The 56-year-old will take charge of the team ahead of a trip to Liverpool next weekend then a subsequent match at home to Manchester United
Watford have confirmed that Nigel Pearson will take over as the club’s head coach.
The 56-year-old former Leicester City boss replaces Quique Sanchez Flores, who was already the Hornets’ second manager of the year, having replaced Javi Gracia after he was sacked in September.
Sanchez Flores, meanwhile, lasted only 90 days in the post before losing his job at a club renowned for their rapid turnover in the dugout.
Pearson, who was out of work following his sacking from Belgian outfit OH Leuven in February, has a contract until the end of the season. He has not managed in the Premier League since being jettisoned by the Foxes in 2015.
A statement from the club reads: “The Hornets are pleased to confirm the appointment of Nigel Pearson as Head Coach on a contract that runs initially until the end of this season.
Click Here: liverpool mens jersey“The 56-year-old will take up his post after the weekend, with Hornets’ Under-23s coach Hayden Mullins remaining in interim charge for Watford’s Premier League home fixture against Crystal Palace tomorrow (Saturday December 7).
“Pearson has a wealth of managerial experience. He drove a successful bid for post-promotion Premier League survival with a run of seven victories in nine games at the end of the 2014/15 campaign, having secured his side a top-flight place during the previous season.”
Watford chairman Scott Duxbury was pleased to get the deal over the line, stating: “Nigel is an impressive coach and comes with all of the experience and success we believe can have a very positive impact on our season.
“It’s been a pleasure spending time listening to the passion with which he talks about the game. His enthusiasm, organisation and motivation will I’m certain prove essential in driving the team forwards and upwards over the coming weeks and months.”
Watford find themselves bottom of the Premier League standings, having won only one of their opening 15 matches of the campaign, netting a mere nine goals in the process.
They are in the midst of a three-match losing sequence, having gone down successively to Burnley, Southampton and Leicester.
A testing December looms, with Liverpool away and Manchester United at home the first games that Pearson will directly oversee.