According to reports, Watford decides on a vital individual’s future.
The same reporter has claimed that the Hornets have already informed Manga of this decision – and it remains to be seen whether the Hornets will search for a successor.
The club hasn’t enjoyed the best start to the season so far, managing to secure a respectable 1-1 draw against a rejuvenated Cardiff City side but sitting in 20th position as things stand.
They are just two points above the relegation zone at this stage and with this, owner Gino Pozzo has seemingly decided to make a change, though he usually does that in the managerial department.
Manga is or was the Hornets’ Technical Director – a key role at an important time for the Hertfordshire outfit who will be keen to be competing at the top end of the Championship.
Spending much of his playing career in Germany, he remained in the country as a coach and scout, being appointed Chief Scout of Eintracht Frankfurt back in the summer of 2016.
He stayed at the same club but took on an additional role back in 2021, becoming their Director of Football.
And he oversaw great European success, with the German club winning the Europa League last year. He left his role at Frankfurt in November 2022 and joined the Hornets during the following month.
Joining the club in December last year, Manga has spent less than 10 months in the role and that’s why it would be a slight surprise if they have decided to sack him.
He was very highly rated when he joined the club – and wasted no time getting to work ahead of the 2023 January transfer window.
Having two windows to put his stamp on the Hornets, it remains to be seen whether his time there has already come to an end.
Unfortunately, Manga’s time at the club hasn’t been a big success and that’s a shame but not too surprising.
The Hornets had already made their most disastrous decision of the 2022/23 campaign before he came in, sacking Rob Edwards in September after Scott Duxbury had previously hinted that he would be given time to get the team into shape.
Slaven Bilic looked to be a good replacement but in hindsight, Edwards should have been given more time with the Croatian failing to make his mark in Hertfordshire either.
The first big managerial decision that was made during Manga’s time with the club was Bilic’s departure and Chris Wilder’s subsequent appointment.
This seemed like a reasonably sensible move considering the success that Wilder had in the past – but he was unable to guide them into the promotion mix.
The appointment of Valerien Ismael in the summer has failed to work out as well – and the decision to hire the ex-West Bromwich Albion could be seen as a poor one considering he endured a pretty rough time at The Hawthorns and showed some red flags during his time in the Midlands.
In terms of their transfer windows, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag, but it’s fair to say that some of their recruitment decisions haven’t worked out for the best.
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