Deeney confident Gracia will be given time by Watford

Troy Deeney expects Watford's owners to debunk their ruthless reputation by backing under-pressure head coach Javi Gracia.

Last season's beaten FA Cup finalists sit bottom of the Premier League after four matches and are without a win in the top flight since April 20. Gracia was linked with the Chelsea job during the close season but now faces a test of his leadership at Vicarage Road. Reports emerging before the international break suggested time was against the Spaniard, who became the club's fifth boss in roughly three and a half years when he replaced Marco Silva in January 2018.

Captain and key striker Deeney is confident Gracia has nothing to worry about, insisting the revolving door of the past has closed.

"The manager is a big boy, he knows what he's doing - it's just part and parcel of the game," Deeney told Sky Sports. "People are always going to question the manager if we've lost a few games. It doesn't just happen at Watford, it happens everywhere. But the high turnover of managers at Watford was four or five years ago. Everyone thinks every year we change the manager and get a new one. We are trying to settle down."

 

September 3, 2019

Watford finished a creditable 11th last season but have encountered problems at both ends of the pitch this term, scoring a league-low two goals while conceding eight.

"Naturally, you're always going to get people putting pressure on us," Deeney added. "We haven't been great but we aren't trying to hide from that."

Deeney, 31, has missed three competitive games since undergoing a minor knee operation. Watford are yet to set a specific timeframe for his return.