With Watford having had six managers in the past three years, Claudio Ranieri would surely have been under no illusions as to his fate if he doesn’t pick the Hornets up from off the floor.
Currently sitting 15th in the Premier League table, the amiable Italian’s first job will need to be picking up enough points to move his side away from the relegation zone.
Though he is confident of doing just that, he admitted in an interview with the BBC’s Simon Stone that the laughing has to stop. It’s time to get serious.
It’s no wonder the tone has changed from the ‘dilly ding, dilly dong’ Leicester era.
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His first eight Premier League fixtures with his new employers are against Liverpool, Everton, Southampton, Arsenal, Man United, Leicester, Chelsea and Man City.
Really enjoyed speaking to Claudio Ranieri yesterday. Hope he does well @WatfordFC. Premier League will be a more fun place for having him around. pic.twitter.com/hM20YWV52j
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) October 14, 2021
If the Hornets can emerge relatively unscathed from those, it brings them to mid-December where there are a handful of fixtures that are, on paper, more winnable games than against those teams above.
Owner, Gino Pozzo, will surely be watching with interest too. It really wouldn’t be a surprise if Ranieri doesn’t make it to Christmas, should results not go well.