Calling that a difficult afternoon would be an understatement, right?
Yes, absolutely. It’s the antithesis of what we were hoping for, after the performance on Wednesday. I must say at halftime, I didn’t really see it coming. I didn’t think that we’d been particularly outplayed in the first half, and I was a bit disappointed or angry even about the mistakes we’ve made – so that we were two goals to one down. But that was nothing like the disappointment, stroke anger, I felt after conceding the goal 30 odd seconds into the second half – off our kickoff. That really was a mistake, that was easily avoidable. But it decided the game, because at three goals to one, we had to take even more risk, if you like, going forward. We’d changed the system anyway in the second half to try and give ourselves a better chance of getting back in the game. After 30 seconds, suddenly, it’s 3-1 and Leicester are in a good position. And as a result, of course, they punish one or two mistakes we made to aggravate the score. So it’s a very, very bad afternoon, because it was an afternoon where we were hoping to build on a sort of goodwill we might have achieved through the performance of this team [against Everton], which hasn’t played together very often this season, because so many players are missing, they would build on it and give the fans even more hope that next season, they’ve got a lot to look forward to. But I can’t say that now, because we have just been beaten by five goals to one.
Was it difficult when the new manager Rod Edwards was unveiled before the game?
No, not at all. It’s not a problem at all. I mean, the fact is, it’s been clear from the offset and Ray Lewington and I will do our best in this period of time to try and keep the club from relegation. That failed, because even two weeks ago, but arguably even more weeks ago than that, our fate was as good as sealed. And it’s up to the club now to start preparing for the future. And I suppose the only thing where I can say which is a positive for the club, is that in these last two games, by dint of circumstance, we’ve given them a good look at the whole contingent, if you like, we’ve given them a look at all the players who are available to play for Watford football club – many of whom haven’t had many opportunities during the time Ray and I have been here. Well, now they’ve had at least a couple of good opportunities. And that gives a chance for the new manager and the club itself to see well, are these the guys who are going to be capable of taking us into the Championship and getting us out of the Championship.
Have you been assured that you’re going to be definitely in charge for the last game of the season?
No. You think that’s a possibility, do you? No, if the club wanted to do that, I would understand it, I wouldn’t kick up any fuss. Not at all. But if I was the new manager, I wouldn’t take it.
Do you mean you wouldn’t become Watford manager, or you wouldn’t take the job before the end of the season?
Ahh, that’s a good question. I wouldn’t take it at this moment in time. So please don’t use that as a quote. But I think the new manager now will be in his right to say: look, you know, this season has not been the season it should be. I’ve got a job on my hands from preseason. Let the others who’ve been there for the last four to five months continue and I’ll come in and do my stuff. But if the club think that it would be advantageous to bring the new guy in now, then Ray and I will be more than happy to step aside and give him the chance to go to Chelsea next week. I’ve been to Chelsea lots of times.
Do you feel like this was the job that you were promised?
I think we’ve been given everything that we shouldn’t be given, I do. I think the club may have been slightly optimistic, or overly optimistic, with their view of some of the players who were here and who haven’t maybe played as many games as they could have played. I mean, don’t forget, it’s Ismaila Sarr missed a lot of games and we only got him back after the after the African Nations Cup. So I think that the club was probably right to think we’ve got some very good individual players here, and these are the players who will take us over the line. But that’s not been the case. But having said that, I don’t feel myself that I was lured in any way or duped in any way. I’ve been allowed to do the job in the way that I think it should be done. I’ve been allowed to coach the players and pick the team as I want to coach and pick the team. But unfortunately I alongside Ray, and alongside the players, I’ve picked and failed because we didn’t do what the club wanted us to do: keep them in the Premiership
Why didn’t you take part in the lap of appreciation at the end of the game?
Listen, I’ve only been here three or four months. Neither did [Xisco], neither did [Claudio] Ranieri, none of us took part in that. And to be fair, I was out there watching it. But the fact is, I don’t think the fans have any particular right to thank us for the months that we’ve had here. Because they hoped, when we came in, everything would change and it hasn’t.
Isn’t it right to thank them though?
Well I am thanking them now. I mean, you’re gonna write how I’m thanking them, how I actually am quite impressed by their support. But walking around with the team, I think that’s for players – none of the staff actually walked around, we left it to the players, because the players are people who count for this football club in a way. They’re the ones who either win your games or don’t. And they’re the ones who are getting appreciation from the crowd. So I have full respect – in fact, more than respect – for the fans and Watford Football Club. I think they’ve been excellent, really, throughout the season in staying with us as they have done. Whether I walk around in the rain and clap them is neither here nor there.
