Celebratory street parties, anyone?

I've read lots of the comments over the last couple of days regarding the Pozzo's takeover and almost all of them are very positive.  I do share some of the excitement that most fans feel but I've also felt a double sense of de ja vu and some unease too and so I'm resurrecting this blog once again, just to try and figure out why I'm not wanting to hold any celebratory street parties just yet.

The first de ja vu feeling is from a time that I actually don't remember originally but have, of course, read and heard a whole lot about most recently and most comprehensively courtesy of Lionel Birnie's wonderful book 'Enjoy the Game'.  Then, a flambouyant rock star managed to persuade the then incumbent Lincoln City manager into moving down a division to take charge of a Fourth Division club that he wanted to take into Europe.   To quote directly from Birnie "Graham Taylor's appointment did not spark a rash of celebratory street parties in Watford".  What followed (about half of which luckily I do remember) was wonderful and the best thing ever to happen to our club.

The second is of a time I remember all too well.  With terrible timing given that the greatest manager in our history hadn't even vacated his desk a great new dawn was announced in the form of an Italian manager who was about to parachute our club into an amazing new era of success.  Some fans were so excited that they even chanted the man's name during God's final game in charge at Turf Moor before they were quickly persuaded that it was neither the time nor the place.  That summer many articles appeared using words such as 'Forza' and Gianluca Vialli was greeted to his first match in charge with the words 'Buon giorno' gracing the programme.  Around about the same time he called us 'the Manchester United of the division'.  What followed was awful and almost led to the end of our club.  

Which road will the Pozzo's take us down?  The Yellow Brick one that Elton took or are we all getting far too carried away?  Possibly but I think its totally understandable given the various dire straits we've been in off the pitch in recent years.

Partly I think the excitement is really relief that Bas is no longer part of our club.  I don't say that in anyway to criticise or condemn him but just as a matter of fact.  Whilst I'm obviously not privy to the intricate details of our accounts or 'that' safe, from this distance it appears that, as you'd want from someone who borrowed your favourite possession, he has actually left it pretty much as he found it.  He added a pub, got a new big screen (although its picture quality is still as poor as ever and am I right in thinking he did claim to have bought two so we'd have one at each end of the ground?), upgraded the speakers and has just got round to sorting out the pitch.  The relief is that nothing truly untoward happened during his 14 months tenure when he seemed to possess similar PR skills to some other notable former club owners whose recent charges were left with points deductions or worse.

The excitement is also imagining what being part of the Pozzo family may bring us.  I think we should be cautious with this because so far they've not made clear any of their intentions but going on the evidence of the two clubs they've taken over to date it does look encouraging.  Udinese took a few goes to establish themselves in Serie A but are now long term members and their ball is starting to become a regular in the hat of UEFA's competitions. Granada are clearly a lot further behind in the timeline of development but they have already achieved the feat of promotion to the La Liga and followed it up with the more difficult proposition of consoladating their position for a second season.  

But whilst the prospect of European football coming back to the the Vic is as thrilling and absurd as it was 30 years ago that other emotion continues to niggle at me.  And its a nasty uncomfortable one that I've tried not to think about too much but which I'll reluctantly confront here.  It's that I do feel the set up we are entering into seems a little bit, well, franchise-ish.   Not as in a moving 60 miles MK Dons way but in a developing a chain McDonalds way.  

Because, lets be honest, being one in a portfolio of three isn't what any of us would choose in an ideal world.  I'm not even sure that many of us would choose that set up if it was guaranteed Watford would be the top dog.  What would happen to the other clubs unfortunate enough to be the feeders?  Isn't that why we have reserves (not that we really do at the moment, I know).

What will being one of three mean in priniciple?  At the moment the major league team (and I use the baseball term on purpose) is obviously Udinese having been owned by the Pozzo's since the 1980's and now able to reach the heights of the Champions League.  Is it likely to remain that way with Watford and Granada always some way behind?  It's been said that the top dog may depend on who is in the most financially lucrative league.  I think there is probably some truth in this given that it can't be coincidence that the Pozzo's have managed to invest in teams with the potential to reach and remain in the three richest football divisions/leagues in the world.  Could there come a day when Watford is the flagship?  With the Premier League being the greedy, money-grabbing, over-inflated cash cow that it is I guess its more than possible.

But even if that never happens and we remain a feeder the realist in me understands that we should just probably just accept that its for the best.  After all you could argue that as a selling club who relies on loan players we've been an unofficial farm team for a while.  This agreement merely makes things a bit more official.

