History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

OUR KIDS CAN BE AS GOOD AS ARSENAL'S

Whatever Arsenal's youngsters can do, Watford's can do better - that's the view
of Jay DeMerit, the Championship side's captain.

While Arsene Wenger's kids hit Sheffield United for six on Wednesday night in
the Carling Cup, Aidy Boothroyd's nippers defeated West Ham United 1-0.

And this Saturday they too play Sheffield United, this time in the
Championship, glowing with confidence.

Boothroyd has been forced to utilise his youngsters with over 10 injuries to
first-team players.

But they are rising to the challenge, 28-year-old skipper DeMerit believes.
"Youngsters coming through and performing is really what we need, and what's
happening," said the American.

"We have a small squad anyway, but with so many injuries there is only one
thing that can help us, and that is young guys stepping up and doing the job.
We have more than enough confidence that these guys can do that.


"Adrian Mariappa (21) has done a really good job coming in at right back and
Jordan Parkes (19) impressed. Scott Loach (20) in goals made some good saves
and Ross Jenkins (17) and Lionel Ainsworth (20) played very well against West
Ham too.

"Will Hoskins (22) , who was filling in for Tamas Priskin and Grzegorz Rasiak,
did a magnificent job. We needs to keep that going, because competition is
never a bad thing, especially in a small squad like this."

On Saturday's game at Bramall Lane DeMerit added: "Cup runs can always spur on
League runs, so that's what we'll be looking to do on against Sheffield United.

"I'm sure they won't read too much into the 6-0 result against Arsenal. It's
back to the Championship now.

"A defeat like that can go one of two ways - either it will kill their
confidence or they will make sure that they don't let it happen again. But that
is down to them, not us. Our job is to go out and play like we did against West
Ham."

Labels: Aidy Boothroyd, Carling Cup, Jay Demerit, Watford

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:29 pm | Permalink | Comments

BOOTHROYD HOPING TO CREATE HISTORY

Aidy Boothroyd, the Watford manager, is "strangely excited" despite the fact that his team are two goals down going into their Championship play-off second leg against Hull. The 37-year-old could become the first man in play-off history to pull back more than a single goal deficit tomorrow at the KC Stadium. He has been given a boost, however, by the news that captain John Eustace will be available.

The central midfielder had been shown a straight red card by referee Kevin Friend in the first leg against for an alleged butt, though the Football Association rescinded his automatic suspension in London today.

Earlier in the tie referee Friend had disallowed a seemingly good Danny Shittu goal, scored after only four minutes. Hull's Nicky Barmby netted four minutes later and Dean Windass fired the visitors two goals ahead on 23 minutes.

Boothroyd was disappointed by Friend's performance, and said: "We were the victim of two very poor refereeing decisions which you don't expect in a game of that magnitude. But I am quite enjoying this in a strange sort of way.

"We are now the hunted rather than the hunter and I enjoy it because you want these tests. You go on all the courses and do all the theory but there is nothing quite like being on the touchline and having to make a battle plan.

"Without doubt this is the biggest game for the club, but all the pressure is on Hull to perform."

An optimistic Boothroyd, whose team have won only once in the last 15 games, will hope central defender Shittu comes though a late fitness test on his hamstring, continued: "I think 3-0 would have been almost impossible, a massive task. But at 2-0 we always have a chance. If we get the first goal, then you never know. It is different when people don't expect you to do it."

"I won't need to pep the players up - it is a do-or-die game. We are going to have to have all of our big-game players."

Hull manager Phil Brown would be vexed if his team do not advance from their position to Wembley's final - dubbed the "£60m game", such are the riches of the Premier League. The fact that Hull is the largest city in Europe never to have had a football club in the top flight is an extra burden that the former Bolton assistant manager also feels.

Brown, who first joined the club as assistant to manager Phil Parkinson only to succeed him in December 2006, said: "When I first arrived at the KC Stadium, under Phil and under [then chairman] Adam Pearson, I could tell that the club has been built for bigger things - for success.

