Watford sacked Javi Gracia after a dismal start to the Premier League season but is he going to return to La Liga now with Espanyol?
A matter of weeks after being sacked by Premier League crisis club Watford, Javi Gracia could find himself coaching in the Europa League. Things change quickly in football these days and, according to Ok Diario, the softly-spoken Spaniard could be parachuted in to rescue Espanyol’s season.
Despite guiding the Hornets to the FA Cup final and an eleventh place finish just a few months ago, there was a sting in the tail for Gracia in Hertfordshire. Just four games into the 2019/20, with Watford winless and bottom of the table, one of their most popular coaches in years was handed his P45.
Yet it Watford were hoping for a new manager bounce after re-hiring Quique Sanchez Flores, it’s fair to say an 8-0 battering at Manchester City and a disappointing defeat at fellow strugglers Wolves wasn’t on the agenda.
Gracia, meanwhile, could find himself back in work soon with Espanyol looking for a ‘safe pair of hands’ after winning just one of their first seven games of the new La Liga campaign.
David Gallego, in his first ever senior management role, has lost four home games in a row and the pressure is rising with Gracia lined up as a potential replacement, according to Ok Diario.
And should Gracia return to Spain, he’ll have to balance a potential relegation battle with a Europa League campaign.
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