Watford will not sign as many players 'as people think' says Zola

[Hornet36]

Gianfranco Zola says Watford will not sign as many players 'as people think'

6:13pm Saturday 21st July 2012 in Sport By Anthony Matthews

Gianfranco Zola says Watford are “working” on the signing of Fitz Hall but there will not be as many new arrivals “as people think”.

It will be a major surprise if the capture of the former Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace defender, who is now a free agent, is not confirmed shortly after he was involved in the warm-up ahead of this afternoon’s 1-1 friendly draw at Wealdstone.

When asked if a deal for Hall was any closer to being completed, Zola replied: “We’re working on that. Obviously there will be some players that might come to strengthen the squad, not as many as people are talking about in the newspapers – we’ve been connected to everybody.


“That will be some players that come. Not as many as people think. I’ve found a lot of real qualities over here and I’m focusing on developing those qualities and with the help of some players, maybe we’ll build up a very good team.”

Trialists Almen Abdi and Daniel Pudil once again featured for the Hornets and two other new faces, believed to be Ikechi Anya and Steve Leo Beleck, were also spotted among the travelling squad at Grosvenor Vale.

Both players are currently with Pozzo family-owned clubs – Glasgow-born winger Anya is at Granada, but was loaned out to Cadiz last season, while Beleck is on the books of Udinese. The striker was also on loan in the last campaign at AEK Athens.


Now i`m getting worried i don`t like when he said`s "maybe we’ll build up a very good team" is the aim just to stay up this season and what does he mean by not as many as people think will in be the players that play today plus Anya and beleck and a keeper or will he stick with the keepers we have got

[magic]

I think that he means we're not going to sign the 500 players that we are linked with!!

I wouldn't worry to much

[Malteser]

Yes, that was how I took it as well. I imagine he said it with a smile!

It may also have been a sensible reply to a question, as a way of geeing up the current players. It would have been quite dis-spiriting for some of them I'd imagine had Zola replied 'yes we are planning to bring in ten new ones'!

As it stands right now, it's starting to look like 4-5 Pozzo loans, Hall, a keeper and maybe a permanent addition up front too. Tommy Smith's name is still being banded about I notice.

We may also be waiting until the Prem League clubs submit their playing squads, to see if any players become available to loan from the likes of Chelsea.

[wfc4ever]

As we saw last season it would take time to bring on in a load of players and expect them to gel straight away...

[Malteser]

And then at the end of the season, the 5 loanees all go back and we'll have another fun summer being linked with everybody next year too!!

[Hornet36]

And then at the end of the season, the 5 loanees all go back and we'll have another fun summer being linked with everybody next year too!!

i guess it`s something we will have to get use to

[Norwayhornet]

Not necessarily, granada have got players from udinese that have been there a couple of years or longer

[hornetboy1]

Some good points made. Personally I don't have a problem with the loan players coming in. Now we're linked with two other clubs, it's a bit of an illusion having loan or permanent players. They will be interchangeable. Players within the Pozzo empire will be deployed where they will be best suited.

I think the picture is becoming a little clearer now though as to how things are going to go. I think Watford have to raise their own funds if they want to sign permanent players. The Pozzo's will help with the running costs of the club and will guarantee any liability the club has. Watford have full use of their scouting network and will have an open channel into their pool of players. I don't believe Watford will have to pay a loan fee for these players, but will have to contribute towards salary.

I'm not so sure the comment from Duxbury is entirely accurate though when asked about stadium development. He said something along the lines that phase one was to strengthen the team and all financial resources would be directed to this. Well, it looks like Watford are actually funding their own way with regards strengthening the team. This is not a criticism, but I got the impression the Pozzo's would be funding things a little more than they appear to be.

Watford have managed to raise £2.75m in the transfer market, and will be allowed to reinvest this back into the playing side. This is a very good thing and a luxury we've not had for years. I believe this will happen. Hall and Almunia are both free agents, but while Hall will be on a similar salary to Mapps, Almunia will not be a cheap option. Money raised will help pay his salary and the salaries of the other incoming loan players.

More will exit the squad in the coming days, to save on unnecessary salaries.

