Watford to appoint Serbian Vladimir Ivic as new head coach

Watford are to appoint Vladimir Ivic as their new head coach on a two-year contract. Negotiations with the Serbian were concluded earlier this week with an announcement imminent.

Newly-relegated Watford sacked Nigel Pearson with just two games to go, placing Hayden Mullins in temporary charge, as they desperately and unsuccessfully tried to avoid the drop from the Premier League.

Ivic will become Watford’s 12th head coach in eight years, and their fourth in the past 12 months, and is expected to begin work next week when the players return for pre-season training.

Ivic is out of work having chosen to leave his previous job, as coach of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he won consecutive league titles and only lost two leagues games in two years.

The former Partizan Belgrade midfielder, who spent part of his playing career in Greece where he went on to coach PAOK for a season, will bring in his own coaching staff. Ivic is currently at home in Greece which remains exempt from the UK Government’s advice against all but essential travel so is free to begin work on the training ground next week.

Ivic has no experience of English football but was identified immediately as a strong candidate by Watford.

After five seasons in the Premier League, Watford are determined to gain promotion from the Championship at the earliest opportunity. The club is prepared to move on some of its older players, however, and is seeking to create a younger team.

Watford are well aware there will be interest in their record signing Ismaila Sarr but – at present – remain determined to rebuff any offers for the 22-year-old Senegalese forward who they paid £31 million for last summer. Sarr has been linked with Liverpool and Crystal Palace. Watford, though, may have to consider loan moves for some of their other star players such as Gerard Deulofeu who may be reluctant to play in the Championship.