Gino Pozzo – CaughtOffside

Championship club owner accused of alleged financial crimes with prosecutor’s office asking for a 12 year prison sentence

Sean Walker — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 19:18:37 +0000

Current Watford owner Gino Pozzo is subject to an investigation for alleged financial crimes with the Spanish prosecutor’s office reportedly asking for a 12-year sentence.

The Italian businessman is reportedly under investigation for alleged financial crimes that he committed during his time as owner of the Spanish club, Granada.

The La Liga club were under the ownership of the Pozzo family between the years 2009 to 2015 with the investigation circulating around the transfer of players according to the Iberian newspaper, El Pais.

The report claims via Eurosport, that Pozzo along with Granada’s president at the time, Quique Pina, profited off the ‘illicit movement of money linked to player transfers,’ in a ‘large-scale criminal plan’.

Watford announce ex-England manager as their replacement for Claudio Ranieri

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 19:28:45 +0000

The Watford board haven’t wasted any time in announcing their replacement for previous manager, Claudio Ranieri.

No sooner has the Italian departed after a series of poor results, than Gino Pozzo has ensured the new incumbent is in place.

Given that the Hornets don’t have another Premier League fixture until February 5 against Burnley, it gives Roy Hodgson, confirmed as the new man in charge on Tuesday evening, 10 days to prepare for the game.

It’s a surprise move from Hodgson’s perspective given that he had retired at the end of last season, making way for Patrick Vieira at Crystal Palace.

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At 74 years of age, he is once again the oldest swinger in town, but with such a depth of experience, his advancing years should be no barrier to whether he is successful in the role or not.

Simply put, the only thing Hodgson needs to do between now and the end of the season is keep Watford up.

That may require a quick investment in the winter transfer window from the board, as the squad currently either aren’t good enough or are not trying hard enough.

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Either way, that should see some players shipped out and one or two brought in.

If Hodgson can do what Ranieri and Xisco Munoz before him failed to do, and that’s to win enough points to keep the board and the supporters happy, whilst retaining the Hornets Premier League status, he’ll be hailed as a saviour by all concerned.

We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Roy Hodgson as the club’s manager.

Welcome to Watford, Roy!

— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 25, 2022

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New Watford manager could be huge surprise as World Cup winner spotted at Vicarage Road

Jason Pettigrove — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 22:11:27 +0000

There’s never a dull moment at Watford lately it seems.

After sacking Claudio Ranieri earlier on Monday, Gino Pozzo is now looking for his third manager of an extraordinary Premier League season – and it isn’t even February yet.

Ranieri, for all of his propensity for hard work at an age when he needn’t be so invested, and the dignity which he carries himself as both an ambassador for football managers generally and for his club, couldn’t rescue the Hornets from their funk.

In his 13 games in charge across three months, he was only able to pick up seven points from 39 that were available.

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He replaced Xisco Munoz who had also only earned seven points from his time in charge at the start of the 2021/22 season, but his tenure in this campaign had only last seven matches.

Pozzo, you see, is a hire ’em and fire em’ kind of guy, who doesn’t stand on ceremony when he sees that things are going wrong.

As the owner of the club, that’s his prerogative of course, however, what it does do is make every appointment seemingly one of short-termism.

If the manager doesn’t meet Pozzo’s goals within a certain time frame, he’s out.

With him go his ideas and ideals and a certain way of playing, which players than have to re-learn under a new manager with new principles.

Sky Sports are reporting that Fabio Cannavaro, Italy’s World Cup winning captain, has been spotted in the boardroom.

Does Pozzo really want a manager who has never played or managed in England as the person to save the Hornets from relegation?

It’s another disaster waiting to happen.

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Video: Short-sighted Watford board sack Claudio Ranieri after just three months

Jason Pettigrove — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 18:00:27 +0000

After such an abject performance by Watford against fellow relegation strugglers, Norwich City, it was always going to be a matter of time before Claudio Ranieri was relieved of his duties.

