Ismaël: “We Want To Build Something Together”

Head Coach Valérien Ismaël is delighted to be extending his stay at Vicarage Road by putting pen to paper on a new deal with the Hornets.

Ismaël - who arrived at the club in May - believes that the contract extension sends out a positive message and the 48-year-old is eager to continue his work.

“When we started speaking about the extension and the club told me about this, it gave me a great feeling because it was my feeling from day one that something good could happen here,” Ismaël began.

“Throughout pre-season, the work we have put in and the support we have had from the club has been there from day one. We have worked closely in the transfer market together to assess the squad and it’s been a step-by-step process. We had the first step with the cleanout and how we can improve the squad, and now we need to give the team time.

“This [extension] is just a confirmation of our feelings and I think it’s a great move from the club to make a statement. It’s a clear message that we want to build something together for everyone at the club – the players, the staff and the supporters.”

Looking back on his opening months at Watford, Ismaël is keen to point out that the work he and his coaching staff have undertaken includes much more than the on-the-field action.

“It’s a transitional period and it’s about building together in that period,” he continued. “From day one, the feeling around the training ground and from the staff was very engaging. The work was very intense during pre-season, but we are getting closer and closer every day. We have worked with the players to develop them and work on the squad.

“For sure, when you start the first game at the stadium with the supporters and you get a 4-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers, the atmosphere is really good. As a manager, it gives you a good feeling that this is a great place to work. The main message we want to send is that, yes we are in a difficult situation at the minute, but we are still together to work through it.”

The boss also knows that the playing squad will appreciate the continuity in messaging as they head into another gruelling month of Sky Bet Championship action.

“It’s important for the players to know that at the minute the results aren’t what we expected, but we are working on the pitch,” Ismaël said.

“We see clearly where we want to go, how we want to play and our identity. It’s a matter of time now until we reach our full potential. It will give the players the ability to focus on their own responsibility and to put the performance on the pitch.

“We give everything on the pitch, we want to improve and we want to have success, but the main thing I want is for everyone to be together. Inside the club, with the extension, I think it sends the message that we will stick together and we believe in our work. We want our fans to believe in our work so we can get the success we deserve.

“The club has taken responsibility with this message for everyone, and now we need to make sure we continue in this way to get to that next level.”

Looking ahead to his next challenge as Watford Head Coach, Ismaël is excited to face-off against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday (October 4, 7.45pm KO) and is hoping to give the travelling supporters a positive performance.

He added: “Confidence is still high. We are frustrated because we know we can be better, and we have to do better, but now it’s about refocusing game after game. We know you can have a quick turnaround in the Championship and that is our belief and focus.

“It’s another tough game away from home [against Sunderland]. We need to make sure that we get our reward. We know we can score goals, we know that we need to improve in our defence – we concede too many goals at the minute – but it’s all a process. We need to win more games, but we will and, hopefully, that contract extension can help everyone know what is happening in the near future.

“I feel welcome here, my family feel welcome here and I enjoy my work at Watford. It’s always a positive sign when you enjoy your work with the people at the club and this is what I expected. We can create that bond with our supporters, with our players and our club. We need that triangle so we are all together on the same page to get the success we want.”