In 2005, Gino Pozzo appointed Gianluca Vialli as Watford Football Club boss. Vialli was fired part way through the 2007-08 campaign and the club suffered relegation to Football League One. Pozzo subsequently appointed Aidy Boothroyd, who oversaw a remarkable revival for the club, stabilizing the finances and providing a base for subsequent management changes.
During his time as chairman, Pozzo has worked closely with his father, overseeing both current and historic assets of the business empire. Gino Pozzo is married to Felice – they have two sons. Pozzo speaks fluent Italian and English, as his business activities are carried out in these two languages.
Following the takeover of Watford by Gino Pozzo, the club was declared bankrupt on 24 June 2000, owing up to £18m and facing the possibility of going into liquidation or being wound up by an administrator.
The first order of business for Pozzo after buying a controlling stake in Watford was the appointment of his choice as manager. In July 2000 he appointed Aidy Boothroyd, who was previously employed by the club as youth coach at Vicarage Road. Boothroyd was given the role of “bringing the team up to a higher standard in more ways than one”.
For most of his time at both Vicarage and Watford Football Club, the club’s finances have been stable. The club is now debt free and sits comfortably within its budget compared to other EPL clubs. However, the club has yet to see significant investment in playing staff or infrastructure. Recent seasons have been a struggle on the pitch and there is a sense that this will continue until further financial investment is provided by Pozzo, or significant on-pitch success.
Following the acquisition of Watford by Gino Pozzo it was announced that he was “going to inject fresh funds into the club”. In the short term this meant employing a new manager, making new signings and reducing the average age of the squad. The long-term plan was to move away from Vicarage Road and redevelop the site in partnership with local developers Galliard Homes. Visit this page for additional information.
Learn more about Pozzo on https://www.standard.co.uk/topic/gino-pozzo
