"At the very least..." - Don Goodman weighs in on Valerien Ismael's Watford longevity | OneFootball

Don Goodman believes Valerien Ismael should be given the rest of the season to show whether he deserves to keep the Watford job.

Valerien Ismael’s time at Watford

The former West Brom chief was named as Chris Wilder’s successor at Vicarage Road in May last year, so this is his first season in charge of the Hornets, and it’s fair to say it’s been mixed.

There were some positive moments under Ismael initially, and his approach clearly impressed the board, who decided to reward him with a new deal just months into the campaign, in what was seen as a huge show of faith in the Frenchman.

However, things haven’t really gone to plan since, and there is a growing frustration at results over recent months, with Watford sitting 12th ahead of tonight’s game at home to Swansea.

But, they aren’t really in a position where they can look up, as they trail the top six by 13 points, yet they’re only six points above the relegation zone, so it’s been an underwhelming campaign.

Don Goodman: Ismael’s future should be decided between now and May

Naturally, that has sparked talk that Ismael could be sacked by Watford, as it had been hoped that they would be in the mix for a play-off place this season.

So far though, the Watford board have unusually resisted calls to make a change, and Sky Sports pundit Goodman explained why the run-in is crucial in determining Ismael’s future, as he also outlined the poor home form as a key factor behind their struggles.

"It would have been typical of Watford if they had got rid of him, but what they did earlier this season, despite not starting amazingly well, they awarded him a new contract, so they went in the other direction," he said via King Casino Bonus.

"In October he signed that brand new contract, now what that’s worth and what the exit strategy is and what the numbers are, I don’t know. There’s got to come a point where they’ve got to stop sacking managers, and you kind of got the feeling that this was going to be the one. But, I do think tonight’s game is massive.

"Two wins in their last 12, and they came against QPR, who at the time were struggling, and Rotherham, who have always been struggling, so it’s not great reading.

"The home form has been horrific, and when you are losing at home the way they are, or certainly not winning, you alienate the fans. The fans get restless, and they come in their thousands. It’s eight games since they won a game at Vicarage Road. When I looked at that, I was like ‘wow’, I hadn’t realised. I knew it wasn’t great, but I hadn’t realised how bad it was.

"So, at the very least, I think if you’re Watford you’d be thinking we’re not going to get in the play-offs now, and we’re not going to go down, so let’s have a look at him over the last 11 games of the season and see how it goes.

"You’re looking for signs now to show he can be the man to take them to the next level next season. But, of course, if those 11 games don’t go well, then invariably he will lose his job. It’s just the nature of the beast, especially at a club like Watford."