Football
Exclusive: Watford Target Will Still Following Javi Gracia’s Shock Resignation
Watford is set to appoint Will Still as their new manager after Javi Gracia's departure. Gary Rowett is also being considered as an option. Still's previous stint at Southampton was unsuccessful, but the club believes he can lead them to a top-six finish. Rowett is also in the running, having been out of work since leaving Oxford. Danish sources suggest Steve Cooper may also be interested in a return to the Championship after success at Nottingham Forest and Swansea City.
Liverpool v Southampton - Carabao Cup Third Round by James Gill - Danehouse | Getty Images
Watford will turn to Will Still to fill the vacant Vicarage Road managerial hot seat after Javi Gracia’s shock resignation, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
But the Hornets, now looking for their third manager of the season, are also understood to be considering experienced Championship boss Gary Rowett should they not land their first target.
Still’s billing as one of the game’s most talented new managers/head coaches took a drop after an unhappy five month stay at Watford’s second tier play-off rivals, Southampton.
However, Watford’s owners-the Pozzi family-remain impressed by the Englishman’s body of work in France, initially at RC Lens and then Reims.
Still, 33, failed to instil his philosophy successfully at St Mary’s and won only two out of 13 Championship games.
But Watford believe he can shine again and re-build his reputation by taking the Hertfordshire club into the top six.
They are currently in mid table but are within touching distance of the top six.
Vicarage Road Managerial Merry-Go Round Continues
Rowett has been out of work since losing his job at Oxford just before Christmas.
He saved United from relegation last season but couldn’t halt their slide down the ladder again this term.
It’s 10 years since Rowett was sacked at Birmingham with the Blues seventh in the Championship.
A decade later and despite all the hoopla around the club’s American owners, the Blues are only 13th.
Danish sources suggest Steve Cooper could be interested in returning to the Championship.
Cooper is now in charge of Superliga side, Brondby after an undistinguished spell at Leicester City.
But he turned Nottingham Forest from potential relegation candidates to Championship play-off winners in 2022.
During his time in charge of Swansea City, Welshman Cooper secured the loan signings of current Manchester City star Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher, recently signed by Tottenham Hotspur.
Cooper signed a three-year contract last September at Brondby who are currently third, nine points behind leaders Aarhus GF.
Shane is a seasoned sports journalist and one of the most recognisable voices in the snooker pressroom. From Ronnie O’Sullivan to Zhao Xintong, he has sat down with the sport’s biggest names and broken hundreds of front-page national stories.
Alongside his work for SportsBoom, Shane regularly freelances for national outlets including the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star.
While cricket is Shane’s true passion, particularly Test cricket, he keeps it largely separate from his professional work. But don’t expect him to be sold on The Hundred as the future of the game.