Category Archives: Gianfranco Zola

21st August 2012- Championship, Watford 0 Ipswich Town 1

Att: 12,422

Michael Chopra ended his long wait for a goal with a last-minute winner as Ipswich took the points from Gianfranco Zola’s Watford.

Watford-0-1-Ipswich-BBC-Sport Download

Ipswich goalkeeper Scott Loach, who had left Watford for Portman Road in the summer, was called into action four minutes from the end of normal to deal with a 20-yard shot from Matej Vydra. Ipswich had conceded 45 goals on their Championship travels last term, more than any other club in the division, but Loach was all smiles on the final whistle as he gained a clean sheet on his return to Vicarage Road.

There was a banner in the crowd that read “Forza Watford”, reflecting the new Italian feel at the club, but many more performances like this and it will have to be changed to “Arrivederci” instead. If Gianfranco Zola thought life in the Championship was going to be easy after his new side’s victory on the opening day on Saturday, Michael Chopra’s winner in the 90th minute for Ipswich showed him how punishing the division can be.

All is unfamiliar. Sunshine and joyous victory in Croydon; torrential rain for the first home game, followed by last-minute defeat to our favourite opponents. The names of the new loan signings currently resemble a set of characters from an obscure role-playing game: “Vydra – The Scorpion” (X-Factor: 4.9); “Abdi – The Thinker” (Patience: 0.7%); “Pudil – The Unknown” (?: ?); “Anya – The Midget” (Turning Circle: 0.1); “Geijo – The Ghost” (Invisibility: 95%); “Beleck – The Giant” (Fear Factor: x3). It’s all a bit weird. There’s a moment when Manuel Almunia cack-handedly fumbles a cross onto the penalty spot and everyone almost breathes a sigh of relief at seeing something so thoroughly in its place.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2012-08-21

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-championship/21-august-2012/

11 August 2012-League Cup First Round, Watford 1 Wycombe Wanderers 0 (After Extra Time)

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http://watford.fcdb.info?id=5016

Chris Iwelumo scored in extra-time as Watford beat League Two Wycombe in the Capital One Cup in Gianfranco Zola’s first competitive match in charge.

Watford-1-0-Wycombe-BBC-Sport Download

BHappy report: Well that was more eventful than expected. The summer I mean… not the game, obviously, we’ll get to that. But doesn’t that Middlesbrough win seem an awfully long time ago. Little suggestion then of the upheaval that was to follow (and which still continues, I don’t think we’ve anything like finished yet…); if the long-term ownership of the club was in question there was certainly no indication that August would see us under a new manager (why would we?) or with a whole shedload of new players (how could we?). Turbulent, unnerving and also (and let’s be absolutely clear about this) to the unquestionable benefit, ultimately, of the football club. But quite possibly leaving a few disassociated, with nothing familiar to hold on to. So thank heaven and earth for the First Round of the League Cup (sponsored by whoever). Even today, a balmy Saturday afternoon instead of a cool Tuesday night. It never disappoints, never fails to sap the start of season excitement from the marrow, grounds us, reminds us what it’s all about.

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5th August 2012- Lloyd Doyley’s Testimonial, Watford 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1

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Taken from the programme on 11 August 2012-League Cup First Round, Watford 1 Wycombe Wanderers 0 (After Extra Time)

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Taken from the programme on 31st July 2015- Friendly, Watford 0 Sevilla 1

Lloyd-Doyley-Testimonial_-Watford-v-Tottenham-Hotspur-_-Watford-Observer Download

Live coverage of Lloyd Doyley’s testimonial between Watford and Tottenham Hotspur.

A decent turnout for a pre-season game, it’s reasonable to suppose that few were left on the edge of their seats by the spectacle. That’s what pre-season games are like of course, the pace tends to be rather lacking irrespective of the score or the standard… but limited as the excitement was, we acquitted ourselves reasonably well in the first half.

https://oldwatford.com/2018/08/11/11th-august-2018-premier-league-watford-2-brighton-hove-albion-0/

17th July 2012- Friendly, Boreham Wood 1 Watford 1

Borehamwood Times: Boreham Wood secured their third consecutive draw against Football League opposition tonight with a credible 1-1 against Championship outfit Watford.

Boreham-Wood-draw-1-1-with-Watford-_-Borehamwood-Times Download

7th July 2012- Gianfranco Zola is named Watford Head Coach

Although it wasn’t confirmed until the 7th it was widely reported beforehand that Zola would be our new Head Coach, although all the papers said his role would be manager, but he was never referred to as that by the club.

Evening Standard, 2 Jul 2012

Independent, 8 Jul 2012

Independent, 11 Jul 2012

Evening Standard, 11 Jul 2012