Jokanovic: ‘I hope the fans think I did some good work’

Slavisa Jokanovic goes into tonight’s Champions League play-off with Maccabi Tel Aviv with not a tinge of bitterness about his exit from Vicarage Road.

The Serbian did not have his contract renewed by Gino Pozzo and Scott Duxbury despite guiding Watford to automatic promotion to the Premier League. Jokanovic has previously denied reports he demanded a three-year deal worth £2.5million while the club only offered a basic salary of £1m. Sources told us before the final two games of last season that Jokanovic and the training ground staff knew he would not be in charge this season, regardless of whether promotion was achieved.

“I am very thankful for my time at Watford,” he told Rory Smith in an interview for The Times. “I am very privileged to have the career I have, to work in this world, and I am proud to be part of history for getting them promoted. I hope the fans think I did some good work. I hope they do well in the Premier League. But it is better in life to think about what is happening, not what could have happened. I don’t think about what could have been. I prefer to turn the page.

“We could not arrive at an agreement [and] I did not have the option to stay in England.”

Why the performances against Everton and West Brom have vindicated the club’s decision

Jokanovic, whose agent is John Viola, said the move to Israel came about through Jordi Cruyff who is technical director at the Israeli champions.

“He had seen what I did in England,” Jokanovic says. “He was the central person in bringing me here. They want to improve. They have won some titles, but now they want to make some steps in Europe.”

Click below to read Scott Duxbury hold up his hands over the sacking of a previous head coach.

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