Latest news with #GinoPozzo
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Udinese sale progressing as Pozzo decides to focus on Watford
The reported sale of Udinese is progressing, with Gino Pozzo deciding to end his family's 39-year association with the Italian club in order to focus more closely on Watford. Stories broke over the weekend that the Serie A side were about to be taken over by a group of American entrepreneurs. Although the exact price involved – quoted at between £150m and £180m – is unclear, the sale is going ahead. However, contrary to some reports, the Watford Observer understands from trusted contacts in Europe that the Pozzo family will not retain any part of Italian club. It has been suggested they will hold onto 20% for the next three years and, during that time, continue to have input into Udinese's transfer business. That, though, is not the case: indeed, Pozzo has decided to sell now to further confirm his focus is purely on Watford. . It is understood he sees considerably greater potential for growth and success at Watford, and taking them back to the Premier League would be far more lucrative than trying to steer Udinese back into the top half of Serie A. However, before Hornets fans see the sale of Udinese, a nine-figure sum and hear the ker-ching of a cash register, it's worth bearing in mind that money is highly unlikely to be ploughed – in large chunks at least – into the transfer market. The understanding is that Pozzo's chief commitment to the club in terms of playing staff is to financially support retaining what Watford already have. It was something he stressed in his statement, and so the budget for next season is far less likely to require income from player sales to balance things up. The owner wants to keep the likes of Imran Louza, Giorgi Chakvetadze and Kwadwo Baah, and so whereas previous budgets may have needed allowance for income from the sale of one or more of the 'crown jewels', that is now far less of a requirement. Of course, if a club comes in with an offer for any player so high the club perceive it to be good business then they will consider it. But the proceeds from the sale of Udinese and the focus on Watford means the Hornets can now sell out of choice, rather than out of necessity. Former midfielder close to a return Assist for young forward on England debut The sale of Udinese is also understood to be a piece of standalone business, and not part of a wider exit strategy where the Pozzos would be looking to sell Watford as well. The owner is, it seems, fully committed to the Hornets – and at a granular level that means he will not need to spend time flying back and forth between Italy and England. Having appointed a new head coach in the shape of Paulo Pezzolano and spoken of the play-offs and promotion, the owner is now close to taking the next step in focussing purely on Watford – selling the club that his family have owned since 1986. Should he help steer the Hornets to the Premier League for a third time since 2012, then its value may rise to a point where he decides selling that is also attractive. For now, however, he is backing up his words with actions – and as one Italian journalist said: 'Over here, there is great shock.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pozzo family could sell Udinese after 39 years
Serie A side Udinese find themselves in the middle of an ownership change and the Pozzo family is now looking at selling the club. La Gazzetta dello Sport have reported that the negotiations for the sale are being conducted by Gino Pozzo, who currently lives in Italy after having lived in London for many years. He heads the club's market strategies and talks are ongoing with a American entrepreneurs, who have a New York fund behind them. Advertisement Talks are proceeding quickly and in the next few days, the deal could go through. Pozzos would not completely detach from the club and would remain minority shareholders. The deal would concern only Udinese and not Watford, with the English club set to have the Italian family as the owners. It is likely that Gino Pozzo could look to sell three key players before the family sells the Friulians. Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Shrewd, early first summer signing as Watford attempt to lift the mood
Watford owner Gino Pozzo, chief executive Scott Duxbury and sporting director Gina Luca Nani have bridges to build. There has been seething reaction and resentment to Tom Cleverley's sacking and it's alarmed them. In a poll in the local newspaper, 94% were against the latest head coach removal. The vitriol has been its loudest since Pozzo took over and it seems to have shocked him and the board. Changes have been made and operation reconciliation has begun. There already seems a softer, more open, approach. The message has been they are still very ambitious, that they envisage keeping nearly all of their best players, and that they are aiming for a Premier League return. What Watford fans will want to see is promises kept and then action taken, rather than words. The supporters are going to take some convincing. Some hardened Watford fans have had enough. They are fed up with the way the club has been run in the past few years and the sacking of the immensely popular Cleverley was the final straw. The board have made early inroads in an attempt to lift the mood. The signing of Hector Kyprianou seems a shrewd one. A freebie, a good age - 23 - but with plenty of experience, an international and leadership qualities; he ticks a lot of boxes. But some fans may need more time to forgive the sacking of Cleverley. There is an uneasy vibe at the moment - a disconnection. Those who have paid for their season tickets will hope for change, but expectations are quite low. Pozzo and the board still have plenty of making up to do.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Expert view: 'Watford board going round in circles'
