Watford have parted company with head coach Ed Still after a dismal end to the Championship season, just three months into a two-and-a-half-year contract. The 35-year-old becomes the 11th permanent head coach at Vicarage Road since the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign.
Dismal run of form
Still, the older brother of former Southampton manager Will Still, was appointed in February following the resignation of Javi Gracia. However, his tenure ended after Watford lost six of their final seven matches, culminating in a 4-0 home defeat to champions Coventry City on Saturday. The Hornets finished 16th in the table, 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
Club statement
A brief statement from the club on Sunday morning read: "Watford FC have this morning parted company with Head coach Ed Still. First-team coach Karim Belhocine has also left the club. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours."
In his final press conference after the Coventry defeat, Still acknowledged the need for change: "A reset is needed. We need to reset the squad, the staff and make sure that the energy around the team and in the team is much stronger and ready to deal with a whole Championship season."
He added: "You need the resources to be able to manage the challenges that a Championship season will give you. There's the fact that so many players are on loan, out of contract, or others who you just feel have come to the end of their time at the club. That's one of the factors that has impacted us in the past few weeks, because so many players know they're not going to be here next season. In that moment, when you're under a bit of pressure, and the team needs to come together again, there isn't that little extra bit of commitment."
Watford will now search for their 12th permanent head coach in just over three years as they prepare for the 2025-26 Championship campaign.