[Malteser]

I think everything is a matter of perception. You either take the downbeat view that we will be relying heavily this season on unproven foreign players coming over on loan with no experience of the league...or you take the positive view that we are getting some very classy players for nothing, all with their best years ahead of them (most likely two in their mid twenties, two early twenties and a teenager) who will be desperate to prove themselves and who will play without fear, for them everything about our league and indeed our country will be new to them (Ikechi apart) and that can be seem as a positive for us because nobody else in the division will know much about them! This summer we have not been forced to resort to signing players who got relegated the year before with the Sheff Utds and the S****horpes of this world or players who've moved around the English lower leagues but never really settled anywhere and for who Watford was just another line in their career description on Wikipedia.

I'm definitely of the latter view and I think most of us here are. Besides a new player in July no longer feels like a new player by October!

That said, as I posted elsewhere, I'm delighted we are still bringing in a few from this country, to mix it up a bit. Hall is an experienced Championship defender and for all the deserved praise Heaton and Cudicini get here, it's worth noting that Almunia has played four times as many competitive games than either of them in the last five seasons.

Following Hornetboy's excellent post, if a few of our squad players were to depart, reducing our wage bill a bit..and even allowing for having to pay the wages (and I guess living costs?) of the Pozzo Five, we'd still have a decent chunk of the £2.75 million to invest in a 20 goal a season striker!

[hollywood]

I think everything is a matter of perception. You either take the downbeat view that we will be relying heavily this season on unproven foreign players coming over on loan with no experience of the league...or you take the positive view that we are getting some very classy players for nothing, all with their best years ahead of them (most likely two in their mid twenties, two early twenties and a teenager) who will be desperate to prove themselves and who will play without fear, for them everything about our league and indeed our country will be new to them (Ikechi apart) and that can be seem as a positive for us because nobody else in the division will know much about them! This summer we have not been forced to resort to signing players who got relegated the year before with the Sheff Utds and the S****horpes of this world or players who've moved around the English lower leagues but never really settled anywhere and for who Watford was just another line in their career description on Wikipedia.

I'm definitely of the latter view and I think most of us here are. Besides a new player in July no longer feels like a new player by October!

That said, as I posted elsewhere, I'm delighted we are still bringing in a few from this country, to mix it up a bit. Hall is an experienced Championship defender and for all the deserved praise Heaton and Cudicini get here, it's worth noting that Almunia has played four times as many competitive games than either of them in the last five seasons.

Following Hornetboy's excellent post, if a few of our squad players were to depart, reducing our wage bill a bit..and even allowing for having to pay the wages (and I guess living costs?) of the Pozzo Five, we'd still have a decent chunk of the £2.75 million to invest in a 20 goal a season striker!

That is, of course, if vydra and/or the beast becker don't hit the ground running...

[lendal]

I don't think there will be any concrete signings till they have to - eg the Wycombe game. Zola keeping his options open - carry on trialing!

[The Rous]

I'd be suprised if we make no permenant signings. If we don't we wouldn't be following the Pozzo's business plan of buying players for small fees, developing them and then selling them on. I'd expect 2/3 permanent signings for under £1m that we've probably never heard of or haven't been linked to yet.

[cyaninternetdog]

I can see 7 or 8 players coming in.

[Malteser]

That is, of course, if vydra and/or the beast becker don't hit the ground running...

Yes you're right. I hope one or both do. But it's a big ask for two young players who have never played here before. Plus Vydra is coming off the back of a bad injury.

[Hornet36]

I think its going to be one of the hardest champ in a long time and my only worry is that we are left behind and playing catch up
I bet the team is going to change from our 1st game to the end of Aug

[nairobi hornet]

Every year everyone says it is going to be tough. Let's just see what happens. At the moment we are still underdogs which is how I like it as we are at our most dangerous then

[DrewH]

More will exit the squad in the coming days, to save on unnecessary salaries.

Who HB1?

[Watfordftw]

Current squad will get us into a relegation battle

[LLST]

I think we'll probably only sign Hall, Almunia and maybe one more striker with the five loanees while Zola uses the first half of the season to evaluate what he's got.

[J.B]

Those who were arrogantly writing off the players that got us to mid-table last season as not good enough for the 'new' Watford and surplus to requirements are looking a bit silly now.