Sure enough, on Monday evening, after having the weekend to assess the fall out of the defeat against the Canaries, the axe has fallen on the Italian after just three months.

It can’t really have come as any surprise, given that after 13 games and a possible 39 points at stake, Ranieri only amassed seven, the same total as his predecessor, Xisco Munoz, who achieved that total in six games less than Ranieri.

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What it does mean of course is that the Hornets are now on the lookout for their third manager of the season and we are still only in January.

Is it any wonder that Gino Pozzo and his board never seem to see Watford hit the heights, precisely because of the trigger happy nature of the way that they hire and fire managers.

Giampaolo Pozzo

Whomever comes in next will have different ideas, a different way of playing and, if they’re hired quickly enough, may even want different playing staff in situ.

Once again Watford are in a desperate situation, and it’s all of their own making.

Ranieri is a free agent again, and despite not being able to make his mark, he’s unlikely to be out of work for too long.

Claudio Ranieri has been sacked by Watford after just three months in charge, with the club lying 19th in the Premier League ? pic.twitter.com/0VBD1PAbjr

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 24, 2022

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Watford board under the spotlight again with Ranieri to be sacked imminently

Jason Pettigrove — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 19:07:52 +0000

You would have to be a madman to take on the Watford manager’s job quite frankly.

Ever since the Pozzo family took over the Hornets, there’s been a steady stream of managers in and out of Vicarage Road, all with different ideas and ideals, and almost all never lasting longer than a few months.

There is no project as such, no forward thinking and certainly no support of managers when things go wrong.

Claudio Ranieri was parachuted in three months ago, but his tenure has been nothing short of a disaster.

He will know more than most that he has to go, and under normal circumstances eyebrows wouldn’t be raised.

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He just happens to be the latest in a long, long line that’s going to be given their marching orders prematurely.

Telegraph report that the Italian will be sacked just as soon as the club can find a replacement, which is expected to come from a pool of out of work head coaches.

Giampaolo Pozzo

Whomever comes in will need to have the thickest skin and have their eyes wide open.

A squad that isn’t just underperforming but isn’t fit for purpose, isn’t going to magically turn into a squad of world beaters just because a new manager comes in.

That much has been seen since Ranieri’s appointment.

The new manager will need to steady the ship yes, but has to be brave enough to let the board know that any type of project is going to take time.

Whether they accept that is a different story entirely.

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Video: Claudio Ranieri ready to work at Watford but he must be realistic

Jason Pettigrove — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 10:47:46 +0000

There’s no getting away from the fact that Claudio Ranieri has a huge job on his hands at Watford, and one in which club owner, Gino Pozzo, needs to give him time in.

Pozzo has a notorious trigger finger when it comes to firing managers that he perceives aren’t getting the best out of the team.

However, with Liverpool as Ranieri’s opening opponents, followed in the next few fixtures by games against the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Man United, Everton and Leicester, the Italian is up against it from the get go.

The last thing he needs is to be worrying about his position.

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On seven points before the start of play on Saturday lunchtime against the Reds, in a video interview with BT Sport Ranieri noted that his first aim is to get the team to 40 points in order that they can stay in the Premier League, and then he will reassess the team’s ambitions.

“I’m here to try to build something good.”

“At the beginning, we have to stay together a lot to help our warriors.”

Claudio Ranieri is back in the Premier League, and he can’t wait to get started at Watford! ??

? @TheDesKelly pic.twitter.com/8asa6zD7b0

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 16, 2021

It’ll be a tall order given that horrendous start, so both he and Pozzo have to be realistic as to whether 40 points will be achievable once the run comes to an end in early December.

His penchant for hard work and discipline should stand him in good stead, and if he’s able to get the crowd onside from the get-go, another miracle might just be on the cards.

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Video: Pundits can’t believe Watford’s shocking run of Premier League fixtures

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 08:21:05 +0000

Claudio Ranieri really has jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire in terms of the run of fixtures his new Watford side need to negotiate over the next few weeks.

