Next Watford Manager Candidates - Javi Gracia in the frame to return
Will Jackson 
Watford are on the search for another manager after Paulo Pezzolano was sacked with the Hornets 11th in the Championship.
UK betting sites will have Javi Gracia down as the early favourite for a return to Vicarage Road following a relatively successful stint at the club between 2018-19.
At Free Bets, we've had a look at the leading contenders to be the 22nd permanent appointment in the 13 years under owner Gino Pozzo.
Next Watford Manager Candidates
With Pezzolano out of the door just a matter of months after taking over from Tom Cleverley, the focus switches to the identity of his replacement.
Below, we break down the leading contenders being backed by the football betting sites to become the next Watford manager.
Javi Gracia
Returning to a former favourite is not something unheard of for Pozzo, who has hired Quique Sanchez Flores twice and is believed to favour a similar move with Gracia.
He was in charge for a largely successful period between January 2018 and September 2019, guiding the club to the FA Cup final in that time and 14th and 11th-placed Premier League finishes.
Early reports are that Gracia is the top target and he would be a popular figure at Vicarage Road, but there must be some concerns that he hasn't managed since a very brief spell in charge of Leeds when they were last relegated in 2022/23.
At Leeds there was a feeling that he struggled to exert the authority required, so he could have a tricky job convincing the squad and supporters having been out of the game for a while.
Sean Dyche
Dyche finds himself a popular man at the moment, and is being linked to pretty much every job on the market - and even those not on the market.
He is one of the favourites to take over at Rangers as they search for a new manager, while has also been linked to Nottingham Forest should they get rid of Ange Postecoglou.
Both of those jobs are significantly more appealing than a mid-table Championship club such as Watford, and Dyche will back himself to return to the Premier League (or the Scottish Premiership), rather than take a step down.
He does however have previous at Watford having captained the club and then managed them for a couple of years, but he was actually the first casualty of the Pozzo era so it would be a slightly odd reunion if he was tempted back.
Danny Rohl
Rohl impressed in his time in charge at Sheffield Wednesday, establishing a reputation as one of the brightest young coaches in the game after taking them up from League One and surviving the Championship despite trouble behind the scenes.
The all boiled over this summer as Rohl appeared to be touting himself elsewhere while the club suffered numerous transfer embargoes, and he has found himself out of work ever since.
He is another who has been linked with the Rangers job but it would be a surprise and a slightly risky appointment after what happened with Russell Martin to appoint someone with a relative lack of experience, so the Championship looks about the right level for him.
The issue with Watford is the ownership and wanting to work in such an unstable environment, but if Rohl is struggling to find work then it might be the only option available to him at the moment.
Diego Alonso
Barry Ferguson's name immediately strikes a chord with Rangers fans - a club legend whose leadership and passion defined an era of success.
As captain, he led Rangers to multiple trophies, including a domestic treble, and he returned in a caretaker capacity earlier this year to help stabilise the club during a turbulent spell.
While his managerial experience has been limited to lower-league sides such as Clyde, Kelty Hearts, and Alloa, Ferguson has demonstrated a 'never-say-die' attitude that mirrors his playing style.
His deep emotional connection to Rangers and understanding of the club's values make him a unifying figure who would command instant respect in the dressing room and amongst the Rangers support.
However, his lack of experience at the elite level remains a concern for the board, and any appointment would carry an element of risk.
Gary O'Neil
It is a bit surprising that O'Neil is still out of work, having carved out a reputation as a promising young coach by the time he was sacked by Wolves a year ago.
He was very highly rated at times in his previous two managerial stints but ultimately lost his job with Wolves stuck in the bottom three, a position which has changed significantly since his departure.
Nevertheless, he would surely be very well received by supporters and players alike. Known as a good training ground coach, O'Neil would be in a similar mould to Tom Cleverley so it might be quite an easy transition for the club to make.
For someone highly rated you would have thought he would have found a new job by now, so maybe he will need to step out of his comfort zone and drop down a division to reestablish himself.
Alberto Garrido
Outsiders might not be immediately familiar with this name, but he was one of the frontrunners for the job in the summer having served as assistant manager for the last two seasons.
He has some pedigree too, having been brought in from the backroom staff at Real Madrid, albeit the Castilla side, where he was assistant manager to Raul for five years having held a number of other roles within the club.
However having never had a main manager's role and at the age of 49, it would appear an unconvincing appointment and hardly one that will excite Watford fans.
Watford have shown that they're not afraid to make bold appointments but it's hard to see this one happening.
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