Geoff Doyle, sports editor, BBC Three Counties RadioHead coaches getting sacked at Watford stopped becoming a surprise a long time ago. If the team isn't doing well, it's the head coach's fault and he pays the price. End of. Watford fans didn't particularly like this philosophy but they kind of understood and accepted it. It was the board's way of doing things and it worked to an extent. The supporters took the teasing from other fans - after all they spent six seasons in the Premier League over a seven-year period. They sucked up the fire them/hire them culture. But Watford haven't been in the top flight for what will soon be four seasons in a row. The 'blame the head coach' strategy is fine if that head coach has the necessary players and culture. If that isn't there then we're going round in circles. And the hiring and firing of managers, of course, affects the culture. More circles. The club board needs some sacking of Tom Cleverley has hit a nerve - hard. Owner Gino Pozzo and the board can point towards a poor 2025 calendar year of results and without question, the form has been sub-standard. Their argument is they always want the team to be improving and they haven't seen that in the past four months. That's a fair point. They also believe the squad was good enough for a play-off place. But here, not many, including myself, agree. A decent January transfer window would have helped (and is a major reason for the poor form) but I'm not convinced it would have been enough. This Watford squad without Giorgi Chakvetadze and Kwadwo Baah is a mid-table team. With them, and barring no other injuries, a side who might finish close to the play-offs. A squad lacking enough is no doubting Cleverley made quite a few mistakes decision-wise (the Daniel Jebbison gamble was his and majorly back-fired) and tactically (got it wrong against some of the weaker teams) but all managers do and it was Cleverley's first season. He did a lot more right than wrong. That end-of-season form wasn't good enough but across the season it was, predominantly because he got more out of the players than any other Hornets head coach since Javi Gracia. And, crucially, having been at the club for so long he 'got' Watford - and the fans deeply cared for him as a result. Towards the end of his reign Cleverley told me the players didn't have enough consequences for their actions which was a dig at the club's environment and culture. The incoming head coach will have to adapt quickly and try and juggle numerous balls. But recently not many of his predecessors have fans are restless. Fortunately for the board there is a break now, giving them time to try and get through the stormiest period since the Pozzos took ownership.
The Independent
08-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Next Watford manager odds: Former Uruguay boss favourite for Hornets post
By their standards, it's been a while since Watford were looking for a manager... Tom Cleverly lasted longer than most, in the post since April 2024, first as an interim boss before he was given the job permanently a month later. Cleverley was sacked after the club finished a disappointing 14th in the Championship table after losing seven of their last 11 matches. They finished 11 points off the play-off places and are now ludicrously looking for their 22nd manager since 2012. Watford owner Gino Pozzo has revealed that they are targeting an experienced coach this time around after Cleverley, who was in his first-ever coaching role. The good thing about the Hornets role is that there are a lot of different names on the football betting sites so we won't just be talking about the usual suspects of Russell Martin, Gary O'Neil and Steve Cooper, who seem to be favourites for every other job that's up for grabs at the moment. Next Watford Manager Odds Former Uruguay boss favourite for Hornets post? Former Uruguay boss Diego Alonso is the favourite on betting sites for the role at Vicarage Road at 4/7. The 50-year-old has been out of work since he was sacked by Greek side Panathinaikos in October. He took charge of his country in December 2021, and secured qualification for the World Cup in Qatar after four wins in his first four games. After failing to get through the group stages of the tournament, he resigned. He also took charge of Sevilla, briefly, in 2023 but after eight defeats from his first eight league games and getting knocked out of the Champions League he was sacked. His stock is not exactly high right now and his CV doesn't make great reading but one thing in his favour is that he's used to short-term jobs. Who else could be set for the Vicarage Road hot seat? The second favourite for the role is Jose Rojo Martin, or Pacheta as he is more well-known. He has a wide and varies managerial career mainly in his native Spain, with spells at Numancia, Huesca, Valladolid, and Elche. He was promoted to LaLiga with both Elche and Real Valladolid. His last role was at Villarreal in 2023, but he was sacked after just two months, following five wins, three draws and four defeats from 12 matches. There seems to be a theme here. Fellow Spaniards Alberto Garrido and Francisco José García Pimienta are also among the favourites, along with rising star Lens boss Will Still, who you would think is unlikely to swap Ligue 1 for the uncertainty at Watford in the Championship. Garrido was appointed first team coach at Watford last summer after 15 years with Real Madrid's reserve team and is 8/1 to make the step up. Pimienta has been out of work since last month when he was sacked by LaLiga side Sevilla. Could Dyche make a Watford return? Former player and manager Sean Dyche is 25/1 on betting apps for a return to Vicarage Road but without the previous links, this is not a job you could imagine him taking. The former Burnley and Everton boss, who has been out of work since January, began his coaching career at Watford. He returned to the club he captained as under 18's coach after his retirement and was promoted to assistant to Malky Mackay in 2009. When the Scot left to take charge of Cardiff, Dyche was the natural replacement. He was sacked in 2012, once new ownership of the club came in, despite leading them to their best finish in four years. And we all know what has happened since that change of ownership; the average lifespan of a manager at Vicarage Road is just six months. Please Gamble Responsibly When having a bet, it's vital to practice responsible gambling. Betting can be addictive and it's important to stay in control of your betting. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop. Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control. But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don't hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.
