Watford manager Walter Mazzarri to leave at the end of the season

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The Hornets have not had the best of seasons in the Premier League and Mazzarri will now pay the price for that.

Watford boss Walter Mazzarri is set to be relieved of his duties as Hornets manager and the weekend’s fixture against Manchester City will be his last match in charge, as reported by the club’s official website.

The former Napoli and Inter Milan boss took charge at the start of the season, but Watford have disappointed this term and languished to the 40 points barrier to ensure top flight survival, while also losing their last five matches.

Reports of major discontent in the Watford dressing room have recently emerged too, with the Daily Mail claiming that several of the first-team squad would be looking for a way out of Vicarage Road if Mazzarri remained beyond this season.

In a statement released by club chairman Scott Duxbery, the official reasoning behind Watford’s decision to relieve Mazzarri of his duties is because the club didn’t feel as if he was the man to help the Hornets achieve their future ambitions.

“After the Board discussed with Walter Mazzarri the club’s future goals and aspirations, it was decided he will be stepping down from his position as the club’s Head Coach after the final game of the 2016/17 season,” Duxbery said, as reports the Watford official website.

“We thank Walter and his staff for the contribution they have made to Watford Football Club over the past year.”

Speculation will now be in overdrive as to who will replace Mazzarri, with the same Daily Mail report claiming that Hull City manager Marco Silva will be high up on the Watford owner’s list of preferred candidates, following an outstanding job with the Tigers.

Silva is in demand however, and has also been sounded out by Southampton, as reports the Independent. It is also very likely that Huddersfield Town’s David Wagner will be linked, as will a return for Slavisa Jokanovic, who is currently in charge of Fulham and took Watford to the Premier League in 2015.

The Hornets are currently 16th in the Premier League table and will finish 17th if they lose to Manchester City and if Swansea City defeat West Bromwich Albion on the final day of the season.