John Barnes tells Watford Observer Hornets' success is 'inexplicable'

The Hornets' turnover of staff and players, and the number of loans brought in during the first years of the Pozzo tenure, might not appear good bedfellows with success.

But five years on from the family's purchase of the club, they sit 10th in the Premier League with a top-half finish in the top flight a real possibility for the first time in 30 years.

Barnes, speaking on behalf of Bonus Code Bets, said: “What I’ve always said about Watford, certainly over the past four or five years, is that they’re successful in a way modern teams generally can’t be and I wouldn’t recommend any other club have that kind of philosophy.

“That’s in terms of changing managers so regularly, bringing so many players in on loan – but Watford are still in the top 10 in the Premier League and they are an anomaly. It’s inexplicable, I don’t know how they do it.

“They need stability, of players and the management, but Watford have not only survived but punched above their weight, even with off the field issues.”

The 79-cap England winger said such upheaval should be halted if the Hornets are to keep their upward mobility - and gave his backing to Walter Mazzarri, after press reports suggested he could be the latest at the helm to lose his job this summer.

“I don’t think that philosophy is sustainable in the long-term,” he said. “As much as it’s worked so far.

“If the manager is doing a good job, he shouldn’t lose his job. But it depends on the aspirations of the owners – if they want to push for a Champions League position they’re going to have to spend some big money and bring in Pep Guardiola, but that’s not going to happen.

“Mazzarri might have a lack of English, but if they finish where they finish – you could have a man in charge who speaks great English but they get relegated. It clearly hasn’t made much of an impact since they are in the top 10 at this stage.”