Zola deserves respect after Watford resignation

Credit where credit is due, Gianfranco recognised his own limitations and did the decent thing, leaving with dignity rather than waiting for the Board to sack him.

And his dismissal was never going to come easy. Duxbury, Nani and Zola are an unholy alliance and there would have been a real reluctance to stab Gianfranco in the back. So, I suspect that rather than playing the Brutus role, Consiglieri Duxbury paid him a visit in the exercise yard, offered him a cigarette, talked about the good old days, honour and the Family and then reminded him what the Romans did to avoid disgrace. Flying home to Sardinia is preferable to opening your wrists in a warm bath!

So, the local horses have been spared and a fishing trip on Tolpits Lake has been avoided.

The hope now is that Zola will face up to his limitations and become what he should always have been, a coach at a big club blessed with players with the talent to put into practise what Zola preaches. Who knows, he may one day rise to the role of Assistant Manager at a top club, whilst coaching the Italian national team may not be beyond him into the future.

But managing a club? Sadly Zola is a square peg in a round hole.

But Watford's troubles aren't over yet. There's still the little matter of the Laurel & Hardy combination of Scotty Duxbury and Gianfilthylucre Nani!

Still, young Savio hasn't been signed for £9m - yet!