The Italian’s brief will almost certainly be a very simple one for this season; gain enough points to ensure that the Hornets stay in the division.

Easier said than done when your first eight fixtures include Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man United and Man City.

Owner, Gino Pozzo, has a ‘hire ’em and fire ’em’ reputation as far as managers go, with six coming and going in the past three years.

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There needs to be stability at the club and if Ranieri can achieve even that, it will be a success of sorts.

His charges need to hit the ground running in every game in order to give themselves the best chance, though it will be a tall order initially.

? ??????: “Watford’s next 8 games: #LFC, Everton, Southampton, #AFC, #MUFC, Leicester, #CFC, #MCFC!”

? ???????: “That is a shocker! Do you remember when they beat Liverpool 3-0?”

Brazil and Parlour discuss Watford’s ‘shocker’ run of #PL fixtures…? pic.twitter.com/1X14ly7Vtn

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) October 14, 2021

Discussing the same on talkSPORT, pundits Alan Brazil and Ray Parlour where shocked that so many of the Premier League’s big boys were facing the Hornets one after the other.

Southampton have been identified as the most winnable game of the first eight, though if Ranieri can work his magic, a point here or there could be vital come the end of the campaign.

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Video: Claudio Ranieri confident he will be a success at Watford but it’s time for the laughing to stop

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 07:55:30 +0000

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.

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Liverpool trio unavailable for Watford fixture after Hornets refuse Reds request

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 17:40:06 +0000

The first Premier League game back after the international break sees Claudio Ranieri’s debut on the Watford bench against Liverpool.

The Reds are flying high again under Jurgen Klopp, whilst it’s all change at Vicarage Road since Hornets owner, Gino Pozzo, sacked Xisco Munoz after the 1-0 loss against Leeds.

Ranieri would surely love to earn his first home victory in front of what should be a capacity crowd, though there may well be some bad blood before the first whistle sounds, adding some extra spice to the fixture.

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According to the Telegraph, Liverpool had asked for the kick-off time of 12.30pm to be moved back to an evening slot, in order to allow their three Brazilian players – Fabinho, Roberto Firmino and goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, time to return from their international fixture against Uruguay.

Watford, as they’re perfectly entitled to do, opposed the request, citing travel inconvenience for supporters that would’ve likely already made arrangements to attend the game.

Theoretically, that puts Liverpool at quite the disadvantage, given that their first-choice keeper and defensive midfielder will be missing.

Firmino hasn’t always started alongside Mo Salah and Sadio Mane this season, but his absence will surely be felt too.

It shouldn’t be forgotten either that it was at Vicarage Road where the Reds lost the opportunity of going an entire season unbeaten on the way to winning their maiden Premier League title.

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Opinion: Claudio Ranieri is back in the Premier League with Watford but it may not be for long

Jason Pettigrove — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 17:57:37 +0000

Ever since Claudio Ranieri took Leicester City to the most unlikeliest of Premier League titles, the ‘Tinkerman’ has retained a special place in the heart of every football fan.

The Foxes succeeded in winning the title despite starting the season as 5000/1 outsiders.

Since those heady days, Ranieri has managed at Nantes, Fulham, Roma and Sampdoria, but all have been relatively underwhelming appointments.

Watford owner, Gino Pozzo, has employed nine managers in the last seven years, and appears to insist upon a knee-jerk reaction when the team dips a little in terms of results and form.

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That’s hardly the sort of environment in which Ranieri can flourish, particularly when you consider that in six of his first eight Premier League games with the Hornets, he has to play Man United, Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Leicester and Chelsea.

Pozzo has handed the Italian a two-year contract and he can’t realistically expect too much from him with a run of fixtures like that.

Ranieri is long enough in the tooth to understand football remains a results business mind.

If Pozzo wants to move his club forward, perhaps he’ll come to understand that some longevity in terms of his managerial hires is the way to go too.

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