Watford Identify 74-Year Old Experienced Manager to Replace Claudio Ranieri

• Roy Hodgson is in the frame for the Watford job
• The Hornets are already looking at potential candidates, barely 24 hours after the dismissal of Claudio Ranieri
• Hodgson, 74, last managed Crystal Palace, and left at the end of last season

Watford have already identified a replacement for Claudio Ranieri, barely 24 hours after announcing the Italian’s sacking.

Former England and Crystal Palace coach Roy Hodgson has reportedly been identified by the Hornets to replace Ranieri at Vicarage Road.

Hodgson, 74, has been out of work since leaving Crystal Palace at the end of last season.

When he left Crystal Palace, he said he would take a break, but did not necessarily rule out a return to football management.

Watford play their next Premier League game on February 5 and Bbc reports that the club want to hire a new boss as soon as possible to allow him ample time to get accustomed with the team before the next game.

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Hodgson has a relationship with Watford bosses – the Pozzo family, as the pair have worked together when he was in charge of Italian side Udinese, when the Pozzo family used to own the club.

The 74-year old has a unique record of being the oldest manager to manage a team in the Premier League.

He spent three years at Crystal Palace, replacing Frank de Boer, who lost the first four games of the 2017-18 without scoring a single goal.

Since taking charge of Crystal Palace, Hodgson has managed to keep them away from relegation until his departure in 2021.

Ranieri’s fall at Watford

Claudio Ranieri’s tenure at Watford was considerably short, but his dismissal was in many ways expected.

The Italian, who was also sacked by Fulham after only a few months in 2019, left with Watford in the relegation zone after a 3-0 defeat to Norwich City on Friday, January 21.

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He managed to scoop only seven points from 13 Premier League games.

Watford, in a statement, said the club did away with Ranieri to give the incoming boss ample time to try to save the club from relegation.