Watford have parted company with head coach Edward Still, the club confirmed on Sunday. First-team coach Karim Belhocine has also left Vicarage Road with immediate effect. The decision follows a 4-0 defeat to Coventry City on the final day of the Championship season, a result that saw Watford finish in 16th place.
Still, the younger brother of former Southampton manager Will Still, was appointed in February with the task of stabilising the club. However, according to club statistics, he managed only three wins from his 16 games in charge, alongside four draws and nine defeats. His departure comes after an eight-match winless run stretching back to mid-March, with the team finishing ten points above the relegation zone but 18 points off the playoff places.
The Belgian coach, formerly an assistant at RC Lens, had been out of work before taking the Watford job. His appointment was seen as a continuation of the club's recent trend of turning to young, progressive coaches, but he was unable to replicate the success his brother had briefly found in the Premier League. The club's official statement thanked Still and Belhocine for their efforts and wished them well for the future.
Watford's ownership, the Pozzo family, are now tasked with finding their fifth permanent head coach in just over three years. The club will be seeking a figure who can bring consistency and mount a promotion challenge next season, having been relegated from the Premier League in 2023. The search for a successor is expected to begin immediately, with the new Championship season starting in early August.
The dismissal underscores the volatile nature of the managerial position at Watford, a club with a reputation for frequent changes in the dugout. The next appointment will be crucial in determining whether the Hornets can finally build a project capable of returning them to the top flight.
