Watford boss Flores loving Premier League life

Ian Watson

Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores has spoken of his love for the Premier League.

The Spaniard has so far impressed by swiftly moulding a team from a new-look squad and after 12 league fixtures leading them to 11th in the table.

He has far from guaranteed their participation in the same division next season but for a manager in his first job in England he has so far exceeded expectations – and like many before him has spoken of his affection for the culture surrounding English football.

Other respected European managers including Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez have made no secret of the enjoyment they took from the Premier League, Carlo Ancelotti has recently expressed a desire to return, and Arsene Wenger remains its longest-serving manager.

Sanchez Flores, whose Watford team host Louis Van Gaal’s Manchester United on Saturday, added: “We (foreign managers) love this profession.

“If you love this profession, there are more things to love in England. That’s why.

“It is completely different, I confirm. In what way? There is everything to love. You are able to love everything. The way we are talking now is amazing. You come to the press conference, it is good. Really. It is not the best day in the week – but it is good.

“There is a respect from you (the media) too. You can transmit information to each other – I want to know from you, you want to know from me.

“You want to know a lot of things, not just what happened yesterday and what will happen tomorrow. It is good. But I am not teaching you anything, I am learning from your experience.

“I always thought it would be hard. This league is very tough. What I have proved to myself is that all of the good signals I had from afar were right. They have been confirmed: the respect, the organisation, the tradition, the fair play, the education, the passion. These have been proved to me.

“For me, these give me happiness every day. That is why I have been able to transmit something positive, because I am really happy with everything.

“When you are preparing to be a coach, you expect something like this. But sometimes, unfortunately, in different countries, there is not enough.”