"Time for a reality check"

Last updated : 29 March 2006 By Gary Calder

In his weekly email address Golden Boys manager, Aidy Boothroyd takes stock of Watford's current development and reveals the player he has selected most during his twelve months in charge.

At this critical stage of season the football media people are always looking for a story.

One week they are full of articles about us going up automatically, then the next week, after we didn't get the result we wanted, they all say we're heading for the play-offs so its time for a bit of a reality check on how far we've come and to focus on the job in hand – the next six games.

Last Saturday, we were up against a team that came for a point and ended up with all three. I've got no complaints about the result but, as we discussed with the players on Tuesday, we are at a stage where we can beat anybody, including ourselves. The Millwall game was an example of us becoming tense and over-anxious in almost trying too hard to score.

Because of that, we lost our shape and discipline as a team and Millwall were able to take full advantage. As I've said before, it's important to keep doing our jobs individually and collectively.


It doesn't matter if our winning goal comes in the first or 90th minute of a game we have to grind out results through professional performances. We've been doing that all season and we have to keep on like that.

It was a year ago today that I arrived at Watford and I've had a wonderful time over the last 12 months. I've thoroughly enjoyed working with the players and staff and meeting you, the fans, on a regular basis. Long may it continue!

I think the progress we've made in the last year can be summed up by looking at the player who's made most appearances since I arrived – Lloyd Doyley.

He was an 'in and out' squad player but has now become our top right back, keeping someone of James Chambers' calibre out of the team. Lloyd is dependable, honest and desperate to get better as a player. He would encompass the type of character that we want at this club.

Now our focus turns to Crystal Palace on Friday. It is the fourth time we've been on live television this season compared with only two last year – another mark of how far we've come in the short last 12 months. As always, I'm all about building things - we set up with a five-year plan and I'm sticking to it. Friday night's game is all part of that long term plan to get to where we deserve to be.

We look forward to your continued support at Selhurst Park.

See you on Friday,

Come On!

Reproduced with thanks to the official site, watfordfc.com