“Poisoned chalice” - Wigan Athletic manager sent warning after Watford links emerge | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer believes that Wigan Athletic boss Shaun Maloney needs to think twice should he be offered the vacant Watford head coach role.

The Hornets have endured a miserable campaign so far, as they languish in mid-table, and there were fears they could get dragged into the relegation battle.

Therefore, the decision was made to sack Valerien Ismael earlier this month, as Tom Cleverley was named as interim boss for the remainder of the season.

And, the former player enjoyed a brilliant start, as Watford picked up all three points against Birmingham City last time out.

That will ease any relegation fears, and the hierarchy can now focus on bringing in a permanent boss ahead of next season.

Several names have been linked with the job since Ismael’s dismissal, and it was claimed this week that Wigan chief Maloney is a target.

The 41-year-old was a firm favourite with the Latics from his playing days, and he has done very well since landing the top job, despite dealing with off-field issues that have brought a points' deduction this season.

Even with a limited budget, Maloney has built an exciting, young squad that plays attractive football, and they would be in the mix for a play-off finish if they hadn’t been hit with the deduction.

Carlton Palmer on Watford’s interest in Shaun Maloney

So, even though Maloney may not be the most inspiring choice for Watford fans, he is someone who is developing a good reputation as a coach, and it has been stated that he is a target for the Championship side.

Whilst the appeal of moving to Vicarage Road is obvious, ex-England international Palmer told FLW that Maloney needs to recognise the ruthless nature of Watford’s owners, as he also questioned what the strategy is for the Hornets.

He said: “He’s doing a fantastic job in difficult circumstances at Wigan. They sit in 11th spot in League One, which is impressive considering they’ve had an eight-point deduction. Maloney has a 44% win ratio.

“He works with young players, he’s given opportunities to academy graduates, the likes of Sam Tickle, Charlie Hughes, and Baba Adeeko. Maloney also worked for three-and-a-half years as Roberto Martinez’s assistant with the Belgian national team.

“So, what is it that Watford are looking for? If Watford want instant success then Maloney is not the answer. They need to go out there, get a big manager and give him the tools to do the job.

“Look how many managers Watford have been through, so it’s very difficult to look at what it is the owners are looking for. The Pozzo family took over back in 2012, and they’re on their 22nd manager.

“They sit 13th in the Championship, so unless they take a manager in, and give them time to do the job, then it won’t work. Look at the job Rob Edwards is doing at Luton after they got rid of him. He went there, they sacked him, and then he got Luton promoted to the Premier League.

“Unless you give the manager time, you won’t get the results you deserve. Whether it’s money or the players, the manager needs time to do his job, and that’s the one thing that’s not afforded at Watford. Even if Maloney was in line for the job, maybe he’ll look at that and decide that it’s a poisoned chalice.”

Watford role may be too much to resist

You can certainly see where Palmer is coming from here but the reality is, Maloney may find it hard to resist a job at a Championship club with Premier League aspirations.

He's done a fantastic job under pretty tough circumstances at Wigan so the opportunity to move to a team where managers are routinely backed significantly in the transfer market has to be appealing to him.

The regularity with which the Hornets change their managers is an obvious concern but Maloney is likely to back himself to be the exception and not the rule.