Pozzo's Statement

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Taken from the official site:

"THE Pozzo family is delighted to be here at Watford Football Club.

We understand there will be a number of questions from supporters about the future of our club.

Our vision of how we should be involved in professional football is to provide financial and technical support, so that success can be achieved over the long-term.

Every project will be individual and local in its development, and we will add to that the advantages we can take from synergies of operation across the group.

We are here for the long-term. This is not a case of a foreign owner with an injection of money looking for a quick return. Our aim is clear: we wish to establish Watford as a Premier League club, which has revenue to help it become self-sufficient over time.

There are no promises of timescale; only that is our stated ambition to be in the Premier League so that everyone connected with Watford, all of us, can enjoy a successful and sustainable future.

Longevity to us is key to success. It is only over many years that success can be judged. We have owned Udinese, in Italy, for 25 years. And we have a second project, part of the Pozzo group, in Granada, Spain.

Both clubs have enjoyed success and are sustainable businesses. The opportunity, presented to us by Scott Duxbury and Gianluca Nani in relation to Watford, contained ideals within a vision that was very much close to our own thinking.

This is why we are here at Watford. The club will be run along the tried and tested model of Udinese and Granada but it will remain special to its supporters because there is no way the local values will be in any way compromised.

We know England is a very different country to others, and football has its own culture.We respect that enormously, and we are aware how much the club means to its fans and the local community.

Nothing will change in this respect. The Academy is close to the heartbeat of the club and this will continue to be very important to Watford's future progress.

But of course we want to make the most of our world-class scouting network, which has many years of football experience behind it. That is the advantage of being part of a wider group, a wider family of clubs.

Maintaining Watford's identity is key to having long-term success. This is not just another club; this is Watford and we recognize just how important the individual nature of a football club is to its supporters.

No more so than in England, in fact. We're very passionate about football, and the English style reflects the true spirit of the game.

Success will also be measured off the field, as well as on it. We are aware of supporters' hopes for the stadium. Development of the stadium and the East Stand remains an essential part of our project.

Any club must have the right facilities if it is to expect revenues which help support it reach its ambitions. Watford is no different in this regard.

We don't see football as a business. It's a passion for us. We have been proposed a project so exciting that it moved us to support this through funding.

We are not expecting a financial return, rather we see it as privilege to be involved with Watford. But we must be professional in all that we do, to get the right results on behalf of the club.

We believe Watford will benefit greatly from the experience of the Pozzo family over many years.

We are hoping all fans will join us as our vision for Watford takes shape."

I think that this sounds very promising. They are saying the right things, though of course what matters is their actions over the next few years.... we'll see if they stay true to their words.

The other point is that they do not expect us to immediately go up. That is fair enough, we're not really in a position to be promoted right now... maybe even a season or two's time but it depends on how well we progress under the wing of the Pozzo's
 
Godo stuff but talk is what we've heard a lot over the years.

Hopefully these guys deliver their promises unlike so many others.
 
This is exactly what I wanted to hear, very promising. They respect the academy and also local vlaues too. They'd better stick to this.
 
It is good to get a coherent statement from them, unlike the ramblings of the last incumbent.

There is nothing in the message that we could take exception to as far as I can see. There are details missing on such things as timing for ground improvements, but give them time.

I am begining to feel sorry for Frank Smith at the WO. Just as he thinks he can slope off for a pie and a pint news comes out that he has to report on. ;)
 
Be interesting to see Bas statement, something along the lines of the clubs not for sale, im still in charge, the pub is mine, im renaming the new stand the bassini looneybin stand, why doesn't anybody like me, why doesn't anybody believe me? really interested to know if he was good or bad for the club, still nothing in public domain to his detriment apart from his lack of stability.
 
The only significant difference between this statement, and the comments Bassini made to the Wobby when he finally decided to set out his vision, is the Pozzo scouting network. And the only difference between Bassini and two or three of his immediate predecessors is that we knew from the start that he wouldn't deliver on his grand vision.

All that said, I'm excited. Not so much because of this statement, but because these people have more credibility than any first-time owner we have ever had.

Let me explain that. Sir Elton John is the greatest owner we ever had, and will be for at least the next decade, probably many decades longer. Even if they're extremely successful, the only way the Pozzos could challenge SEJ would be to build the East Stand, keep us in the Premier League for a decade, and win a trophy (if they "only" achieve 2/3, Elton would still edge it in my opinion).

But on SEJ's first day, all fans at the time knew was that he had money and supported Watford. On the Pozzos' first day, we knew exactly what they have done at clubs of a similar size to us, exactly what benefit their footballing past would be to us (the scouting network and loans from a Champions League side), and that they have a record of investing into clubs when they first come in, and only taking money out once the club is in a better position.
 
Good statement, and very much what the fans wanted to hear. Am hHappy for them to to take an extra day to get this right. Only time will tell if they see it through... but as long as things progress I think they will be here for the long term. It's good they recognise the culture and local values of the club... they have done their homework on Watford

If I had to say one thing, it is disappointing they haven't mentioned Sean and the staff, but I would expect they will do so as and when they announce Zola as the manager
 
"The opportunity, presented to us by Scott Duxbury and Gianluca Nani in relation to Watford"

Does that mean that they came up with the idea, and that they were both working for the Pozzos in getting this deal done?
 
Let me explain that. Sir Elton John is the greatest owner we ever had, and will be for at least the next decade, probably many decades longer. Even if they're extremely successful, the only way the Pozzos could challenge SEJ would be to build the East Stand, keep us in the Premier League for a decade, and win a trophy (if they "only" achieve 2/3, Elton would still edge it in my opinion).

.

Of course GT and SEJ...... are God and Mother of God to WFC......

In reality they presided over the best years ever in the history of the club...... and it was the rise through 4 divisions that can never be repeated here.... I hope will never have to
 
This has lifted me somewhat from the doldrums of losing SD....the right things we wanted to hear, and then some. Let's just hope it's not waffle, though somehow i very much doubt it.
 
That is a good statement. They have taken their time about it , taken some advice and maybe even been aware of fan anxieties expressed via the media. So good PR at the very least, but , being optimistic, a vision for the club and a statement of intentions that is encouraging. I like the reference to a "family" of clubs (not feeder) the recognition that Watford have a distinctive tradition, the support for the Academy and the pledge to be here for the long term--oh, and the idea that they will (eventually) target promotion is not to be ignored. Probably they are wise not to commit to a timetable, nor promise ground improvements straight away. They sound business-like and serious, but recognise that football is not just (or only) a business. If GT now comes out and endorses them , and it is revealed that they have been generous to Dyche, they will have made a sound start.