New Watford manager Javi Gracia says returning to the club for a second spell felt like “coming home.”

Onda Cero cover comments from the Watford boss after he appeared on Radioestadio Noche on Monday evening.

The Spaniard was confirmed as Watford’s new manager on October 8^th, after Paulo Pezzolano was sacked on the same day.

It’s his second spell in charge for the club after previously managing them from January 2018 to September 2019. That 66 game spell saw him end with 25 wins, 13 draws and 28 losses. He also took them to the 2019 FA Cup final.

No manager has matched that number of games at Watford since. The closest is Tom Cleverly’s 59 game spell from March 2024 to May 2025. Indeed, Gracia’s first spell is the second longest of the Pozzo reign, just behind Gianfranco Zola’s 75 game run from July 2012 to December 2013.

His time in charge is still fondly remember, with that FA Cup final accompanied by an 11^th placed finish in the Premier League in 2018/19. That was their highest finish since 1986/87.

And the Spanish boss now admits the affection he still feels was...