Watford appoint Dionisi as head coach

Alessio Dionisi becomes the fifth Italian manager hired by Watford during the Pozzo family's ownership

Published 15 June 2026

Watford have secured Alessio Dionisi as their new head coach on a two-year deal.

The 46-year-old Italian succeeds Ed Still, who was dismissed on 3 May after spending less than three months in charge at Vicarage Road.

Watford suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Coventry City in Still's final match, ending the season in 16th place in the Championship, 16 points behind the play-off spots.

Dionisi marks Watford's 12th head coach, excluding interim appointments, since the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign, and the 24th since the Pozzo family acquired the club in 2012.

"Alessio has been on our radar for a long period and we are really pleased to have reached an agreement with him," sporting director Gianluca Nani stated.

"We made it clear we were looking for an experienced coach who has won leagues and been promoted - and Alessio fits the profile."

Dionisi was let go by Serie B side Empoli in March after just five months at the helm, following a stretch of five victories in 22 matches.

However, as is standard practice in Italy, Dionisi remained under contract with the Tuscan club while on gardening leave.

Watford have now struck a deal with Empoli regarding his contract, which was scheduled to run until near the end of 2027.

Dionisi will bring Luca Vigiani, who previously worked under former Watford boss Walter Mazzarri during the 2016-17 season, back to Vicarage Road as an analyst, along with new head of physical performance Fabio Spighi.

He now takes on his 10th role in a 12-year managerial career, his first outside his home country.

"He is an excellent coach, who we believe has the credentials to get the best out of the players we have in the squad and those we want to add," Nani said.

"I know Alessio is really excited by the opportunity and we look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have here."

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Watford appoint Alessio Dionisi - analysis

Dionisi secured the Serie B title during his initial stint with Empoli in the 2020-21 season, then replaced Roberto de Zerbi at Sassuolo that summer.

He becomes the first Italian to lead Watford since Claudio Ranieri in the 2021-22 campaign, when Watford were last in the Premier League.

The previous season turned out to be a turbulent one for the club.

After parting ways with Tom Cleverley at the end of the 2024-25 season, the club cycled through three permanent head coaches, plus interim boss Charlie Daniels' two-game period in charge.

On the morning of their final-day thrashing by Coventry last month, chief executive Scott Duxbury posted a statement on the club website admitting Watford had made errors, calling their finish to the campaign "unacceptable" and "truly disappointing in the extreme".