Gino Pozzo’s legacy at Watford FC is well known. He inherited a club in League 1 and has turned them into a Premier League side with European football ambitions. Taking over from the previous owner, Mr. Kia Joorabchian, he guided the club to a surprise promotion to the Premier League.
He has shown the ability to dip into the transfer market and bring in players at good value, along with significant scouting and analytical skills.
Gino Pozzo grew up in Italy, where his father Gianpaolo bought Udinese Calcio Football Club in 1986. Before moving to Spain, he studied economics in the US, where he developed a strong passion for the game. His involvement with football began in 1993 when he was appointed as a board of directors’ member at Udine.
A few years later, Gino Pozzo was sent to Granada to revive the fortunes of its football club. He transformed them from Segunda B to the Primera Liga in just two years, and the club won promotion as champions of Segunda B.
In 2010, Gino Pozzo spearheaded Watford’s takeover from the previous owner Mr Joorabchian. Watford was in turmoil at the time with an enormous salary bill and a severely limited transfer budget. However, he was able to take over the club when it was on its knees and make it successful.
Gino Pozzo’s approach is scout-driven; he believes in recruiting players from other clubs and bringing them to Watford. Leonid Slutsky, the Russian manager at Watford, has been keen to offer opportunities to young players from their partner clubs, Udinese and Granada.
This focus on youth is paying dividends, with Watford having a strong academy. In addition, Pozzo has also increased the amount spent on scouting, with the club now employing eight full-time scouts and a further two who are part-time. Visit this page for additional information.
More about Pozzo on https://www.watfordfc.com/club/ownership