In Watford’s 2-0 league victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in October 2018, Sebastian Prodl came on as a substitute for the last 14 minutes.
The fixture against Nuno Espirito Santo’s side was the centre-back’s only appearance in the Premier League, while he has one more start in the EFL Cup to his name.
Javi Gracia has not had a preference for the Austria international and moreover, he has left the defender out of the squad for the majority of the fixtures played across all competitions.
The 31-year-old’s current deal with the English club will run out in 2021 and after his side’s 3-2 win over Wolves in the FA Cup semi-final, the defender spoke to German newspaper Kicker.
During the course of the interview, Prodl was asked ‘what have you have done wrong that you have been sidelined’.
He said, “I do not know it. I realise that there is currently little reason for the coach to change something in the centre-back position. But I do not give up hope.”
When further quizzed if he has held talks with his manager, the Hornets forgotten man stressed: “No. The whole situation is just very complicated for me.”
“I give my best in training. I do not even see myself as part of the competition. On the other hand, I have a good position at the club, which I have built up here in the past few years.
“And I also played under this coach when he came last season. It can’t be just sport reasons.”
The last part of the quote raised eyebrows and Kicker asked him to explain what he meant by not just sport reasons. To this, Prodl replied: “Unfortunately, I cannot answer that.”
A move away from Watford looks like the best option for the player.
“My contract at Watford expires in two years and my coach’s even longer (until 2023). If Gracia stays beyond the summer, and it looks like he will, I have to think about how it will continue for me, because then my chances do not improve,” the player explained.
“I’m 31 years old and I’m not ready to have my career splattered. But it is too soon to say that I absolutely want to leave or to predict that something must change. Sure, I am fit and able to play a more important role in a team than I am currently able to do at Watford.”
