The flaws in Watford FC's criticisms

Joy for Watford fans, despair for the critics

It's fair to say that Watford look highly unfamiliar to 14 months ago. At the backend of the 2011/12, we were anticipating another difficult season ahead of us 3 months later, with more financial uncertainties and probably another exodus of our best players to other clubs in the league. Fast forward to August 2013, and in spite of narrowly (but deservingly) missing out on Premier League promotion at Wembley, Watford fans are in high spirits ahead of the new season, with the loans of last season signing permanent deals, exciting new imports from Udinese ready to light up the Championship and of course whatever happens this season, we'll still certainly have a club to support (couldn't say that 2 years ago).

However Watford's new found unexpected success has not gone unnoticed by opposition fans (Leicester City and Leeds United fans the main culprits). Many of these fans have been quick to take to social media to express their anger towards the club. I find this acceptable as long as these arguments are well thought and justified. Sadly, the vast majority aren't. They are highly illogical and have gaping flaws in them. I'll try my best to answer these common criticisms so that you can use them when the next critic decides to call us cheats for not breaking any rules

Criticism 1) YOU'RE JUST UDINESE B

While it is true that the vast majority of our team last season had come from Udinese, this doesn't make Watford, Udinese B. When the Watford team came to play every week, they wore Watford shirts with Watford badges on them. That's enough for me to confirm that they are Watford, not Udinese B. By the same logic that critics use, Manchester City are Arsenal B due to the fact they have former Arsenal players; Nasri, Clichy and formerly Kolo Toure and Adebayor. Not to mention that Watford still had players in the team that did have permanent contracts at the club, or were loans of other domestic clubs. It doesn't matter who the players used to play for, it's who they play for now.


Criticism 2) YOU HAVE NO MORE IDENTITY

Every week, The Watford team came out to play in a Watford kit, with a Watford badge sewn on. At home matches, Z Cars would play as the team's entrance music, just like every year since the early 60s. We still play at Vicarage Road, and hold community events including an Open day where all the fans can meet the players. Nothing much has changed at the Vic off the field at all, and our identity remains very much intact as far as the fans are concerned. The only identity crisis Watford have suffered is the lack of long ball in favour of new slick fluid attacking football instead, which fans have welcomed with open arms. No supporters have complained at all about Watford losing their identity since the take over in 2012, so why should opposition fans be concerned? Afterall, it's not like we've changed our kit colours, badge and nickname like a certain other club in Wales...

Criticism 3) ALL THE PLAYERS WILL JUST GO BACK TO UDINESE

Like everyone, I was sceptical about how the Pozzo family had loaned players en masse from Udinese and I also held the pessimistic view that they would in fact, all just go back to their parent club leaving us having to reassemble a new squad over again. These fears were mostly squashed at the fan's forum, when Scott Duxbury declared that all the best players would sign permanent deals at the club if they wished, and the loans were only an easy temporary solution. They were further dismissed when former Udinese loanee, Fernando Forestieri signed a 5.5 year deal at the club. They would stick to their word, and better it too by supplying even more players. Yet for an odd reason, opposition fans still believe that after one season, the new players would leave and go back to Udinese, or would be sold once their value had risen. Surely they had learn from last year that our owners actually keep their promises? If they were going to send them back to Udinese after a year, why would all the players sign such long term contracts?

Fernando Forestieri doesn't seem like an Udinese mercenary

Criticism 4) YOU CHEATED 

How is it possible to cheat by not breaking any rules?

Criticism 5) YOU DESTROYED YOUR YOUTH ACADEMY

The statistics deny this completely. Watford fielded to the most number of youth academy players in the league last season, except for Middlesbrough. The decision to downgrade from EPPP Category 1 to Category 3 was a financial move to save £2 million a year. The cost wasn't justified. Whilst the new higher standard of players have made it more difficult for youth players to establish a first team place it's for the best, as these players can then hone their craft on loan or in the reserves until they're actually ready, instead of being shoved into the first team after all the key players have been sold. Players like Tommie Hoban and Lloyd Doyley have shown that if you're good enough, you'll play in the first team, independent on nationalities. Players like Sean Murray have been forced out of the team due to being inferior to his teammates, but now has new motivation to perform better in training and earn his spot back. The influx of new players have brought in a higher standard for the team, and which should hopefully see the standards of the youth team rise as well.

Criticism 6) YOU'RE NOT LETTING ENGLISH PLAYERS HAVE A CHANCE

Like I said in the previous answer, if you're good enough, you'll play. Players have to earn their spot on the training ground, and competition is good for everyone. Nationalities don't matter.

Criticism 7) YOU BROKE THE TRANSFER EMBARGO, CHEATS.

I must confess when I read the headline that Watford being placed on transfer embargo, I feared the worst. I expected that we wouldn't be able to have the Udinese players complete permanent transfers over to Vicarage Road in the summer, really leaving us with a problem. On closer inspection, I was relieved that we could actually still do transfers, they just had to be ratified by the Football League. However, there has been the misconception that Watford were placed on transfer embargo due to mass loaning players from Udinese. The transfer embargo had nothing to do with the new owners or Udinese, hence why they were no punished. Therefore again, Watford have not broken any rules and are not cheats.

Criticism 8) THERE ARE TOO MANY FOREIGNERS IN THE TEAM

Whilst it is true that Watford field a variety of nationalities, it's because as Premier League clubs have found out over the years, foreign talent are not only usually more talented, but they demand lower wages and come with lower transfer price tags than their British counterparts. Zola felt that domestic talent (with the exception of Anya and Chalobah) would carry out the fluid, free flowing football that he wanted to play at Watford, so used these players instead. The logic that Watford are fielding too many foreigners is an issue that could be used against nearly all Premier League clubs. In my opinion, this problem lies at grassroot level not professional level (more on that another time)

Criticism 9) MULTI CLUB OWNERSHIP SHOULD BE BANNED

This is the only criticism that I agree with. I believe that all clubs should be in the game for themselves and themselves only. However, inter-team allegiances will always exist and there is no way of stopping it informally. For example, Peterborough would have never been able to loan 3 Manchester United players if then manager; Darren Ferguson wasn't the son of then Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson. Even if the Fifa were to ban multi-club ownerships, Giampaolo Pozzo would become the Udinese owner and Gino Pozzo would become the Watford owner, and they would carry on as normal.
Many opposition fans are uncomfortable with the fact that Udinese have given us so many talented players and no other club would be able to do it, leaving others at a disadvantage.

 NEWS FLASH. 

Football is full of disadvantages, why is it that Man City can buy £50 million players in the Premier League and Crystal Palace can't?  Clubs have to use their own way of competing, and this is Watford's. I agree that it isn't the best way of going about it, but I'd much rather Watford sign these Udinese players without financial risk than spending money we don't have in order to reach the "promised land" like Leicester City resulting in financial problems later on.

Criticism 10) HOW CAN A TIN POT CLUB LIKE WATFORD ATTRACT THESE PLAYERS

The "size" of the club is totally irrelevant. If players want to work under a footballing legend Gianfranco Zola, let them. "Big clubs" aren't entitled to anything, it's all about the present.



If you've managed to read this entire article, I congratulate you. It was hard work writing this up but it's all worth it to give you your ammunition for next time an opposition fan blindly criticises Watford Football Club

Thanks for reading, and all abroad the Zola coaster - Phil