Championship news: Watford confirm Chris Wilder's future amid 'disrespectful' sacking reports

Football Insider stated this morning that Watford wanted to make “wholesale changes” ahead of next season and that Wilder would lose his job at Vicarage Road after just over a month in the job.

The 55-year-old took the Warford job on March 7 2023 after stints at Middlesbrough and Sheffield United, whom he took to promotion to the Premier League, in recent years.

Football Insider claimed that Watford had made contact with Italian manager Francesco Farioli as they seek replacements to replace Wilder with The Hornets 12th in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League last season.

Warford are six points adrift of the final promotion place with just five matches of their Championship campaign to play. Sunderland are four points away from the play-offs currently and are set to play Watford at the Stadium of Light on April 29.

However, Watford have now moved to clarify their position on Wilder. A club statement read: “The Hornets confirm Chris Wilder will remain the club’s Head Coach until at least the end of the 2022/23 season, as per the terms he and Watford FC agreed upon his appointment in March.”

“The speculation is totally disrespectful to Chris and his staff,” said Watford’s Technical Director Ben Manga.

“As Chris has said after recent games, we are all fully focused on ending the season strongly and pushing as hard as we can while there’s still a chance of making the play-offs.”