Watford manager, Walter Mazzarri, has expressed his concerns ahead of his sides clash with Crystal Palace after it was announced that they had sacked their manager Alan Pardew.
Pardew left his role as Palace manager after winning just one of 11 previous Premier League matches and so finding the club just one point above the relegation zone. Watford’s strong start to the season however has meant that Mazzarri’s men do not look like they will fall into a relegation scrap.
With Watford hosting The Eagles in their Boxing Day fixture just days after they sacked their manager, it leaves Hornets manager Walter Mazzarri in a tactical dilemma.
The game will be Sam Allardyce’s first game in charge after he left his role as England manager due to commenting there was no problem with third party ownership in the Premier League. With Allardyce well known for a structured defense it is up to Mazzarri to change his ideas to fit his new opposing number but there is always uncertainty with whether Allardyce will have enough time to impose his ideas on his squad?
Concern fills Mazzarri
The change in management has meant that Mazzarri has had to tear up his plan and revaluate his side’s situation as he revealed to Sky Sports that he was unsure whether this will help or hinder his side. Mazzarri commented that “We cannot know if it will help us” before explaining “There could be some changes, but it could also be a disadvantage for us”.
He added that “I don’t know what the dynamics at Crystal Palace are so I can’t judge” what will happen. He however praised Palace under Pardew commenting, “when I watched Palace play, they played good football and they have very good players”.
The Italian further expressed his sympathy towards Pardew as “at the end of the day, managers are colleagues” and so “when this happens I am not happy”. He continued to add that however in football “it’s only the managers who pay the final price”.