"That relative success came from two successive promotions: from second division to first; first division to Championship. And now, after two survival campaigns in the Championship, we have a full stadium every game, and we are on the verge of the Premier League.

"It would irk me if we didn't make it. We have given ourselves a great chance by going two goals up but we need to get the job done - it is not over by any stretch of the imagination."

Labels: Aidy Boothroyd, Championship, Football Association, Hull City, Premier League, Watford

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:01 pm | Permalink | Comments

FRUSTRATED WATFORD FAIL TO GO TOP

Goalkeeper Richard Lee is just as infuriated as the home supporters who barracked the Watford players after they slumped to a 3-0 defeat to lowly Barnsley. Aidy Boothroyd’s men would have gone top of the Championship had they beaten the FA Cup semi finalists, who began the game in the relegation zone.

But Kayode Odejayi scored a goal either side of the interval while Stephen Foster netted a free header to complete a rare away victory, which moved the Yorkshire club up to eighteenth.

Watford have recorded only one win in their past ten league matches and Lee can't put his finger on why their promotion push is losing thrust. He said: “I’m not sure what the problem is – before the game the lads were buzzing and we had a good attitude. After winning at the weekend we came into this game with high expectations.”

On hearing the boos of the Vicarage Road faithful the 25-year-old added: “The jeering is not nice, but understandable. When we don’t perform then the fans will get on our backs. We can understand their frustrations because we are just as frustrated as they are.

“But this is a funny league. I can’t remember a Championship that was so tight from top to bottom. There is so little difference between the teams.”

Manager Boothroyd was livid with his troops and demanded reasons for the feckless performance. “There was a chance to go top with four games to go and we haven't taken it which is very irritating,” he fumed. “I'm very disappointed and I would like a few answers from my players.”

Labels: Aidy Boothroyd, Championship, Kayode Odejayi, Richard Lee, Watford

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:38 am | Permalink | Comments

ODEJAYI STARS AS BARNSLEY MOVE OUT OF DROP ZONE

Kayone Odejayi was instantly transformed from FA Cup villain to Championship hero, as his brace helped lift Barnsley from the relegation zone in the back yard of promotion hopefuls Watford.

The Nigerian-born striker had squandered a gilt-edged chance at Wembley on Sunday, when the northerners were booted out of the FA Cup semi-final by fellow Championship club Cardiff.

But Barnsley manager Simon Davey showed confidence in the former Cheltenham man and it paid off on Wednesday as his side romped to a 3-0 victory at Vicarage Road and moved up to 18th in the table.

Aidy Boothroyd’s men could have gone top of the Championship with a victory, but looked sluggish and lacked confidence from kick-off.

Showing no FA Cup hangover, the visitors started brightly and on 16 minutes Odejayi had a great opportunity to open the scoring after an inviting ball by strike-partner Jon Macken sent him galloping though with only Watford ‘keeper Richard Lee to beat.

In a carbon copy of Sunday’s shocker, the striker fluffed his shot, though he soon made amends. Ten minutes shy of the interval he shuffled the ball in from a yard out after Macken’s low cross caught the home defence out.

Barnsley doubled their lead three minutes after the break, with unmarked captain Stephen Foster making the most of a dozing Watford back line, lead by skipper Danny Shittu, from a Diego Leon corner.

Foster’s headed goal was soon followed by Odejayi’s second of the night – a cool, confident loft over Lee from just inside the area.

On this evidence there can be little surprise that Watford have won only once in their last ten league matches. If they had shown half the determination that their opponents displayed they would be walking to automatic promotion.

As it is they travel to table-toppers West Bromich Albion on Saturday and have only four more games to secure a play-off place or even more. Meanwhile Davey will ask for more of the same from his Barnsley troops in order to survive the drop.

Labels: Aidy Boothroyd, Barnsley, Championship, Dutch football, Kayode Odejayi, Watford

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:15 am | Permalink | Comments