Manga discusses his aims and ambitions for Watford

Quite clearly, Watford Football Club is going through a period of change and much of that is being driven by Technical Director Ben Manga.

His achievements at Eintracht Frankfurt mean his CV stands up to heavy scrutiny, but this will be his first foray into English football as well as his widest remit in terms of the areas he oversees.

He says he loves challenges, he has belief in the abilities of the team around him, and he hopes Watford supporters will get on board with him from the start.

“All I can say is give me time, and you will see we have a good scouting network,” he said.

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“I have a lot of confidence in my work, my scouting network as well as the relationship we have with Udinese.

“I cannot promise 100% that we will get promoted next season, but what I can say is that we will get good players and people will enjoy watching Watford.”

The relationship with Udinese is one that has caused discomfort for some fans, but Manga was very relaxed about it.

“The relationship with Udinese is very good,” he said.

“It’s perfect. It is working. They are doing their job, we are doing our job.”

Another change that some Watford fans may find hard to accept is the possible departure from the squad of players they have come to know and admire.

Should supporters brace themselves for a high summer turnover of players?

Manga paused, thought for a moment and then said: “We will see. That’s all I can say for now.”

If he can’t tell us about how many players may come and go during the summer, what Manga readily discusses is the key attribute he looks for in a signing.

“In my opinion, mentality wins over talent,” he said.

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“So often in the past we’ve seen players with a lot of talent who have wasted it, because they don’t have the right mentality.

“And we’ve also seen players with less talent but a stronger mentality be very successful.

“The players you will see playing for Watford will be players who have the right mentality. Of course, if they have the right mentality and a lot of talent too, even better.

“But for me, mentality always wins over talent.”

There is also the debate over the blend of youth and experience – for every exciting young star, there is the need for a more evergreen head in the squad.

“In every team you need a good balance, and that includes four or five senior players. They are your leaders on the pitch, in the changing room and also off the pitch,” Manga said.

“The young players have to understand that, and it needs to be made clear to them from the first day in pre-season.

“As a club, we have to look after that group of senior players. People have to understand their importance and their leadership is what others must follow.

“The young players need to appreciate this. If a player has 100 caps for their country, they have clearly reached some sort of level which means they can take the responsibility to talk.

“If a young player is not happy with that, regardless of if they are playing or not, he has to accept it. If he can’t accept it then he has to show respect to the senior players anyway.

“If a younger player cannot come to terms with the senior players, then the manager will have to try and help him understand. If the player still doesn’t want to listen, then he will have to come to see me. But by that point, if he can’t understand how we operate, then it might be too late for him anyway.

“So for sure, we will need experienced players who can assist with the transition of younger players. And we will also need young players to buy into it.”

Manga has made it clear that, as far as he is concerned, regular interviews are something he is happy to provide.

Nonetheless, if we were not to speak again for 12 months, what would he like to be discussing at that next interview?

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“In a year’s time, if we sit down here again and talk, the main hope for me is that we have fans who are happy and proud of their club.

“I’d like to think they would have seen positive change. Even when we lose games – which we will – the fans can see a fighting spirit and players that are committed to the shirt.

“Off the pitch, I want us to be more open and have better communication with the fans.

“I would like to see the players having closer contact with the fans, and everyone at the club having stronger communication.

“I think it would be good for us to be playing games in the local area, and not be arrogant when it comes to playing non-league teams around us.

“The main aim for me is to bring happiness to the fans and restore pride. We need people to see the club is coming together.”

It was great to spend 90 minutes getting inside the mind of the Technical Director, but Manga also made it clear he was most happy when he was doing, rather than discussing.

“Anyone can talk, talk, talk. I prefer to focus on working,” he said.

“What is important is what happens out on the pitch, and the pitch speaks no words. I’m open to conversation and communication, but I prefer getting down to work. That is where I am happiest.”