England manager Gareth Southgate is 33/1, the same price as Wayne Rooney, Steve Gerrard and John Terry.
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