Trio of staff exit Watford with Ranieri
Paolo Benetti (left) and Carlo Cornacchia (right) have left Watford along with Claudio Ranieri (centre) and Carlo Spignoli
Written by Training Ground Guru — January 26, 2022
THREE staff have left Watford with manager Claudio Ranieri, with Roy Hodgson and Ray Lewington coming in in their place.
Ranieri was sacked on Monday after just three months in charge following Friday’s defeat at Norwich, which dropped the Hornets into the relegation zone for the first time this season.
Three staff, who all came in with the Italian in October, have also departed:
- Paolo Benetti (assistant): Has worked with Ranieri since 2007 at 11 different teams. Part of the staff that won the Premier League with Leicester in 2016.
- Carlo Cornacchia (assistant): Played under Ranieri at Cagliari and Napoli and joined his staff at Nantes in 2017. Followed him to Fulham, Roma, Sampdoria and Watford.
- Carlo Spignoli (fitness coach): Ranieri took him to Monaco in 2012 and Spignoli stayed when his boss was sacked. Rejoined Ranieri at Sampdoria in October 2019.
Hodgson, 74, is taking charge of his 17th club and has now been coaching and managing for almost 50 years. He worked for the Pozzo family during a brief spell in charge of Udinese.
Hodgson spent nearly four years as Crystal Palace boss and many had assumed that would be his last managerial job. As usual he brings his trusted lieutenant Ray Lewington with him.
The 65-year-old managed the Hornets between 2002 and 2005 and has assisted Hodgson at Fulham, England and Palace. Their relationship started in 1974. Lewington has said: “Roy actually took me for my preliminary coaching badge when I was 18 and thankfully he passed me at that stage.”
