Leeds United appointed Javi Gracia briefly back in 2023, but the former Watford manager is back at Vicarage Road for another stint in charge.
Jesse Marsch started 2022/23 in charge of Leeds United but was dismissed in the February after a defeat to Nottingham Forest, with Javi Gracia named as his successor just weeks later.
He managed 12 games in charge of Leeds before Sam Allardyce replaced Gracia. In fact, Gracia was sacked by Leeds on his birthday. It was a strange period for the club, just before their relegation to the Championship.
Phil Hay even made a Marcelo Bielsa comparison with Gracia at one stage of that season. Some even argued Marsch ought to have been kept over Gracia.
However, after winning three and drawing one of his first seven games, Gracia then lost four and drew once in his next five. That included 5-1, 6-1, and 4-1 defeats to Crystal Palace, Liverpool, and Bournemouth respectively.
Leeds fans react to Javi Gracia’s return to Watford
Gracia has been out of work ever since. There was some talk of Victor Orta bringing Gracia to Sevilla but that did not materialise. The reports recently were that Gracia was set for a return to Watford.
He managed them from January 2018 until September 2019, which included an FA Cup final. However, it’s fair to say that there has been a mixed response from Leeds fans on X (formerly Twitter) regarding their ex-manager.
It’s fair to say some fans were conflicted, with one responding: “Promotion for them in 26/27”, while another said: “You’re going down.”
Another fan reacted to the update from Watford, saying: “Sorry to hear.”
A further response read: “One of the most bizarre managerial spells at Leeds. Started off ok & we were quite solid off the ball but then randomly decided in the second half vs Palace to start playing a high line against Olise, Zaha, Eze & Mateta despite having no energy in midfield or pace at the back 😂”
Most seemed to be more down on the whole than up, but some fan decided to wish the Spaniard well at a club notorious for sacking managers regularly. There have been 12 managers in permanent or caretaker charge in the last six years at Watford.
Patrick Bamford’s view of Javi Gracia at Leeds
Patrick Bamford said Gracia and Bielsa were similar in how they operated behind the scenes at Elland Road. Bamford has actually stayed in contact with Gracia since his dismissal as well.
Bamford spoke regarding Gracia and Leeds’ survival hopes not long ago, saying: “You know what, it was a breath of fresh air [when Big Sam was appointed]. It was after Javi Gracia, and I got on really well with Javi and his staff.
“I felt a little bit unfortunate for him because I felt, if he had been given time with us, he had the right ideas and would’ve got us drilled well.
“But when big Sam is totally different to what we’d had in the last five years. I remember the first meeting, he just came in, shook everyone’s hand and stood at the front of the meeting room, in front of the board with a cup of tea, like a normal bloke.
“It was totally surreal, and then he just said basically our defence is terrible and we just need to stop conceding goals.”
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