Watford technical director Ben Manga has branded speculation around Chris Wilder’s future “disrespectful” insisting the Hornets manager will be in charge for the remainder of the current campaign.
Bristol City travel to Vicarage Road on Saturday with the Hornets drifting towards mid-table under Wilder as the 55-year-old has recorded just one win from his six games in charge since taking over from Slaven Bilic on March 7.
TalkSPORT reported on Wednesday that the Hornets were considering his future with Italian coach Francesco Farioli mentioned as a possible replacement. But Watford then moved to clarify Wilder’s situation, albeit merely confirming the club would be honouring the short-term contract of the former Sheffield United and Middlesbrough manager.
“Chris Wilder will remain the club's head coach until at least the end of the 2022-23 season, as per the terms he and Watford FC agreed upon his appointment in March," a statement read, while technical director Ben Manga added: "The speculation is totally disrespectful to Chris and his staff.
"As Chris has said after recent games, we are all fully focused on ending the season strongly and pushing as hard as we can while there's still a chance of making the play-offs."
Watford are six points outside the top six with five games remaining having gone through two managers already this season in Rob Edwards and Bilic, with Wilder the 18th full-time appointment of the Pozzo family’s ownership of the club since July 2012.
With a first year of parachute payments to help supplement their substantial wage bill and Premier League-standard talent in the form of forwards Ismaila Sarr and Joao Pedro they have drastically underperformed in the Championship with the best they can hope for being a late run at the play-offs.
Since Wilder has been in charge Watford have lost to relegation strugglers QPR and Huddersfield Town and drawn at rock bottom Wigan Athletic. His only win being a 3-0 victory over Birmingham City in his second match at the helm.
City can leapfrog Watford in the table on Saturday should they emerge from Vicarage Road with a victory of two or more goals; something they haven't achieved since 2011 when Nicky Maynard, Marvin Elliott and Brett Pitman were on target in a 3-1 win.
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