Watford sporting director Cristiano Giaretta was interviewed this week by Tutto Mercato Web Radio, who feature a story on their website.
The official talked about the Hornets’ transfer window and the tough mission they have of getting back to the Premier League for next season.
One of the topics was Ken Sema, who returned to Watford following a loan spell at Udinese. Giaretta claims the player is eager to help the club in the battle for promotion.
“The return to the Championship isn’t an obstacle to his career, also because he’s a very high level player: he returned with great enthusiasm, and he wants to win the Championship together with his teammates. He’d like to consecrate himself in the Premier League: the group knows his importance, this year it takes a bit of sacrifices and to see the determination to return to the Premier League.”
Regarding Brazilian youngster João Pedro, who has three goals this season so far, Giaretta praised the teenager’s maturity in his first year in England.
“Very interesting, he has great quality, technique and physicality. A complete player to aspire and reach the highest level. Being from 2001 he’s very young, but with us he’s already behaving as a leader and a mature player. He’s a finisher. Some clubs have identified him: the important thing is that he continues to work to prove his worth.”
The director talked about Vladimir Ivic as well. The manager has five wins in eight games in charge of Watford so far, and seems to have been the right choice for the position.
“We knew him from a technical point of view, and then he proved to be open-minded, capable of sharing a work project with a very specific mentality. Winner. In the last two years with Maccabi Tel-Aviv he’s lost only one game, and succeeds to convey the desire to win, in addition to demanding discipline in the locker room. As a person, professional and coach I consider him capable: we’re satisfied with the choice made.”
Giaretta was also quizzed about the three players who left Watford for Udinese this summer, and was asked to pick which of them has the biggest potential to succeed at the Italian side.
“They had all played in Serie A before, I don’t think they’ll have problems settling in. They were all taken because they have an important perspective: Deulofeu put him among the top ten forwards of the Italian league, and I’m sure he will prove his worth. Pereyra had reached a high level, he had arrived at Juventus, and in my opinion at 29 he’s the right age to be a very important player. Pussetto, unlike them, has yet to prove something, now he has this great chance: on Sunday he scored already a difficult goal… I struggle to choose one, but we expect to have strengthened Udinese.”
