Hornets may benefit from Silva service

Rarely can a relegated manager have been so sought-after but Watford won the fierce battle for Marco Silva's services and it could be the difference in maintaining the Hornets' Premier League status.

Silva so nearly kept Hull, a basket case of a club who continued to sell their best players even after the Portuguese arrived in early January, in the division and can be proud of masterminding six wins in 18 Premier League matches. Hull were a respectable 14th in the table under Silva if you count only the results after his arrival.

With better resources the smart Silva should thrive and continue the work he has shown elsewhere.

Silva took Estoril from the Portuguese second division to Europe and won a trophy in his only season in Lisbon with Sporting before romping to the Greek title with Olympiakos.

Hull's squad raved at his vigorous training regime that was heavy on tactics and extremely hands-on, while there was hardly a grumble at a new nutritional plan which included a ban on apple crumble for pudding.

Despite those encouraging reviews the Watford fans will just be happy to hear Silva speaking perfect English after Walter Mazzarri conducted most of his interviews in Italian which led to a disconnect with the fanbase.

Mazzarri's men were never truly in danger of the drop despite finishing 17th - six points clear of Hull and the same distance from eighth-placed Southampton - but the Hornets finished limply with six defeats on the spin and it was obvious a new manager would arrive.

That man is Silva and there has been a change in approach from the Pozzo family owners with young Englishmen Nathaniel Chalobah and Will Hughes arriving to add some desperately needed fresh legs given the average age of the team last term was not far off 30.

It has been an otherwise frustrating time on the recruitment front as Silva attempts to add width to his squad but the Pozzos usually know what is required thanks to a vast worldwide scouting network.

On the presumption that further quality will be added in the last month of the transfer window and with the ace Roberto Pereyra, who has been injured since December, returning to full fitness, Silva should avoid a second straight relegation on his otherwise impressive CV.

Key stat
Watford have lost 13 of their last 15 away matches.