If the Pozzo's hadn't come in all the other realistic scenarios that could have played out would probably have been a whole lot worse and I guess its long overdue that I accept that the dreamland scenario of Elton funding us again or a new Elton turning up is not going to happen.  He has done far more than his fair share and will forever remain a Watford legend.  Those other questionable characters who've tried to walk in his footsteps are barely worthy of mention.

Our club has struggled financially now for a decade despite managing a one season stint in the promised land and even though we keep cutting our cloth according to whatever situation we are in it has only been by a couple of minor miracles that we've avoided going into administration.

So I welcome the takeover.  Not for the prospects it brings but because if I consider what is the most important thing to me about Watford I'd answer that it's survival comes first.  This deal seems to indicate that for the first time since we last had an Italian ex-Chelsea player involved our financial situation is stable.  If in the longer term there might be a way we could go back to being a financially secure sole entity that will be the time to start the celebratory street parties, but this will do for now.

Happy New Year!

I realise my contributions to Hornblogger are once again becoming erratic so, for now, I'm going back to tweeting my thoughts about the 'Orns and anything else that might occur to me.  The address is http://twitter.com/hornblogger if you're interested.  Hopefully come May I'll be tweeting of our successful charge to the playoffs...

Routine- Watford 2 Portsmouth 0

Hooray, a routine win, never particularly in doubt against a pretty woeful Portsmouth, whose fans must be wondering why they've brought in some unheard of guy when the caretakers seemed to be doing a better job than the very unlikeable Cotterill.

I was pleased to hear a rendition of 'Taylor Made Army' from the Rookery.  I did join in, but alas, my Rous colleagues are not a very musical bunch.  Not so, the Pompey fans who chanted, drummed and chimed their way through the 90 minutes regardless of what was taking place on the pitch.  In particular, its always satisfying to hear an opposition support chant 'What a load of rubbish'.

I found our starting 11 today a lot more palatable than against Brighton.  Well 10 of them any-way, I'm not sure I'm ever going to be sold on Big Chris.  Everyone else did their jobs with a pleasing conviction and even when errors were made these were safely and confidently covered.  It was an all round good team performance.  The stand outs being Mariappa who seems to enjoy the company of Nosworthy, Hogg and Bauben who look like they are going to keep Eustace out of the side for a good while, and Kightly who had his best game in a Watford shirt.

We now have a great chance to actually make the first half of our season look pretty respectable with games to come at Donnie and home to Bristol City.  Win those and on the pitch things look considerably brighter, more so than in the Watford boardroom at any rate.

Next weekend- A request

After the goings on at the club this week it seems that once again Watford has a major investor who just doesn't get how BIG a part Graham Taylor is of our football club.  

Much as it is the natural inclination, I'm not going to urge any 'Bassini Out' type protests because they are pointless.  No-one obvious is around with a pot of money to fund the club, and Laurence has at least stated his intention to continue investing whether or not he remains on the board.  

What I think all Watford supporters should do next Saturday at the game against Portsmouth is make it abundantly clear to Laurence just how much Graham means to us all.  So next weekend, dig out those 'There is only one Graham Taylor' and 'Golden Boy Forever' t-shirts that we wore ten years ago to mark his retirement and keep a 'Taylor Made Army' chant going round the Vic to show whose side the fans are on whenever any-one, especially someone connected with the club, dares to criticise the man we know as God.  

x 2- Middlesbrough 1 Watford 0

I went to Middlesbrough back in March and as the trip home seemed to take several days I wasn't keen to repeat it in the same calendar year, especially with the game being on Sky.

A 5.20pm kick off on Bonfire Night when you have kids is problematic for obvious reasons so I only saw the first 20 minutes properly live and watched the rest, having managed to avoid the score, post fireworks.

We never looked likely to score at 0-0 so once we went behind I kind of gave up and watched the second half x 2 on Sky+.  It's a shame that setting doesn't automatically come with the Benny Hill music.

It is absolutely crazy that this game of ours refuses to bring in any measures like those in the NFL, Rugby League or Cricket and allow for a video ref.  We all knew within 30 seconds of Boro scoring that it was definitely offside.  Surely its for the good of the game, as FIFA claim to be, for the ref to get the decision right.  So why not let him consult someone who can tell him for certain what that decision should be.

I'm not saying at all it would've made any difference.  Had the result ever been in doubt Boro looked like they had at least another two gears to accelerate into whereas even with Craig Beattie coming on we looked like that was as good as we were ever going to get.

The tedium of an international break now beckons without even a competitive match for England.  A rather important tough looking game sits the other side of it against a Portsmouth side obviously very much enjoying not having Steve Cotterill as their boss.

