Beppe Sannino believes Watford’s players had “little desire to think about tactics” and says he would have preferred the Hornets to have lost all their matches if it meant his personality was reflected in the side.

The Italian resigned from his post as the Golden Boys’ head coach 12 days ago despite the club sitting second in the Championship table.

Sannino’s future had been at risk prior to his resignation as he had long had disagreements with the club and his aggressive nature, communication and training methods concerned the club and some of the senior players.

On the reasons behind leaving Watford, Sannino, pictured, told the La Provincia di Varese newspaper: “Beppe Sannino is a coach that is different from the others, for better or for worse. If they are surprised by my choice then it means they do not know me at all.”

He continued: “They do not know, for example, that I have to feel my team. I have to see my face on the pitch, something of me in each of my players.”

Asked if that had been the case, Sannino responded: “No. We were living a fantastic time, we were winning and people were excited. But something was missing.”

He added: “In the field I was not there, never. In the field there was a wonderful team, wonderful boys but there was not Sannino.”

When the 57-year-old was asked why he felt his “face” wasn’t represented in the side he explained: “The culture, the mentality, in England is [players are] expected to run faster than the others but there is little desire to think about tactics.

“For me, a team must mirror the coach. We were second place in the table and  one point off top.

We had four wins in five games but believe me, I would have been happier if we had lost forever but with the face of Sannino in the field.”

Sannino’s passion and dedication to his job as Watford can’t be questioned. He loved English football and the atmosphere around Vicarage Road on match days. 

He says the thing he will miss most about managing in the Championship was Saturday afternoons. 
Sannino explained: “The way English people live the game, nobody does it like them. They are light years ahead of us (Italians).

“If you could do a combination of our tactical knowledge and their joy of playing football, it would come out perfect.” 

Sannino added: “We (Italy) have the most talented coaches in the world but the problems with our football are louder than our technical capabilities. In England they have the enthusiasm and the ability to engage people, but they do not want to study.”

Sannino has returned to Italy but when Watford announced his departure, the club stated he and his family would always be welcomed back at Vicarage Road, something he says gives him great pleasure. 

He believes the Hornets supporters understood that he was “one of them” because: “I have never given up on being Sannino. In the field I was crazy, like I’ve always done here.”