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Brendan Rodgers leaves Watford after 192 days to join Reading (From Watford Observer)
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Brendan Rodgers leaves Watford after 192 days to join Reading
12:28pm Thursday 4th June 2009
Brendan Rodgers has left Watford after just 192 days to become Reading manager despite apparently claiming he was “100 per cent committed” to the Hornets just last week.
Rodgers took his first managerial position with the Hornets on November 24 but after steering them to 13th place, he has taken over at his adopted home town club.
Watford could eventually receive almost £1 million for Rodgers and the Watford Observer understands that assistant manager Dean Austin, football consultant Frank Lampard Snr and football physiologist Karl Halabi will also move to the Madejski Stadium in the near future.
The Hornets will receive an initial fee of more than £500,000 and then almost £1 million should Reading gain promotion to the Premier League.
Watford chairman Jimmy Russo said: “Following speculation over the Reading vacancy I had spoken to Brendan only last week and he had assured me that he was 100 per cent committed to Watford FC and our plan for the future.
“Once Brendan had confirmed his desire to discuss the opportunity and Reading had met a contractual compensation figure, we were powerless to prevent him doing so.
“I then spent up until Monday evening negotiating with Reading a vastly improved compensation package in excess of £500,000 with additional payments totalling in the region of £1m, based on Reading’s future success.
“We also had a frank and open conversation with the manager on Monday afternoon to further understand his position. It was at this stage he strongly reinforced his desire to talk to Reading.”
Rodgers has been favourite to take over at the Madejski Stadium since Steve Coppell’s resignation three weeks ago.
The 36 year old distanced himself from the rumours initially but the lure of Reading was always going to be an attractive proposition to the Northern Irishman.
He has lived in the town since he joined the club as a player at 16 and after his career ended prematurely four years later, he went on to become the Royals’ Academy director before moving to Chelsea in 2004.
Rodgers continued to have a good relationship with chairman John Madejski following his departure and is friends with director of football Nick Hammond, who was in charge of finding Coppell’s replacement.
Watford’s first team coach Malky Mackay, goalkeeping coach Alec Chamberlain and the rest of the coaching staff are expected to remain at Watford for the time being.
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Your Say YourWatford
goatswilly, London says...
12:41pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Just goes to prove Rodgers is an untrustworthy sack of 5shit.
He will be off when Jose comes back to England anyway.
Dennis Wise anyone????
jackwfc, Birmingham says...
12:48pm Thu 4 Jun 09
llloydwithathirdl, says...
12:48pm Thu 4 Jun 09
We move on.
Watford_Writer, Watford says...
12:52pm Thu 4 Jun 09
I'm offended when people question my integrity about the Reading job, you know. It upsets me. I'm loyal, 100% committed, as I said.
I speak to Elton regularly, as I said. We see a way forward, loved his chopper. Got my photo taken with Mourinho the other week, you know. That's Jose Morinho - ex-manager of Chelsea. I used to work there.
I'm learning my trade, only been in the job 192 days so I've no intention of leaving Watford in the lurch and...oh f*ck it, I'm off.
JB11, St Albans says...
12:53pm Thu 4 Jun 09
WMH, London says...
12:55pm Thu 4 Jun 09
I am probably just bitter to see him walk out to such a bunch of plastic cheating muppets as Reading but I really hope he falls flat on his a*** - if he was going to leave anyhow couldn't he have summoned the basic common deceny to be honest about it and save us all the bs about his loyalty and integrity.........? Clearly not which tells us what we need to know about the man.
Heimishe_Hornet, Radlett Stiebel says...
12:57pm Thu 4 Jun 09
The current board will have seen this coming the past 2 weeks so hopefully will announce a smooth transition to Malky, sprinkle some GT involvement and perhaps take a Reading midfielder in p/x for BR.
Alternatively, if they think laterally could offer Paul Scholes (or a London club equivalent) a player-manager role.
Per ardua ad astra
JamesA, KL says...
12:59pm Thu 4 Jun 09
So, moving on, who's next. Personally if I see Dennis Wise or Tony Adams arrive my season ticket is going back. It's time GT had some influence in the decision...
llloydwithathirdl, says...
1:01pm Thu 4 Jun 09
We took a massive risk appointing him, and he's thrown that right back in our face.
If he's that kind of a man, he was never the right man for Watford anyway.
herts hornet, watford says...
1:01pm Thu 4 Jun 09
and pray first game of season is WFC VS Reading and new look dressing rooms and dugouts are ready so he walks past the lower rous to the dugouts ,man of integrity and honesty good riddance
Johnjones1959, Aylesbury says...