Falling out of like- Watford 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 0

I came away from this game confused because as I walked back to the car I felt the usual euphoria of a victory was somewhat absent. Instead there was just a mild feeling of pleasure despite what was a much needed and probably just about deserved victory.  I mulled over my feelings whilst stuck in a traffic jam on Tolpits Lane courtesy of some temporary traffic lights that had sprung up during the game.  My conclusion was that I'm out of like with Sean Dyche's Hornets.

I'll always love Watford, of course.  I love the club so much, all the memories, the memorabilia, the programmes, everything that I've collected over the first 29 years of my support for them.  But the current incarnation of the 11 players and manager who act as the figurehead of our club aren't really doing it for me even in victory.

The good bits have left, got injured or are being ignored and been replaced by too many parts that are proving very difficult to take to ones heart.  Sure, Carl Dickinson has a nice thing going on in his gestures to the fans but as a player seems too prone to allowing players to get past him.  David Mirfin was so bad and anonymous he is already out of the team.  The same with Joe Garner.  One week they are the answer, the next not even on the bench.  Dean Yeates' crossing often leaves a lot to be desired.  Indeed tonight he would have been easily outscored by Lee Hodson if they were competing in a game show called Strictly Come Crosses.

Chris Iwelumo makes Trevor Senior and Kerry Dixon look like good committed Watford strikers.  I like Troy Deeney I really do but a goal a year?  Really??  The quality of his strike tonight said it all.  We might as well bring back Liam Henderson.  Craig Forsyth was always going to struggle because he is a winger and Scottish and so will always be compared to the ultimately better Don Cowie.  He also didn't do himself any favours in admitting he'd had second thoughts about whether he did the right thing in joining us.  Even so, I thought the reception he received tonight when subbed was pretty harsh.  He wasn't great but I still would've taken Iwelumo off first.  

Loach has managed to ensure that the stadium holds its breath every time he needs to make a decision.  As for Gilmartin I still don't feel I know enough about him to have an opinion.  Dyche's conduct with the keepers has just been downright bizarre.  Bring Rene in just to throw him out again after a predictable loss to Southampton?  Mention the possibility of him going on loan and bring in Jonathan Bond as the deputy and then send him out on loan instead.  It must be so reassuring for them all to know exactly where they stand.

The number of loanees coming in and out is beginning to get difficult to keep up with.  So, even more than in previous seasons, none of them really feel like ours.  Dychy says he wouldn't sign an injured loan player but then where is Craig Beattie?  Are our coaching staff really so stupid that they worked a player without much match fitness into the ground before he had a chance to appear for us?  At least Michael Kightly got a game but then the same happened to him.  I hope Nyron Nosworthy stays fit because he is the only one other than Andi Weimann this season that I've thought I'd like to see playing regularly in a yellow shirt.

Of the new guys only Jonathan Hogg is anywhere near approaching fully paid up Golden Boy status.  Buaben, having finally broken into the team, has made a good start and looks like he might follow suit.  

Doyley, Mapps, Tiny, Eustace, Sords and McGinn are all, of course, beyond reproach.   As are the number of young academy stars we are being denied much of a glimpse of.  I still think they are the answer.  This club has been at its most successful when bringing through youth players.  The times its been at its worst have been those when too many poor newbies were brought in just for the sake of it.  Dave Bassett did it and so did Vialli.  I think I can remember that mild feeling of pleasure when they won Watford games too.  

Iwelumo in Chesting Ball Down Shocker

The OS used this picture of him today, showing off his special move.  Can he actually do anything else?

Bowel Movements- Watford 0 Crystal Palace 2

Well good bloody grief that was rubbish wasn't it?  I think I've had more entertaining bowel movements.

The worst thing about it was that once we went 1-0 down there was absolutely no belief from any-one, most worryingly of all, from us, the fans.  There was no chanting, not even much in the way of shouts of frustration.  The yellow order seemed to have had the mute button pressed on them.  Just a depressed resignation that there was no way we were likely to get back into the match against a decent goalkeeper and a generally better than us Palace side.

Because be in no doubt this was no 'we played well and were really unlucky'.  Neither was it anything to do with the officials who were pretty excellent throughout.  Although as it was Mark Halsey you'd expect this.  One wondered what he'd done to be ref'ing such lowly fair.   This was down to us just not looking up for it, not having the quality where it counted and too many players looking like they are simply coasting.

Dyche mentioned the fans again in his programme notes and how we've got an important part to play.  I really hope that he's not going to go down the same road as Aidy in the 07/08 season where we're being blamed as much as the players for the performance.  That would be fair enough if you paid us to sing and create the atmosphere, or at the very least let us in for free, but when paying £460 for a season ticket please don't expect me to clap my hands or stamp my feet to what we witnessed this afternoon.

