Watford Football Club have sacked manager Slaven Bilic after less than six months in charge following just three wins since Christmas. The Croatian was appointed in December 2019, replacing Quique Sanchez Flores, and was tasked with guiding the Hornets back to the Premier League following their relegation last season.
However, the former West Ham United and Besiktas boss failed to deliver the desired results, with Watford languishing in mid-table in the Championship. The club have won just three of their last 13 league games, and have slipped to 14th in the table, nine points off the play-off places.
The decision to sack Bilic was taken by the Watford board following a meeting on Sunday, with the club confirming the news in a statement.
“Watford Football Club has today parted company with Slaven Bilic as Head Coach,” the statement read. “The Club would like to thank Slaven for his efforts during his time at Vicarage Road and wish him well for the future.”
The club have also confirmed that Hayden Mullins will take charge of the team on a caretaker basis, with the former Portsmouth and Reading midfielder having been part of Bilic’s coaching staff.
Bilic’s departure marks the end of a turbulent spell at Vicarage Road, with the Croatian having been appointed in December following the sacking of Quique Sanchez Flores. The former West Ham United boss was tasked with guiding the Hornets back to the Premier League, but his tenure has been blighted by poor results and a lack of consistency.
The club have won just three of their last 13 league games, and have slipped to 14th in the table, nine points off the play-off places.
Bilic’s departure is the latest in a long line of managerial changes at Vicarage Road, with the club having gone through seven managers since the start of the 2017/18 season.
The club will now begin the search for a new manager, with the club’s owners likely to be looking for someone who can bring stability and consistency to the club.
Whoever is appointed will have a tough task on their hands, with the club currently nine points off the play-off places and in need of a major turnaround if they are to achieve their goal of promotion this season.
