No doubt the very fact I'm writing this will lead us to appoint a new manager this morning before I've even had a chance to publish it. But I thought I'd mull over the options and reflect on the events of the last week.
Firstly thanks to the board for coming out early on and saying it will be a Watford man in charge. This makes the wait a lot easier than under Simpson when, in all likelihood, we'd end up underwhelmed by the initial appointment and say 'who' when it was announced. I'm not saying that's how we'd always think come the end, but I like to feel a bit of excitement and/or acceptance when the announcement is made and that never happened with Aidy or BR.
Secondly having read the Watford Observer comments board all week it strikes me what a negative bunch of moaners they are. Sure, we've had lots to moan about in the past but this is a new dawn. A decent board who have got GT amongst them. They may not be the richest board, we may have to sell in order to survive but I'd much rather have Watford people on the board, just as I'd rather have a Watford man in charge. What do they want? An Abramovich style owner who comes in and splashes crazy amounts of cash around but is really only interested in the prestige of owning a football club and doesn't care which one it is. Or a board who genuinely love Watford. If it's the former then why are you supporting us? There are plenty of local football 'clubs' that would happily accept your half a grand for a season ticket, such as QPR, Chelsea or Fulham plc.
Good news that the three stooges have gone and followed BR to the MadStad. They were never ever Watford. Austin's propoganda in the programme about playing football the right way was particularly galling, and the over hyping of Lampard Senior's Watford connection when we played Chelsea just ridiculous. Good riddance. You never did anything to make me think for a moment you were interested in our club. You should have studied the behaviour of Keith Burkinshaw who took the club to his heart despite being a Spurs man and continued to attend even after we'd stopped paying him.
So to the candidates. BR might just be trying to lose any remaining ounce of goodwill at WD18 but he appears to have ruled Nigel Gibbs out of the running by stating how important he is to their set up. It would be lovely if we could steal him and then finish above Reading. But I don't think its gonna happen.
Hessenhalter seems to have split the fans down the middle. Some still hating him for going to Gillingham, others thinking he is somone who has already managed succesfully in the division keeping up a team who were clearly punching above their weight. Sounds perfect to me. However, having appeared keen, he looks like he is distancing himself from the job now. Perhaps he already knows he hasn't got it.
Tony Coton has the problem of formerly being a goalkeeper. Does a keeper ever go on to be a succesful manager? Peter Shilton, Chris Turner and Bryan Gunn are names that come to mind in the case against. Coton is a uber-Watford legend up there with the Blissetts and Mooneys. But I don't fancy him in charge.
Like a hurricane John Barnes seems to reek havoc wherever he goes and was last spotted off the coast of Birkenhead. GT presumably considers himself happily retired from the day to day running of a club now. Luther seems to have got out of the game after failing at Chesham. What about Moons? He'd certainly be good at the motivation but I don't think the board would take such a big risk.
Which really just leaves Malky drinking his beer and eating his pie. I wasn't keen for him to replace Aidy as it was his department that seemed to cause most of the trouble towards the end of Boothroyd's reign. However now we've come through the Brendan period Malky seems like a decent punt. We did okay under him for those 5 games although that doesn't really indicate how he'd fair across a whole season. But he knows the players far better than Gibbs or Hess would and also understands what the club has been through over the last three years.
Much like when we appointed Ray Lewington he just seems the right man to steady the ship. I don't expect any promotions particularly. But keeping us safely in the Championship for a couple of seasons and giving us some stability is just what this club needs at the moment. If some fun cup runs could be thrown in like we had last season than I'd be more than happy with Malky.
