Those trigger happy Hornets owners are looking for yet another next Watford manager.
They say never go back, so Quique Sanchez Flores may be regretting his failed return to Vicarage Road. He lasted just 85 days.
Sanchez Flores won just two of his 12 matches during his second spell as Hornets boss. Defeat at Southampton leaves Watford six points from safety.
The Premier League’s bottom side are in real trouble and their stay may end after five seasons.
What we can expect from the Pozzo family is every attempt to avoid that. Although the constant chopping and changing of coach is part of the problem, the Hornets job will still attract interest.
With that in mind, who are the latest next Watford manager candidates?
Chris Hughton heads early next Watford manager betting
Former Brighton and Hove Albion boss Chris Hughton has a great track record of stabilising clubs threatened with relegation.
That has struck a chord with bookmakers who have him favourite for this role. Hughton kept Norwich City in the Premier League in his previous role and has two Championship promotions on his CV.
There have been times in his coaching career, however, where he has been treated shabbily. Hughton arguably deserves better than the notorious Hornets owners, but a Premier League job is what he’s after.
He gets teams organised. Hughton is not a great tactician with critics saying he is predictable and inflexible.
However, Watford are in dire straits with the worst goal difference in the Premier League. Hughton could address that slide and start to claw the team’s way back.
This would represent one of the tougher challenges in his career, though. Hughton is a safe pair of hands that the Hornets may turn to after Sanchez Flores flopping.
Sam Allardyce another veteran coach of obvious interest
Another out of work English boss Watford could consider is Sam Allardyce. Big Sam kept Sunderland and Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
Allardyce was last at Everton – again only for the short-term. He did enjoy longer spells with Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers earlier in his career.
An ill-fated spell as England national boss saw Allardyce win his only game at helm. He also spent four years with West Ham United getting them promoted from the Championship.
Big Sam is perceived as a long-ball coach, but it’s results that matter to Watford. Style can go hang if it preserves their top-flight status.
The Hornets have a striker in Danny Welbeck who can link play well – another feature of past Allardyce teams.
This would be an interesting option for next Watford manager, but there are other similar types.
Quique Setien made big impression at Betis
What a coup would it be if the Pozzo family lured Quique Setien to Vicarage Road.
His sterling work with Real Betis saw the Spaniard steer the Seville side to a top six finish and then be linked with Barcelona.
The Catalan giants appear to be sticking with Ernesto Valverde in the Nou Camp hotseat, however.
Barca’s loss could be the Hornets’ gain. Setien has been out of work since the end of last season and still kept Betis in the top half.
Watford do like Spanish managers. Namesake Sanchez Flores and predecessor Javi Gracia are evidence of that.
Setien hasn’t managed outside of his homeland, so a move to the Premier League in his 60s would be interesting.
Raft of hit and miss options also in next Watford manager market
The usual suspects are being linked with this. Mark Hughes kept Fulham and Southampton up, but failed at QPR and oversaw a period of decline at Stoke City.
David Moyes disappointed at Manchester United, then saw Sunderland relegated. He hasn’t coached since a spell with West Ham.
Alan Pardew is another busted flush from the wealth of veteran British managers.
Martin O’Neill and Tony Pulis are also out of work if this is the route to Pozzo family want to go down.
They just aren’t inspiring possible next Watford manager choices. As the market speaks in favour of Hughton, who remains a respected figure within the game.
The Pozzo family are also associated with Serie A side Udinese. Francesco Guidolin spent four years in charge of the Italian club for them.
Like Spaniards, they also employ coaches from this country regularly. Walter Mazzarri, Giuseppe Sannino and Gianfranco Zola have all been Hornets boss before.
Guidolin kept Swansea City up back in 2016, but didn’t last long into the following season. That previous Premier League experience is a plus, though.
After turning to one past boss, it’s hard to see the owners going back to the future again. Slavisa Jokanovic has a sense of unfinished business both with Watford and this league.
Now with Qatari club Al-Gharafa, the Serb got the Hornets promoted to the Premier League in the first place. A second spell didn’t work for Sanchez Flores, so this route doesn’t look wise.
