Pre-Season Review
Aug 1, 2005
Author: Watford Warehouse

Times of Change...
This pre-season we have all witnessed the start of what I believe could be a great period for the club. We've appointed a manager that is hungry and determined to get success at this club, and is determined to get the best out of everyone. Adrian Boothroyd is a somewhat unknown commodity in the footballing world, and still is. But the choice was made by Graham Simpson with the best for the club in mind, not the best for his pocket.

During the off-season we have seen Adrian come in, and really shake things up. We've seen many players leave, and we've even seen Watford Legend Nigel Gibbs relieved of his duties. When the news of Nigel's departure was broken, I'll admit to being as annoyed as mnay of you, but after some thought, I have decided this decision may be for the best. If Adrian feels unable to work with Nigel, then he has made the right decision. Again, this decision was made with the best for the club in mind.

On the subject of departing players, we saw the end of Heidar Helguson in a Watford Shirt. Which is a shame, because not only was he one of the greatest players to grace the Vic in recent memory, but he really would've suited the new shirt for this season :D. We've also seen Danny Webber, Bruce Dyer, Jason Norville, Neil Cox, Jermaine Darlington, Brynjar Gunnarsson, Paul Mayo, Omari Coleman and Jack Smith leave. Danny Webber was a formality - he was never our player. Also, there is no use having such an incosistent player. Whilst some people may criticise the loss of Cox, Darlington, Mayo and Smith, I think that these were a group of players who were either given the chance to prove themselves to the new manager or just didn't fit into the game that Adrian wanted to play. Dyer, Norville and Coleman may all be talented Strikers, but clearly, Adrian has something else in mind. Brynjar Gunnarsson was the only anomalous transfer of the summer. Several people disagreed with the sale of Brynjar, but take this into account. Do you really think Brynjar would fit into the pacey game that Adrian wants to play next season? Also, he arrived on a free, so whatever money we got for him is a profit.

Adrian has also bought in a number of new faces. I'm very excited by them, and really feel that they could be the final ingredients, to make a team worthy of challenging for honours. Marlon King is one of the best bits of business this club has done in a long time. He's young, quick, energetic and hungry for success. He is one of those players that can even hold up the ball and bring other players into the game. Sietes, Stewart and Griffiths have all been bought in with one idea in mind: To strengthen the defence. I am particuarly pleased with the aquisition of Sietes, as you can't play 300+ La Liga Games if you're just an average player. Junior is also another good piece of business, although he's not exactly a 25-goal-a-season striker, he will still do a job for us.

Combined with the talent we already have here in Demerit, Young, MacNamee, Bangura, Diagouraga and so forth, I really do think that this season could be very different from the Relegation dog-fight's we've been embroiled in over the last two seasons. I really do think we have a squad capable of finishing mid-table AT LEAST. And if the rumours are true and we sign Ben Foster and another Defender, we could be looking at an either higher finish.

The future's bright.
....The Future's YELLOW.

by WATFORD WAREHOUSE of the official message board.