davieG Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Watford manager Gianfranco Zola said his thoughts were with Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson after his side dramatically booked their place in the Championship play-off final. Troy Deeney slammed home the winner in the 97th minute, just 20 seconds after Manuel Almunia had denied Anthony Knockaert from the penalty spot. Deeney's goal secured a 3-1 win on the day, and 3-2 on aggregate, for the Hornets. Zola said the game's events just showed how cruel football could be. "I would like to pay respect to my colleague, Nigel Pearson. He has been a gentleman on and off the pitch so my thoughts go out for him and his team," he said. "I thought both of these two teams deserved to go up, they did very well, and so my thinking is for him right now. "It could have been them, but in the end it was us, so that just shows how cruel it can be sometimes. "Obviously, I am very happy for myself, but I have a lot of respect for Nigel. But I think it would be unfair for my team to lose the game in that fashion." Deeney, who missed the first leg of the play-off after being sent off in Watford's 2-1 defeat to Leeds on the last day of the season, said he knew he had to step up for the second leg. "Without sounding arrogant, I felt I needed to be the man," said Deeney. "A few people told me that big players turn up for big games so, hopefully, I can put myself in that category now." The Watford hero said he felt great sympathy for the defeated City players. "We had that feeling against Leeds, we all felt down. This is even bigger," he said. "Leicester put up a great fight, you can't have a good game without two good sides. "I just felt for them and it's always nice to be gracious in victory." Read more: http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Watford-s-Gianfranco-Zola-shows-respect-Leicester/story-18970861-detail/story.html#ixzz2T9dpV500 Follow us: @thisisleics on Twitter | thisisleicestershire on Facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox92 Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 I saw the post match interviews. Both Zola and Deeney were respectful and positive towards Nige and Leicester City. Fair comments from both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenelgfox Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Yep fair play to both and I hope we would do the same if it was reversed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooseBreath Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 He could hardly say anything else. Deep down I think everyone connected with Watford knows they owe everything to their multi-club player sharing system. Zola has nothing to be proud of and he knows it, the ratty little stinkbomb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Respect to both of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickov22 Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 He could hardly say anything else. Deep down I think everyone connected with Watford knows they owe everything to their multi-club player sharing system. Zola has nothing to be proud of and he knows it, the ratty little stinkbomb. Jesus Christ grow up. I for one applauded Zola off the pitch. We were beaten by the better side. They don't half play some good stuff. Credit where credit is due Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFS Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Ill always remember Zola crying about the playoff system, and now this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooseBreath Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Jesus Christ grow up. I for one applauded Zola off the pitch. We were beaten by the better side. They don't half play some good stuff. Credit where credit is due Not saying we weren't beaten by the better side but Zola can **** up with his patronising 'respect' for us. The simple fact is if it wasn't for watfinese exploiting a loophole they would be a nothing club stuck between league one and two. They couldn't even sell out their three sided 'stadium'. I wouldn't mind losing to a proper football club but losing to that tinpot little udinese outpost makes me sick, and if you're a football fan it should make you sick to. **** off Zola. Come back when you've actually achieved something without cheating you ugly little racoon faced gimp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shen Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Not saying we weren't beaten by the better side but Zola can **** up with his patronising 'respect' for us. The simple fact is if it wasn't for watfinese exploiting a loophole they would be a nothing club stuck between league one and two. They couldn't even sell out their three sided 'stadium'. I wouldn't mind losing to a proper football club but losing to that tinpot little udinese outpost makes me sick, and if you're a football fan it should make you sick to. **** off Zola. Come back when you've actually achieved something without cheating you ugly little racoon faced gimp. And we as a club have never cheated/exploited a loophole (administration springs to mind..) or profited from the fortune of wealthy owners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Libertine Dream Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 I like Zola and like he was a player, he is a better manager than NP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anglodan Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Not saying we weren't beaten by the better side but Zola can **** up with his patronising 'respect' for us. The simple fact is if it wasn't for watfinese exploiting a loophole they would be a nothing club stuck between league one and two. They couldn't even sell out their three sided 'stadium'. I wouldn't mind losing to a proper football club but losing to that tinpot little udinese outpost makes me sick, and if you're a football fan it should make you sick to. **** off Zola. Come back when you've actually achieved something without cheating you ugly little racoon faced gimp. This has the smell of sore loser all over it. I had it myself for a while but managed not to make a gimp of myself They exploited a loophole. Well done to them, I'd imagine the vast majority of football fans who've been upset by this would be more than happy if it worked in their favour. The fact they currently have a smaller fan base than ours has nothing to do with if they are deserving or not of a shot at the Prem. It wasn't that many moons ago we couldn't get over 10K into Filbert Street. If showing humility & respect seems patronising to you then so be it. And whats the personal insults about his looks got to do with anything? You must be one handsome bugger then while you hide behind that keyboard. Show some dignity, show any Watford fans that pass by this board that we can be gracious in defeat. Or just go watch some porn and calm down pal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col city fan Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Top bloke Zola. Exceptional player and a good manager. Also, humble in success.