Slaven Bilic is the new manager of Watford.
The Croatian gaffer is back in English football after spells with West Ham and West Brom, and while it’s hard to praise Watford for sacking Rob Edwards after just 10 games, it has to be said that this could be a savvy appointment.
Indeed, Bilic knows how to be promoted from the Championship, and he worked wonders during his time at West Ham, so while Watford managers don’t usually last too long, there’s reason to believe Bilic could buck this trend.
The Hornets’ squad is ready-made for promotion. The likes of Joao Pedro, Christian Kabasele, Kortney Hause and Hassane Kamara are all Premier League quality players, but the jewel in Watford’s crown is undoubtedly Ismaila Sarr.
Sarr is undoubtedly one of the best players in the Championship, and he was a wanted man this summer, with the likes of Leeds United and Aston Villa chasing the Senegalese winger.
However, with Bilic now at the helm, it’s harder to see Sarr leaving Watford anytime soon.
Indeed, given Bilic knows how to get the best out of speedy tricksters like Sarr – a la Grady Diangana, Matheus Pereira and Dimitri Payet, Sarr will undoubtedly enjoy playing under his new manager, while his record makes Watford one of the immediate favourites for promotion this season.
Leeds ought to know Bilic’s pedigree at this level. After all, his West Brom team were a real thorn in Leeds’ side throughout the 2019/20 promotion season, and now their old rival could well hamper their chances of landing Sarr after a summer of speculation.
Sarr could be more inclined to stay at Watford now that Bilic is at the club, and that’s a blow for a number of Premier League sides.
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