Chris Wilder and Valerien Ismael have polar opposite opinions on their spells at Watford as bosses set for clash

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Chris Wilder and Valerie Ismael had contrasting opinions on their respective times at Watford ahead of the upcoming Sheffield United vs Blackburn Rovers clash.

Sheffield United are set to host Blackburn Rovers this weekend in the final fixture of the regular Championship season.

The Blades beat Stoke City 2-0 last time out on the back of their 2-1 defeat at Turf Moor which killed their automatic promotion hopes, condemning Chris Wilder’s side to third-place.

Eight-place Blackburn are still in contention for a play-off place, but Valerien Ismael’s side must beat the Blades and hope Bristol City, Coventry City and Millwall all drop points on Saturday.

Both Wilder and Ismael have been head coaches at another second tier outfit, for which they had contrasting opinions about the club and their times spent there ahead of this weekend’s meeting.

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Chris Wilder and Valerien Ismael have contrasting opinions on Watford

Between his time at Middlesbrough and return to Sheffield United, Wilder spent a short stint at the helm at Watford, that lasted only two months.

Wilder’s 63-day stint at Vicarage Road was the worst of his managerial career, enjoying only a 27% win rate, losing five of his 11 in charge of the Hornets.

He left Watford at the end of his short-term contract, after replacing Slaven Bilic, and departed with the Hornets finishing the 2022/23 Championship campaign in 11th.

Never one to mince words, still seen this season with referee grudges, Wilder left Watford with some choice words for the players who coached in his two-month tenure and the club’s hierarchy.

Via the Mirror, Wilder said in 2023: “The Premier League with Sheffield United in the second season was tough, but this has been right up there with it.

“I came in with my eyes wide open. I knew there would probably be some petulance at times, I knew there would probably be some indiscipline at times.

“But there were some bits that I found quite surprising in terms of where the players were at,

“There’s a reason why Watford is in the situation it is – and I hope they come out the other side for the sake of the supporters.”

After failing to get a tune out of his Watford squad, boasting the likes of Joao Pedro and Ismaila Sarr, now-Rovers boss Ismael replaced Wilder as the Hornets’ 19th different head coach in less than 11 years.

Ismael lasted longer than Wilder, in charge until March the following year, departing with a 29% win rate in his 41-game tenure.

Ex-Besiktas boss Ismael was sacked following a run of only one win ten league games, which saw Tom Cleverley named as then-interim boss, who remains in charge today but is under pressure.

Now-Rovers boss Ismael was much more complimentary than Wilder was about his time at Vicarage Road. He told Rovers.co.uk: “It was a good time and there was a lot of work to do during that period, but I enjoyed my time there,

“We played some great football and had some great wins, but it was the timing with a bad run and injuries, which was difficult. Overall, it was a great experience at Watford.

“I know a lot about the players who are still there. They have high-quality players and I enjoyed working with them,”

Two contrasting opinions on their spells at Watford, but both bosses who were stung by the Hornets’ managerial revolving door do share one unwanted similarity from their spells at Vicarage Road.

• READ MORE: Chris Wilder eyes double record break for rest of the season

Chris Wilder and Valerien Ismael Watford records compared

Both Wilder and Ismael were victims of the Watford managerial merry-go-round, both lasting less than a full year at the Hornets’ helm, with the bosses’ current sides ironically sitting several places above Watford in the Championship table today.

Before his return to Bramall Lane, Wilder’s 11-game Vicarage Road stint was disastrous, winning just three in charge.

Wilder suffered five defeats, including a derby defeat to arch-rivals Luton Town, which he admitted then: “It was just so limp. We pretty much went out the back door that day.”

Frenchman Ismael would enjoy only a two percent higher win rate than Wilder in 30 more games at the helm.

Ismael may not have had the axe to grind as Wilder did, but both have gone on to enjoy more successful stints in the dugout following their departures from Watford.

Both former Hornets bosses will draw swords at Bramall Lane this Saturday on the final day in a monumental games for Rovers’ play-off push.