1:06pm Thu 4 Jun 09
llloydwithathirdl, says...
1:06pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Tynedale Hornet, Hexham says...
1:16pm Thu 4 Jun 09
garyporter1, london says...
1:19pm Thu 4 Jun 09
At least the money received can help pay 'The Duke'! Lets hope the board don't use their Chelsea connections to appoint Ray Wilkins or Avram Grant as the new gaffer!
Johnjones1959, Aylesbury says...
1:21pm Thu 4 Jun 09
rochdale away, norwich says...
1:28pm Thu 4 Jun 09
There was only one Scully, Watford says...
1:38pm Thu 4 Jun 09
We want to find a new manager. Names and suggestions required.
Name: Malky, assistant GT.
SuperNova, islington says...
1:42pm Thu 4 Jun 09
At least you gave your all to every level of the club.
There was only one Scully, Watford says...
1:45pm Thu 4 Jun 09
JB11, St Albans says...
1:48pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Berks Horn, London says...
1:48pm Thu 4 Jun 09
OK, so unfortunately we've had a couple of self-serving tonks as our last two managers. Reading and TV are welcome to them. Let's appoint someone decent, who has the club at its heart and quickly.
I hope Graham Taylor figures and I would also like to see Malky given more of a chance, but having thought about it a bit more I'd quite like to see Tommy Smith as player manager, maybe with Gibbsy as coach when Reading sack him.
Imagine TS, GT and NG on the management team. Happy days!
Grigg, Lincoln says...
1:50pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Not sure Gibbs has the experience. Jackett seems a better bet, but seems to remember being a bit bored by the continuous draws under him 96-97 (we had Phillips up front and Miller in goal, should've been unstoppable). How about Hessenthaler? I know it is non-league, but doing a great job at Dover. Perhaps we should give the job to MM and use the Rodgers compensation money to keep TS.
As usual with Watford I have no idea what division we'll end up in at the end of next season. A brilliant new manager and promotion? The departure of Rodgers destabilising the club so we get relegated? A safe pair of hands keeping us mid-table? You never know what you're going to get with the Horns. Why would nayone want a refund on their season ticket?
rogeruk, Weybridge says...
1:52pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Secondly I do not buy into the Russo’s “We couldn’t do anything” Bull oh yeah! Peterborough could do something though heah?
If this started almost a week ago where was the transparency from the Russo’s? Seriously believe they have returned to recoup their money; firstly with the manager then sell our four best players then there off. Their credibility with me is zero which seems par for the course at Watford fc!
Watford fans get ready to be a yo yo club between the Division Four and the Conference! At least we have the derby with Luton to look forward too!
reality-bites, London says...
1:52pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Paul jewell
curbishley
coppell
pardew
All good managers, that are not greedy - can we have one of them?
Rogers, you did well, but you speak with forked tongue! Still, what goes round comes round....
herts hornet, watford says...
1:56pm Thu 4 Jun 09
enlightened one, Watford says...
2:07pm Thu 4 Jun 09
pstannard4, Watford says...
2:09pm Thu 4 Jun 09
llloydwithathirdl wrote:I don't even think that we could pay his wages.
Can we please, please, please have Steve Coppell?
RODGERS JUDAS
eltonsarmy, vegas says...
2:24pm Thu 4 Jun 09
we now need to move forward with 500k in the bank and make sure we get a good proven manager at this level, I love Malky but in the 192 days since he did not get the job the 1st time round nothing has changed to give it to him now, we need a new face with no connections from the last 24 months.
I do not blame the board here they are fuming and rogers had it in his contract to be able to walk if a certain figure was met, it was met with add on's so the board have done a good job on the money front, keep the postive vibe going and get behind the new man.
GT is helping with interviews so trust them.
Rogers you will fall on your sword and I cant wait!
Tudor247, Watford says...
2:31pm Thu 4 Jun 09
a1derek, St Albans says...
2:32pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Tony Coton at 12/1?
To be honest I don't really rate anyone on the SkyBet list!
And how they can have Darren Ferguson at 16/1 is beyond me. If Reading can't afford him, we certainly can't!
I hope GT is involved in the hiring, I would trust him to ensure a good appointment.
HOOF, England says...
2:32pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Hexham Hornet, HEXHAM says...