I know we've lost good players as Dyche said in his post match interview on 3CR.  But he's also brought in lots of new faces and they aren't performing.  He needs to change things and pretty quickly.  And its not like he hasn't got options with our academy alumni either twiddling their thumbs or appearing in the lower divisions.

Intentions to Party- Ghana 0 Nigeria 0

I went to the England-Ghana friendly in March and it was one of the most entertaining football crowds I've ever been part of.  The Ghanian supporters celebrated corners, free kicks, passes and even throw-ins with ever increasing enthusiasm.  Although I was supporting England I very much hoped Ghana would score just to experience their goal reaction and it lived up to all expectations when they equalised in the closing minutes.

So I wasn't going to miss the chance to experience that kind of atmosphere at the ground I know and love the most.  Okay so the crowd was much smaller, but the Ghana fans came with exactly the same intentions to party and the Nigerian fans had similar ideas.  The result was a unique atmosphere at the Vic, the likes of which the stewards or police weren't sure what to do with.  Luckily they took the sensible option of just letting everyone get on with having a good time and made no effort to stop the various bands, drums, trumpets and vuvuzuelas that had been brought into the ground.

Richard and Tim on Radio Hornet sensibly didn't try to compete much with the noise.  It was good to hear them though and they were one of the few notes of familiarity in an otherwise pretty bizarre evening.  Even the programme wasn't produced by the club.  It was two thirds full of unusual adverts and contained more typos and mistakes than the very blog you're reading.  Best of all were at least three different spellings of John Pantsil's name.  I know there are two official ways of spelling it, but at least use one consistently rather than trying both out and then making up a third.

The players individually all displayed a lot more quality than our hallowed pitch has seen of late but collectively the teams didn't come up with much of a spectacle.  It was a shame but perfectly understandable as they'd been involved in the final African Cup of Nations qualifiers at the weekend.  Nigeria got knocked out so must have been demoralised, whilst Ghana had got through, but even so must have thought this was a game they could've done without.  So 0-0 was predictable and watched in isolation this was probably a pretty boring game.  But the fans more than made up for it.

Joining the Order- Watford 2 Millwall 1

As instructed I thought about Steve Brister as the teams came out.  I never actually met him but had read his name several times in fanzines and on the net and did appreciate the t-shirt he put together when GT retired.  Last year I got chatting to one of his mates who was collecting for BT buddies and was moved by their commitment and dedication to the charity that meant so much to Steve.  I love Z Cars and would usually never hope that it was replaced but I did wonder whether the teams might come out to 'Yellow' by Coldplay in tribute to him as had been kind of hinted at in the programme.  If you interested in finding out more about BT buddies click here.

A minutes silence was held before kick off in memory of Dennis Gibbs, Nigel's Dad, who passed away last Thursday.  An amazing jack of all trades for Watford Football club Dennis covered the jobs of coaching, match reporting, scouting and even maintenance manager in his years of service at the Vic.

It was a shame that at least one moronic creature situated in the away end decided to chant right at the beginning of the silence but a credit to those people around him who had the decency to tell him to shut up.  Thanks Millwall fans, that was appreciated.

I watched the first half from my usual vantage point in the Rous, but I was pleased to see that the Yellow Order had remained down in the south west corner of the Rookery and so at half time I made my way round to sit near enough to them to join in, but far enough away that I didn't have to stand up the whole time (I'm getting old, sorry I can't help it).

It was great to be able to sing out loud without feeling slightly self conscious (as anyone who has ever attempted to sing in the Rous will have felt) and once we went one down but kept on singing there was a satisfying feeling of having helped when first Dickinson and then Forsyth scored to secure the win.  If anyone is thinking of unofficially relocating, and the great thing about our stadium is unless you're in the Vic Rd end its very easy to do, then I'd recommend it.  I'm not saying I'll give up my Rous seat permanently but I'll give the order another try for the Palace game and see how the half where we aren't shooting towards the Rookery feels.

As for the game, it was yet another where we were in the ascendancy when we conceded but thank god this time we were able to come back and not just for a point.  However my first half vantage point did give me a very good view of Millwall's disallowed goal and bloody hell we were lucky and didn't actually deserve that luck.  Four of our defenders stood next to each other for their free kick, not marking the three Milwall players who sensibly chose to stand the other side of the little group of yellow shirts.  It was an easy decision where to put the free kick and no surprise that the ball ended up in the back of the net.  The offside was probably only by a fraction, but had it been given the lino wouldn't have been the one I'd have pointed the finger at.  I spend most Sunday mornings telling my son's team to mark up.  You don't expect to have to tell a bunch of Championship defenders.  I sincerely hope Dychy did.