Mazzarri’s Vicarage Road Masterclass — Still Hungry for One More Job

Walter Mazzarri’s year at Vicarage Road is one of those curious chapters in modern Premier League folklore — a seasoned Italian gaffer arriving without fluent English, steering a modest club to safety and leaving supporters with memories that have not dimmed. In an exclusive to GIVEMESPORT he talked about that remarkable campaign, his views on the Premier League’s financial muscle and why he remains picky about his next move.

Watford days — a season to savour

Mazzarri arrived at Watford in May 2016 and, in true outsider fashion, turned what many expected to be a scrap into a calm escape from relegation. There were headline wins — Manchester United, Arsenal at the Emirates, plus scalpings of Everton and Leicester — but the real headline was the timing: sealed safety with six games to spare, hitting 40 points long before the final whistle of the season. For a club of that size, and given the churn that has followed, it was an achievement that still looks very impressive.

Call it old-school managerial nous or the ability to get players believing, but Mazzarri knit a bond with the fans — they even unfurled a massive banner for him — and registered 12 wins in 41 matches. Despite that, the Pozzo era’s ruthless approach saw him relieved of his duties the following May, a reminder that form and favour in the Premier League can be fleeting.

The Premier League is in a different strata

As a man who has overseen teams in Italy from Livorno to Napoli and Inter, Mazzarri was struck by the sheer scale of the Premier League’s resources. He pointed out the obvious but vital truth: with more money in the system you attract better players, fill newer stadiums and create ferocious competition. It’s why the league attracts the world’s best — and why managers feel the pressure every week. For context, he noted how broadcasting revenue narrows the gap even for clubs lower down the table.

And if you’re watching from the touchline, the difference in purse strings is glaring — even the odd glance at what the top betting sites price up shows how much attention and capital is poured into English football compared with most other domestic competitions.

Still hungry, but choosy

Mazzarri has been out of management since February 2024 after his second spell back at Napoli and, while offers have come from places like Iran and whispers from the Gulf, he isn’t desperate. This is a coach who wants a clear plan: a project with defined aims, transfer strategy and ambition. He is willing to take on a relegation fight or a club eyeing European football, so long as the brief is coherent and the noise around the job won’t drown the football.

He admits to staying mentally sharp — refreshing his coaching staff with youth and keeping up with tactical evolution — and believes he could step back into management immediately if the right opportunity appeared. In short: the engine is running, but he won’t jump into a car without checking the tyres first.

A respectable CV and perspective

Mazzarri’s record is far from a scrapbook of one-hit wonders. Promotion with Livorno, a Coppa Italia triumph with Napoli, a second-place Serie A finish and Champions League qualification are the sort of lines that make you sit up. He knows how to win and how to steady a ship, which is exactly what he did at Watford.

Whether Saudi or another Middle Eastern league tempts him, or an Italian return calls, the former Watford boss is firm: he will sign only when the project, the resources and the objectives fit his profile. For clubs looking for a pragmatic, experienced operator who can galvanise a squad and read the game, Mazzarri remains a very attractive — and sensible — option.

Call it pride, patience or plain pragmatism: a manager who produced one of Watford’s finest seasons isn’t going to rush. And frankly, given the turnover we’ve seen at Vicarage Road since, the club would do well to remember exactly what he achieved there.

Stat nugget: across his Watford tenure Mazzarri notched 12 wins in 41 matches — small sample, big impact.