2:38pm Thu 4 Jun 09
GT will be a good influence in finding the right man for the job - there are a number out there who will be interested - and you never know he may get involved more than he currently is if the new manager does not bring a KB or FL snr with him. He would work well with Coppell, and would SC demand a huge wage or would he ask for a big bonus if he achieves promotion? He nearly managed us before, can we persuade him to do it this time?
Janewfc, Welwyn Garden City says...
2:46pm Thu 4 Jun 09
mikeg100, Watford says...
2:52pm Thu 4 Jun 09
But wait a mo lets step bacl and look at the whole situation.
How many of us, in a smilar situation, would not have done the same. A job with a better salary and better prospects and your employers prepared to invest more money in your job than your current employer. Particularly if the job being offered is one that you have always wanted.
In any case Brendon did keep us out of the relegation nightmare.
There is however the disappointment that the backroom staff have gone as well and almost certainly some of Watford's best players will also follow as will probably the superb Jack Cork.
It is better he has gone now than a couple of weeks in to the new season.We also shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the current Board of Directors did not in any case appoint Rogers.
So where now? The Directors have made it clear that they are reviewing the whole structure of WFC from top to bottom so in the short term perhaps an experienced mature manager to take over the reigns...........ste
p forward one Mr Graham Taylor....with perhaps a young manager with knowledge of the 'Watford way'to assist him and take over in the long term.......... step forward one Kenny Jackett.
Would Taylor give it another go.....I think he would love the challenge.
I still think your a s... Brendon.
What would we like to see at Christmas? How about Watford 10 points clear at the top of the table and Reading in a relegation battle with Rogers sacked for poor results!....but then football is always about 'the dream'.
Achilles_of_Herts, Watford says...
2:55pm Thu 4 Jun 09
I think Gibbsy would be a poor choice for manager. Ideally I would like Darren Ferguson or Roberto Di Matteo but I highly doubt we can afford either of them. Paul Ince wouldn't be a bad shout as he isn't getting a Premiership job anytime soon.
I know Wise is not popular but he has worked on a shoe string in all of his managerial jobs and has done well for every club he has managed. I just want to see someone who will bring success to the club. You can never accuse Wise of lacking passion.
No to Gibbs, Hessenthaler & Jackett (who has just signed a new contract at Milwall -not that loyalty means anything in the world of foobtall).
Who do people want as manager?
goatswilly, London says...
3:01pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Achilles_of_Herts wrote:Big fat Ron Atkinson
Rogers is a c**t! End of! I think Gibbsy would be a poor choice for manager. Ideally I would like Darren Ferguson or Roberto Di Matteo but I highly doubt we can afford either of them. Paul Ince wouldn't be a bad shout as he isn't getting a Premiership job anytime soon. I know Wise is not popular but he has worked on a shoe string in all of his managerial jobs and has done well for every club he has managed. I just want to see someone who will bring success to the club. You can never accuse Wise of lacking passion. No to Gibbs, Hessenthaler & Jackett (who has just signed a new contract at Milwall -not that loyalty means anything in the world of foobtall). Who do people want as manager?
garibaldi90, bovingdon says...
3:07pm Thu 4 Jun 09
I was also gutted that Ashley fell on his sword AFTER Boothroyd.Perhaps we would have kept Aidy if they had left!
I also think Aidy laid the foundation for what Rogers has acheived,so would not be too negative about him returning now the Board are more honest and football orientated but I cant see him wanting to come back after the treatment he received.
garyporter1, london says...
3:09pm Thu 4 Jun 09
jackwfc, Birmingham says...
3:13pm Thu 4 Jun 09
sceptic, harrow says...
3:18pm Thu 4 Jun 09
As for the manager deserting,what would have been the point in keeping somebody who didnt want to be at Watford? That would be worse than letting him go.Get oss the Russos' backs,none of this is their fault!
khvb, London says...
3:23pm Thu 4 Jun 09
The Rover, Watford says...
3:46pm Thu 4 Jun 09
brianwfc, Watford says...
3:50pm Thu 4 Jun 09
duckfan10, says...
3:51pm Thu 4 Jun 09
I was a bug supporter of BR but now... wish him well but lost all respect.
llloydwithathirdl, says...
3:54pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Reading may live to regret this one.
Achilles_of_Herts, Watford says...
3:57pm Thu 4 Jun 09
I hope we get an ambitious manager who already has some experience of the football league.
No first timers or sentimental (previous players) appointments.
Feff, Rickmansworth says...
