Bitterly disappointed. Not in the least bit surprised, professional football is utterly mercenary and we should expect nothing less. Lest we forget MM was originally passed over for the post as manager having been in temporary charge and still stayed on. Okay, new regime and all that, but it is frustrating that having been given a new contract he did not at least start the new season, but who on these boards is going to turn down a triple or even double your money (guessing here, so cut me a little slack, but I know DJ didn't come cheap) salary offer by a rival firm to do the same job and with an employer who stood by their man for a long time... no one in their right mind would! Loyalty is what we fans give, but this is their profession, not ours - it is our emotion and devotion, not theirs - and business is business. We cannot reasonably expect it to be any other way. Dario Gradi is the exception that proves the rule, I would suggest - totally loyal to Crewe to the detriment of his career in terms of the wider game. SAF was a trophyless failure for all but 5 seasons, had he not won the FA Cup then who knows where manyoo would be now? It is only natural that we fans have been disappointed yet again, but those using the language of 'Judas' should get off their high horses and take a reality check. It is the nature of things.
MM on choosing Cardiff over Watford: 'I look at the size of the club, I look at the infrastructure, I look at the passion & commitment... Hurtful, to say the least. Good luck to him. He's chosen the wrong club, that's good. I sincerely hope they don't get promotion this coming season.
It's disappointing that Malky has gone, but I don't feel as irritated as when Rogers left. We've not had any of the "integrity" hogwash this time. Malky has done a very good job for us. He seemed to have created an excellent team spirit among the players. I do hope that we can retain Taylor, Eustace, Cowie and the younger players. The main hope for the future is that the Acadamy continues to produce young players, and that the process to recruit players continues to work effectively. Remember, the way things are set up it's not the manager who is identifying new signings. If the board have been doing their job correctly, they should always maintain a list of alternative managers, just in case the current one falls under a bus or trips over a large sack of money. How many fans had identified Boothroyd, Rogers or Malky before they came to be appointed? I don't blame Malky for going to a place where he'll be paid more and work in better surroundings. I did the same thing last year myself. Changing jobs for more money and better prospects. When I bump into any of my old colleagues, they don't call me "Judas". Malky will find higher expectations, although I wonder how much money Cardiff have. They've had a big clear out over the summer. I'm sure that having Bellamy must have cost them a fair bit. One last thing to bear in mind. We only have to spend one day in Wales next year, but Malky will now have to go there every day. Maybe he deserves our sympathy.
I said all along i can see him going, but then finishing out of the top 10 and him getting the sack at the end of the season. I would not be too upset if this did happen, as he does not deserve the best after he never even said thanks to us, but he praised Cardiff no problems.
i don't want to sound childish or petty, but i hope the same. It seems to me he's saying we lack passion and commitment, i'd like to shove that comment right where the sun don't shine! *deep breath*
its not childish or petty at all, we have all been hurt by this and we are bound to want him to fail. I think childish and petty is me making Watford play cardiff so i can beat them by as much as possible!!!!!!
I thik we canexpect a manager who we have cut a lot of slack, given his first steps in coaching, played in the prem when other clubs moved him on, and generally been right behind, to be a LOT more gracious. He has totally lost my respect - the tone of his interview was all wrong. He can f*ck right off as far as I'm concerned - I hope he fails miserably and is on the scrapheap by the new year (and that we drive the nail into his coffin on boxing day)
TBH Malky did make a big fuss about how poor our pitch was and Cardiff have a pretty good one. Be interesting to see how he copes with the greater pressure and expectations. Yes the support might be louder..but also quicker to criticise if things went wrong.
Their pitch may be better, but can the players play the way he wants and will they succeed?? the only reason they are louder is cos there are more of them and they have to drown out the sound of the sheep!!!
it has been a bad day at the office for watford fans hasnt it. but at least we can move on now and get someone in who wants to be here
Welcome to nont606 Sid - but did you sign a new 3 year contract two months before quitting - don't think so.
Excellent post, Sid . I've cut the bit I wasn't so sure about . Malky has to think of his career and his family (not in that I order, I hope). This contract signing thing is a huge red herring, surely? Did anybody believe that Danny G signing for three years meant that he would definitely be playing for us for three years and if he didn't he was being disloyal? Was Tommy Smith disloyal? Total nonsense. I don't feel quite as passionately as I did about Rodgers now, time heals (a bit). But he knew that he was lying when he spoke of integrity etc. That irony was not lost on us. Malky, Smudger, Danny G have all gone before their contracts expired and we have received remuneration for that. They were not promising to fulfil their contracts to the day they expired, anybody who says otherwise is... well, not realistic. Contracts in football these days are terms and then a bargaining position should they need to be broken. I wish him well. I wish Smudger well. I wish Danny G well. Rodgers? Well, I don't see him sacked yet... I want to see him relegated first .
Not often I disagree with you so comletely SLB but I do here. The red herring is player contracts - the CLUB needed the money so ended DG's time here - although he was always likely to move on it was the club not him who pushed it - and in recent years that has been the case for most players leaving Watford. In BR's defence he did state later that his "integrity" comment was wrong and he regretted it but he said that it came about because he was fed up with everyone asking him if he was going to go and he was trying to smooth the waters as at that point he had not received an official approach and was "loyal" to Watford till he knew otherwise. Malky was fully aware of all the circumstances surrounding the club and the club aske dhim to sign a new contract to prevent exactly this shambles in our summer preparation. If you would sign a new contract in your job and then use the increased salary and everything to boost your interview prospects for your next job I would be surprised. He should have held off and said he wanted to sign a contract in the summer - what he did has harmed the club massively. On radio Wales when asked if hit was an easy decision to leave Watford he said Yes - at that point I thought "well F*ck you too then" I have NO respect for him any more and hope he is sacked by Christmas
Why? The club wanted to sell him for the money - he did not demand a move - he only said it was an ambition to play Premiership football in the future. He could not have stayed if he wanted to.
For almost 40 years we have been a top two divisions club and you were a bottom two divisions. Our average crowd in the last 8 years is 15,400 and yours only 16,400 with three good years at the end. You are not a bigger club - just one with a better stadium and fora while with Malaysian backing less financial worries.
Given what goes hand-in-hand with financial backing from that part of the world, I'd say they have more cause for worry. Hope the FA keep an eagle eye out for behind-the-scenes match fixing.
Judas? A bit harsh, although leaving still grinds. Are you all forgetting his advice to the academy kids along the lines of "ply your trade here and then make the big jump up?". I fear that MMs departure and what now appears as complete BS will come back to haunt us in so many more ways than is currently visible.
