Watford move swiftly to hire Javi Gracia after blaming Everton for turning Marco Silva’s head

Watford’s rapid turnover of managers produced the ninth change in less than six years on Sunday when Javi Gracia replaced Marco Silva following a downturn in form blamed on Everton.

The Portuguese was denied the move to a better-resourced rival, even though Watford could have received around £15 million (HK$162.7 million) in compensation for a manager only hired in May. The tables have been turned with Watford believing that Silva was still distracted by outside interest and had to go.

“Had it not been for the unwarranted approach by a Premier League rival for his services we would have continued to prosper under his leadership,” Watford said. “The catalyst for this decision is that unwarranted approach, something which the board believes has seen a significant deterioration in both focus and results to the point where the long-term future of Watford FC has been jeopardised.”

Watford have been owned since 2012 by the restless Pozzo family. The Italian ownership also looked to Iberia for Silva’s replacement, with Gracia hired on an 18-month contract. The 47-year-old Spaniard, who has been out of work since leaving Rubin Kazan in Russia in June, made a name for himself in the dugout in his homeland with Malaga.