4:04pm Thu 4 Jun 09
, even the wretched Boothroyd. Let's find someone new as we did with Rodgers. Ince and Di Matteo are good ideas but we probably can't match their earnings. MM was such a bad coach under AB, though I don't know if he was to blame or AB but I say "no" to him too. Coppell - great but surely not affordable. Fergusson - forget it! Wise and Tony Adams -no, no, and no again! Jewell, Curbishley, Pardew? Perhaps but I have my doubts, again, as to whether WFC can afford them. Somewhere at Arsenal, Spurs, even West Ham and Fulham there has to be another Rodgers. All the Board has to do is find him. Now to contradict myself about old-timers -how about Pat Rice? He certainly got on well with GT.
Achilles_of_Herts, Watford says...
4:08pm Thu 4 Jun 09
WMH, London says...
4:20pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Feff wrote:Well if being a complete hypocrite means being p***ed off when a person says one thing and does another than I guess that's me in. I guess I would call is 'common decency' rather than hypocrisy though.
I don't blame BR for going. He was about to lose Smith, McAnuff, Rasiak, Priskin and O' Toole. He will be earning more money himself. He will have more money to spend on new players. Only a complete hypocrite would say he's made the wrong move. Also, please stop bringing up names from the past. Mooney, Blisset (what a great job he did at Chesham - not!),Ward,Gibbs, Jackett (who has just signed a new contract at Millwall anyway),Hessenthaler , even the wretched Boothroyd. Let's find someone new as we did with Rodgers. Ince and Di Matteo are good ideas but we probably can't match their earnings. MM was such a bad coach under AB, though I don't know if he was to blame or AB but I say "no" to him too. Coppell - great but surely not affordable. Fergusson - forget it! Wise and Tony Adams -no, no, and no again! Jewell, Curbishley, Pardew? Perhaps but I have my doubts, again, as to whether WFC can afford them. Somewhere at Arsenal, Spurs, even West Ham and Fulham there has to be another Rodgers. All the Board has to do is find him. Now to contradict myself about old-timers -how about Pat Rice? He certainly got on well with GT.
I say again, go if you want to, fair enough but don't come the big one about loyalty and integrity and than do the opposite. I am afraid I do blame BR for that and always will..........
JB11, St Albans says...
4:21pm Thu 4 Jun 09
GrahamTaylor, Watford says...
4:54pm Thu 4 Jun 09
enlightened one, Watford says...
5:16pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Dear Brendan am I supposed to believe a word of this ? You lying 2 faced ar$ehole of a man.
If Hoofers ever came back I really would be looking for that lampost.Time to move onward and upward.
mikeg100, Watford says...
5:33pm Thu 4 Jun 09
eltonsjohn, kings langley says...
6:11pm Thu 4 Jun 09
anyway - to cut a long story short, went back to hers & to be honest it was the best one-night-stand i ever had! i thought all my dreams had come true. we had a couple more dates, even started making plans for a holiday together.
ok- i got some stick from my mates, but i was in my own little world. happy as a pig in you-know-what.
but one night when i called her, her mum said she was ill & couldn't come to the phone. same thing a couple of days later. yes the alarm bells were ringing, but i refused to believe she had finished with me. amazingly, she bumped into one of my mates, & said she was still with me, & we were still going on holiday together!
my mind was in turmoil, but i still could not get in touch with her, til one day when i phoned up, her mum admitted that she had gone back to her old boyfriend.
yes i was upset, but i dusted myself down, met other much better girls, & generally had a great/better time.
funny, i remebered that story today, because you know what, i think BR has displayed everything that girl did.
a total & utter lying girly wimp, who true honest people will soon get over. if he'd spoken the truth at first, we would have understood.
no guts, no class.
4boys, Hemel Hempstead says...
7:33pm Thu 4 Jun 09
colni zip, Controversey says...
8:12pm Thu 4 Jun 09
Rodgers - c u next tuesday.
Good riddance from your boring self purity anyway you lying piece of ****.
Mick Jones, Uxbridge says...
9:33pm Thu 4 Jun 09
kennychiwa, says...
8:28am Fri 5 Jun 09
Mo Tulon, Luton says...
4:09pm Fri 5 Jun 09
League 2 for you, which will match your decrepit ground.
Administration for you next though.
Mick Jones, Uxbridge says...
7:40pm Fri 5 Jun 09
DevonOrn, Exmouth says...
7:50am Sun 7 Jun 09
Andrew1963, Watford says...
11:23am Sun 7 Jun 09
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watfordbird, watford says...
12:31pm Thu 4 Jun 09