Watford sacked their manager Marco Silva and replaced him with Javi Gracia

They have seen nine managers leave since dismissing Sean Dyche in July 2012

Watford pushed Silva out after he eyed the exit door for a move to Everton

The Pozzo family operate a conveyor belt of disposable managers at Watford

So what did they expect? Loyalty? He was passing through. Everybody is, at Watford. The manager, the players. Hell, English football had to change its rules to guard against the transitory nature of the Pozzo family's vision.

Remember plan A: 14 loan signings, 10 from Udinese in season 2012-13? The Pozzo blueprint ran so against the spirit of the game that, after one campaign, both the Premier League and Football League wrote new rules to prevent it happening again.

ADVERTISEMENT

The conveyor belt of disposable managers, however, is beyond their remit. Watford have dumped or lost nine now, since dismissing Sean Dyche in July 2012.

Marco Silva was sacked by Watford after a run of poor form that followed interest from Everton

Silva is just the latest manager to be sacked by Watford in a conveyor belt of bosses

Placed in that context the wounded innocence of their statement, having claimed another victim, is a peak of irony.

Marco Silva was eyeing the exit door before his employers had the chance to steer him through it. He coveted the opportunity to succeed Ronald Koeman at Everton.

Who could blame him? Watford have ditched their manager at the end of the last three seasons when, in the opinion of most neutrals, each has done a reasonable job.

Slavisa Jokanovic won promotion, Quique Sanchez Flores stayed up and reached an FA Cup semi-final, Walter Mazzarri kept Watford safe despite a mind-boggling mix of nationalities — he had used players from 21 different countries by mid-September. Gone, all gone.

Watford owner Gino Pozzo (right, with scarf) has ditched a series of managers in recent years

Quique Sanchez Flores stayed up and reached an FA Cup semi-final but it wasn't enough

Silva may have started well but he is no fool. Watford isn't a long-term project. He used Hull and he was using Watford — as they were using him. He saw them as another step up the ladder — he just didn't expect the opportunity for elevation to come so soon.

Silva's successor? Javi Gracia, late of Pontevedra, Cadiz, Villarreal B, Olympiacos Volou, Kerkyra, Almeria, Osasuna, Malaga and Rubin Kazan.

ADVERTISEMENT

Watford will be his 10th club in less than 10 years. With such a keen sense of commitment, he should fit right in.

Click here to resize this module