Javi Gracia named new Watford manager on the same day as Marco Silva is sacked
Spaniard who left Russians Rubin Kazan in June is 10th boss to work under Watford owners the Pozzo family since 2012
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WATFORD tonight named Spaniard Javi Gracia as their new boss - on the same day as sacking Marco Silva.
Gracia, who left Russians Rubin Kazan in June, becomes the tenth manager to work under Hornets owners the Pozzo family since 2012.
Watford ended Silva's brief reign on Saturday night, blaming Everton for unsettling their Portuguese chief amid a run of one win in 11 games.
The 10th-placed Hornets were third at one stage but have slumped badly since the Toffees tried in vain to lure Silva.
A club statement said: "Watford FC is delighted to announce the appointment of Javi Gracia as the club’s new Head Coach.
"The experienced 47-year-old, who has signed an 18-month contact with the Hornets, has previously coached clubs in his native Spain as well as Greece and Russia.
"During two seasons with Málaga he achieved back-to-back top-10 La Liga finishes, famously defeating eventual Champions League and Spanish champions Barcelona at the Camp Nou in February 2015.
"The following campaign his Málaga side went unbeaten against both Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid on their way to an impressive eighth-place 2015/16 finish.
BLAME GAME Watford sack Marco Silva and blame Everton’s ‘unwarranted approach’ as major factor behind decision
"Having started his senior coaching career in 2007 with Segunda División B outfit Pontevedra, Gracia secured promotion to the Spanish second-tier with Cádiz before spells in Greece with Olympiakos Volou and Kerkyra
"In 2012/13 he once again masterminded a promotion campaign, this time returning Almería to the Spanish top-flight before stints with Osasuna and Russian Premier League club Rubin Kazan either side of his Málaga stay.
"As a player, former Spain Under-21 international Gracia was a vastly experienced defensive midfielder who featured prominently for the likes of Real Sociedad and Villarreal."
Watford are five points above the drop zone following Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Leicester.
But the Pozzos have a recent history of not giving managers time to get out of poor runs.
And barely hours after Silva's sacking Gracia was being touted as his successor.
