Watford’s new technical director Ben Manga has admitted his move to the club is a “step back” professionally but insisted the project at Vicarage Road “appeals” to him.
Watford confirmed the appointment of Manga as their new technical director at the end of last month following a restructure of football operations at the club.
He arrives after a six-and-a-half year spell with Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt, where he had worked as both the chief scout and then director of professional football.
He built up a reputation of being able to scout top talent during his time with the German side, after bringing the likes of Tuta, Evan N’Dicka and Daichi Kamada to the club.
Those players, as well as others, were largely signed in low cost details before being developed into stars by the club and significantly increasing their values in the process.
It is presumably that which has attracted Watford and Manga insists the interest was mutual, as he likes the project that has been presented to him by the Pozzo family.
“Because the project at Watford appeals to me,” he told Kicker when asked why he decided to ‘voluntarily relegate’ himself.
“Sometimes you take one step back to take two steps forward. I think it’s the right decision. At Watford FC, I am the sporting director with a clear goal: promotion to the Premier League.
“This is a challenge that we will tackle together as a team. We have consciously signed a five-year contract to accomplish our goals.
“The Premier League is the biggest league in the world, it is a personal incentive to lead a club there as a sports manager.
“(They expect) that I will bring the club forward – with new content, a slightly different structure and the German mentality. Watford FC is a very well-run club with an excellent infrastructure. Sometimes only small things need to be changed.”
