"Trying to undermine Tom Cleverley" - Damning Watford FC transfer verdict issued as Gino Pozzo slammed | OneFootball

FLW's Watford fan pundit has given his verdict on the club's January transfer window business.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

It has been a tough few weeks for Watford in the Championship, and a quiet end to the January transfer window has done little to improve the mood of supporters.

Watford emerged as surprise promotion contenders after a strong start to the campaign, but their form has declined significantly of late, and they have lost seven of their last 10 league games.

Despite that, the Hornets currently sit 12th in the table, and they are just three points from the play-off places, but while support for head coach Tom Cleverley remains strong, the same cannot be said for owner Gino Pozzo.

Watford supporters had hoped that the January transfer window could help to reignite their faltering promotion push, but they made just three new signings, with Egil Selvik and James Abankwah arriving from Udinese and Caleb Wiley joining on loan from Chelsea.

A number of players departed the club on loan, including the likes of Antonio Tikvic and Ryan Porteous, while Ken Sema completed a permanent move to Cypriot side Pafos, and the loan spells of Daniel Jebbison and Festy Ebosele were cut short.

The latter stages of the window at Vicarage Road were dominated by speculation about Cleverley's future after reports emerged that the Hornets were planning to replace him with former Villareal manager Pacheta, and that prompted Pozzo to issue a rare public statement confirming his backing for the 35-year-old.

Watford fan pundit slams Gino Pozzo after transfer window disappointment

When asked what one thing the club should be praised for following the January window, FLW's Watford fan pundit Justin Beattie said that Pozzo should not be commended for any of the recent transfer business, accusing him of attempting to undermine Cleverley.

"The owners at Watford deserve absolutely no praise whatsoever for the January transfer window," Justin said.

"Rather than strengthening our squad, they have significantly weakened it.

"They are seemingly trying to undermine Tom Cleverley and set him up to fail with the business that they did over the last month.

"We desperately needed a forward, but that didn't happen.

"Although we required a goalkeeper and one was brought in, this feels like too little too late.

"The supporters, on the whole, are massively disappointed with the business we did during January, and it feels now as though the owners really don't care about the future of our club."

Gino Pozzo risks Watford fan backlash after underwhelming January transfer window

After completing the signing of goalkeeper Selvik on Friday, Cleverley stated that "I can assure you that there will definitely be two more coming in", but the expected double deal did not materialise.

Watford only brought in one new signing on deadline day, with Wiley arriving on loan from Chelsea, but as he continues his recovery from a shoulder injury, Cleverley admitted he will not even be able to train for a few weeks.

Given their current alarming form, the Hornets needed players capable of making an immediate impact, and with supporters making it clear in recent weeks that they remain firmly behind Cleverley, Pozzo will get much of the blame for their poor January transfer window.