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BlueBrett Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 It's a lot easier to be magnanimous in victory than humble in defeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothin2seehere Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 To be honest, I thought Deeney was bloody superb, and I'd like him in the LCFC squad. Him and Zola both said the right things imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 He's obviously a decent bloke, but he's haunted us both as a player and manager. If only his supporters could show the same grace in victory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miquel The Work Geordie Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Fair play to the pair of them, though I doubt they'd be so amicable towards us had the penalty gone in. Deeney completely bullied us yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Ted Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Yeah, easy to say all that when you've won but they'd have been acting and moaning like cvnts if Knockaert scored. Get fvcked, Zola was acting a **** after the first leg and Deeney is low life scum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manwell Pablo Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Ill always remember Zola crying about the playoff system, and now this. I Doubt he's altered his opinon, let us remember they finished third and would already be up with no play offs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Doctor Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 And we as a club have never cheated/exploited a loophole (administration springs to mind..) or profited from the fortune of wealthy owners? Erm - administration wasn't exploiting a loop-hole, it was us being ****ed financially due to relegation/new stadium/itv digital collapse/dennis wise being a gimp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notnow john Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 It's a lot easier to be magnanimous in victory than humble in defeat. Spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPH Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 Not saying we weren't beaten by the better side but Zola can **** up with his patronising 'respect' for us. The simple fact is if it wasn't for watfinese exploiting a loophole they would be a nothing club stuck between league one and two. They couldn't even sell out their three sided 'stadium'. I wouldn't mind losing to a proper football club but losing to that tinpot little udinese outpost makes me sick, and if you're a football fan it should make you sick to. **** off Zola. Come back when you've actually achieved something without cheating you ugly little racoon faced gimp. Oh come off it ... who are you trying to kid? If we were in that position you wouldn't turn a a player down if he made the team better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 And we as a club have never cheated/exploited a loophole (administration springs to mind..) or profited from the fortune of wealthy owners? That's true, people on here have short memories - or in some cases were perhaps not even old enough to remember Autumn 2002, going into administration et al under Micky Adams' reign in much detail! We got promoted back to the Prem. in our then new stadium with immediate effect as we weren't deducted 10 points for going into administration that season but people like a rival manager Neil Warnock (Colin willy puller!) didn't let us forget about matters in a hurry! It was primarily because that nightmare of a rule was still yet to be brought in thankfully, so we rode our luck on that one! I can't help but think that we used up all of our luck that season though and have been lacking any kind of it ever since then in many ways! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Doctor Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 That's true, people on here have short memories - or in some cases were perhaps not even old enough to remember Autumn 2002, going into administration et al under Micky Adams' reign in much detail! We got promoted back to the Prem. in our then new stadium with immediate effect as we weren't deducted 10 points for going into administration that season but people like a rival manager Neil Warnock (Colin willy puller!) didn't let us forget about matters in a hurry! It was primarily because that nightmare of a rule was still yet to be brought in thankfully, so we rode our luck on that one! I can't help but think that we used up all of our luck that season though and have been lacking any kind of it ever since then in many ways! Erm - 1 Portsmouth 46 +52 98p 2 Leicester City 46 +33 92p 3 Sheffield United 46 +20 80p we still finished more than 10 points clear of Sheff Utd, so still would have gone up automatically if there was a 10 point deduction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanSP Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 They've shown much more respect than some of their dickhead fans. You could tell from both of the recent home matches with Watford that Zola and Pearson get on very well - it's not just a regular handshake pre-match; it's a 'brotherly' embrace and a quick conversation. That to me says that these comments from Zola are true and not just to keep face and reputation. Fair play to Deeney, as well. Much better comments than Chopra made a few years ago! Deeney tore us apart and was definitely the missing link for them in the first half. His presence alone brought the confidence back in Vydra and we couldn't handle it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomtom Posted 13 May 2013 Share Posted 13 May 2013 I Doubt he's altered his opinon, let us remember they finished third and would already be up with no play offs. 3rd place hasn't gained you automatic promotion for many years now, everyone knows at the start of the season that 3rd place gets you a place in the play offs and nothing more, talk of anything else and complaining about the play off system is just pointless , it's like saying you'd of won the league if it was still 2 points for a win or something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.