Was the switch to three at the back in a second half done asked of you by the board with a mind towards the future?
No. No, actually, it wasn’t. I mean, it’s no secret that Gino [Pozzo] from from the time in Udinese that I spent there, is a quite a big fan of three at the back. So I did know that. But not because he’s told me, why don’t you try three at the back? And I didn’t do it to try and curry any particular favour with him in the last 45 minutes. It was because we thought that Dan Gosling, who did such a wonderful job there other night, when we played Everton and really worked his socks off. We thought today he was battling a little bit there. I mean, we thought he was probably struggling a bit. And of course [Hassane] Kamara is a player who didn’t play, but we’d like to get onto the field of play. So to get him on to play, we changed the system. So I take full responsibility for that. Whether or not the club will indicate or maybe influence the new manager to do that system will wait and see. But I’m not prepared to sit here and make any criticisms of Gino or anybody else for that matter in terms of the reason it went badly today because I’m under pressure from them to do it. That would be very dishonest to me. And I’d like to think that there’s not too much good, that I can think about, is going to come out from this short spell, but I’d like to think that at least people will say: ‘Well, he wasn’t dishonest. And he told the truth and he tried to do his best’. That’s the best accolade, I suppose, I could hope for.
If you had the choice, would you rather walk away now?
No. I don’t believe in walking away. I wouldn’t be upset or complaining if that’s what you think the club would like to do, or the club would like to do. It wouldn’t hurt me particularly I would understand it. I’d understand that surely they would explain it in the right way. So if that’s what they want me to do, then that’s what will happen. But it’s not going to come from me, that I want to say to them: I’m so disappointed by this performance that I want to walk away, because I don’t want to walk away.
Ben Foster said the manager didn’t matter, and seemed to blame relegation on the players. Is that fair?
You can never blame anything totally on the players. A football club is an amalgam of many things. Players, of course, are the most important in a way, after the ownership and the people who make decisions at the top. And the manager comes somewhere in that amalgam. I wouldn’t like to blame it totally on the players, no. I think that probably the reason for failure perhaps needs to be analysed a bit more closely, in a bit more depth, a bit more honesty than that. But I understand what Ben is saying. It is, to some extent, the feeling amongst a certain group of the players that they haven’t had enough support from some of the others. So I understand that Ben who is also an honest guy, who’s also like myself, leaving the club, feels that it was important to make that point. But I can only say I understand what he’s saying or where he’s coming from. But I’m not prepared to say it myself.
How big a job does Edwards have on his hands?
You’ll have to ask him that one. I think that if I started making comments about those things, I’m going to be accused of either bigging things up or breaking things down, I don’t want to do that. I mean, there’s no doubt that we are not short of players individuals who have got some sort of talent and some sort of ability. His job is going to be to form them into a winning team. And I’m pretty certain that he knows already, or will have some idea already about the type of players we have. He will certainly have some ideas about how he wants to go forward and work with it. And all I can do is wish him well. But I don’t want to be involved in a situation where anything I say could be seen as – well, not influencing – but affecting him, if you will. Someone asked me, have you spoke? No, I’ve never met him and I don’t know him. And I know that he’s done a wonderful job with Forest Green Rovers. He is obviously a very good coach. But it’s not for me to go to him with ideas. Because I’m speaking from a negative output. He’s going to go into the positive outcomes. He’s going in with the idea, this team is going to win the Championship. So the last thing he needs from me is any comments which could be perceived as negative. But I did say that I’m not going to see him, I’m not going to be trying to influence him in any way, or give him any of my opinions about the club. I expect him to form his own. But if he actually went out on record and said, one of the things I want to do before I start the next season, is to talk to Roy Hodgson, then I’m available.
You know Jamie Vardy well, are you surprised he’s so good even though he is 35 years old now?
No. The worst thing with Jamie is, his runs are good, he times them so well. And then an even worse thing about him, if you’re an opponent, is he scores the goal when he gets there. So you made the mistake, you haven’t followed the run, you haven’t dealt with the run so he’s in with a goalscoring chance. And then of course, even worse is he doesn’t miss them, which you know, some players might do. He is a fine player. He’ll be a fine player for years to come. I joked with him today that you’ve missed a large part of this season through these two major injuries, but the good news for you is you’ll have another year or two in the end, because you haven’t played as many games this year.
