Big-mouthed Deeney lasted just six games as manager – Soccernet.ee

Forest Green Rovers, who are in bottom place in England’s fourth division, have let go of manager Troy Deeney. The man who constantly criticized his players in the media lasted just six games in his first job, writes Fabrizio Romano.

The former Watford striker, who scored 47 goals in 165 Premier League appearances, joined Forest Green as manager last August. He played 18 games and recorded four hits. On December 20, when former head coach David Horseman was fired, Deeney hung up his boots and became a coach himself.

Deeney had three draws and three losses as head coach. In the 29 December defeat against Swindon Town, he was sent off in the 85th minute for using “inappropriate, abusive and/or threatening language” towards the referee. On Thursday, the English Football Association (FA) announced that 35-year-old Deeney had been banned from coaching for four matches and fined almost €1,700.

Just days before the FA penalty, Deeney publicly criticized his right-back Fankaty Dabo following the defeat. “Dabo was bad and terrible again,” he said For BBC Radio Gloucestershire. “I just told him he won’t play the next game.”

Deeney continued: “He hasn’t been good enough for the last eight or nine weeks. Why do you think he’s been benched? I just told him in front of everyone that six months ago he had a chance in the Premier League, now he wouldn’t even play in the National League ‘is (in the English fifth division – MS), so me or him? He’s faster than everyone, but he invests in every game. When the ball arrives, he never tries to take it away from him. It’s as if he hits the ball with his full-backs.”

Besides Dabo, other players have also received criticism. After a loss, Deeney said it’s hard to do anything against a team that blames everyone but itself.

Deeney is remembered by many football fans thanks to the 2013 English Premier League playoff– for the semi-final replay. In the last minutes of the match, when the score was 2:2, Leicester City player Anthony Knockaert earned a penalty and began to take it himself. If he had scored, Leicester would have reached the final, but Watford’s cage was blocked by Manuel Almunia. The yellow shirts then move on to the counterattack which is finished by Deeney. However, Watford lost to Crystal Palace in the final.

🚨🌳 Troy Deeney has been sacked as Forest Green manager after six games, a decision made.

It was Deeney’s first experience as a coach. pic.twitter.com/1eU9sl3LKR
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 18, 2024