LUCA VIALLI stressed this week he is very "budget conscious" and is not going to jeopardise the financial future of the club.

The Watford boss's observations will come as a reassurance to that segment of the supporter base who fear the club are spending beyond their means.

Vialli said: "We are using the parachute money from the Premiership. We are doing things quite carefully, and we are not going to jeopardise the financial stability of the club.

"People say 'well Watford, they should be winning the Division One'. I ask why? Because of what?

"The expectations are unreasonably too high. I think there is a misunderstanding on the part of other clubs and their fans.

"We have had money to spend, but there are clubs that have a lot of money to spend who did not have the parachute money. Clubs are spending a lot of money to try and gain success.

"We do things according to our financial possibilities. Other clubs don't do that, and some find themselves in big troubles later on and find themselves in plenty of debt."

Vialli refutes the concept that the club are gambling.

"I think this is nothing like a gamble. We are very careful in running the club financially in the best possible way, and the budget is very much in my mind."

But he acknowledged the club had spent significant sums.

"I am not cheapest of the managers, nor do we have the cheapest of the players, and the organisation behind the team is quite expensive, but we do have a plan and we do have a budget," he said.

November 9, 2001 09:30