Zola excited by new challenge at Watford

The former Chelsea forward was appointed as manager of the npower Championship side on a two-year deal following the sacking of Sean Dyche. The move was made by Watford’s new owners, the Pozzo family, who recently completed their takeover of the club from Laurence Bassini. The Italians also own Serie A side Udinese and La Liga outfit Granada, but Zola insists Watford will not become a feeder club for the latter. Instead, he predicts a bright future for the Vicarage Road side.

“I wouldn’t say the Udinese experiment has been a failure so far,” Zola said. “You can say so many things but, at the end of the day, when you see what Udinese have achieved in the last few years it is quite amazing. It is a small club, it has been in the Champions League for a while and they keep producing players and remain competitive.

“That is the policy of the club but I have been assured and I can assure that they want to take Watford to a different level. That is why I am here, to be honest. I like what we are trying to do here and I believe that it is going to go that way.”

The move to appoint Zola in place of Dyche has disappointed some fans. Former defender Dyche played for the club for several years and helped the club to a respectable 11th place finish in his only season at the helm.

“Of course I have to [mend some bridges],” the former West Ham manager said. “I know that the person who was here before me has done very well and to him goes my respect and my  admiration.

“He has done a very good job so for me the task will be difficult, but it has always been like that for me. It has always been a challenge since I started playing football. I was half of the size of the others and they said I wouldn’t stand a chance to become a footballer.

“I took that challenge and now I have another difficult challenge. I told the players I will give everything I have got inside to make them a little bit better.”