Marco Silva and Watford Technical Director Clash Over Injury Plague Solutions
Watford manager Marco Silva has had tough discussions with the club’s board about his squad’s crippling injury list.
The club currently has eight first-team players out with injuries, making them the joint-second most injured side in the Premier League at the moment, alongside Burnley and Crystal Palace and only surpassed by West Ham with 11.
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Recently, technical director Filippo Giraldi said on the club’s official website that the club’s priority was to nurse injured players back to fitness rather than buy reinforcements, a stance that Silva evidently does not share.
Speaking to the Watford Observer, Silva said: "Of course [it's frustrating], it's frustrating for me and everyone. It's a big frustration for our players, they are unhappy at this moment.”
Watford's injury troubles do not seem to be clearing up anytime soon, with Nathaniel Chalobah, Will Hughes and Isaac Success among others still sidelined for Saturday’s game with Southampton and next weekend's trip to Leicester.
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"Sometimes when people talk about football, they only see the final part - how the team perform on the pitch.
"For us to be stronger as a team, to improve and grow up, you need to pay attention to everything.
"That's all the details, for the players and the club to grow up. The club know my opinion about everything, and how the details surrounding a team are important. It's not only about the pitch, if a player is good technically, if it's the right centre-back or goalkeeper, or striker.
"Everything that happens around them is important, and it's important because if you have all of them available, we are stronger.
"It's easy to understand for six months without them."
Silva himself feels additions are a necessity, although he agrees with Giraldi that the best time to make transfers is during the summer months.
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"Everyone understands and knows [we need new players to cover our injuries]. Our fans know, we are talking about five, two weeks ago it was six, before that it was seven. Roberto Pereyra an important player, I've had him for maybe 6 or 7 matches.
"We are a squad and everyone is important to me, we work with all of them. But these are five, six, seven players who are not out for only two weeks, some of them are out for three months.
"If I know next week I'll have not five, but four, I'm sure I'm happier now than I am. I cannot tell you when they are available. I can't tell you because I don't know."
