Rob Edwards reflects on Watford sack before leading rivals Luton to playoffs
Hot, bothered and lost in the maze of terraced houses, littered alleyways and urban dilapidation, Rob Edwards was desperate not to be noticed.
As the new head coach of Watford, he had a spare Saturday afternoon to run the rule over future opponents at Kenilworth Road, home of arch-rivals Luton Town, and anonymity was the best policy. Edwards was not the first person to lose his bearings at a time-warp stadium which could be hosting Premier League football next season.
But he is the first manager Hatters have taken to their hearts after accepting him as a cast-off from the old enemy. Neil McBain, in the 1930s, is the only other person to have managed both clubs.
Edwards, binned by the Hornets after just two League defeats – after being assured by the hierarchy he would be backed “come hell or high water” - will have the last laugh if he leads Luton to promotion after slipping into the hot-seat vacated by Nathan Jones. And he has no need to keep his head down at the 'Kenny' any more, unlike his early-season scouting mission in hostile territory.
“It was the hottest day of the year, Luton were playing Preston and Watford had played the night before because we were live on Sky,” said Edwards ahead of his side's Championship play-off semi-final date with Sunderland.
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“I remember wondering if I could get away with wearing shorts in the directors' box because it was red-hot, and after parking up I somehow missed the main reception. Obviously there were a lot of Luton fans around, and as the Watford manager I thought, 'I could be in trouble here if anyone clocks me.'
“So I'm walking around with my head down, going through a few gardens and up the alley that goes down the back of the stand, and I'm right in the mix, hoping not to be recognised. Believe it or not, I did that alleyway twice before I found the right entrance.
Edwards was sacked by Watford after just 10 games before sparking the Hatters' promotion push (Dave Shopland/REX/Shutterstock)“But it's a unique stadium, an amazing place, and my staff and I felt at home as soon as we arrived. I felt so much love and a connection straight away, which is amazing because it was a big concern coming from Watford only five or six weeks before, and taking over from Nathan Jones, someone who had been a giant for this club with the promotions he'd won.
“So, yes, I was concerned, but thankfully it's gone well.”
Edwards has enjoyed a happy ending in the gut-wrenching tension of the play-offs before, pacing up and down the Wembley touchline for the last 10 minutes, pretending to warm up but only trying to release nervous energy, as an unused sub when Blackpool were promoted in 2010.
Watford's poor treatment of a head coach who had walked out on Forest Green Rovers 12 months ago was exacerbated by their tailspin into mid-table irrelevance. Edwards, who turned 40 on Christmas Day, was left hoping for another gig when he was absurdly chewed up and spat out at Vicarage Road.
He didn't expect to land a well-drilled team who could hit the £180 million jackpot eight months later.
If he is bitter about Watford's indecent haste to sack him, he doesn't show it, saying: “It all happened pretty suddenly but I don't think anyone was that surprised. I felt as safe as houses. I thought yeah, come on, we're going to get this thing running. I knew I was going to get sacked - I just didn't know it would be after 10 League games.
“I believe in myself and the staff round me, and you can only hope to get back in quickly, but you can't go round thinking, 'I'll get another job which will take me to the play-offs.' It does knock your confidence, but it's nice to prove to a few people that I can do the job.
Luton finished third in the Championship and will now try their luck in the playoffs (Getty Images)“From the first team meeting we had here, we spoke about promotion and we've talked about it every day since then.”
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Luton's twin strikers Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo are a force to be reckoned with. “Because of their physicality, they are difficult to play against – and it doesn't matter who you are,” said Edwards. But the key to their second successive appearance in the play-offs has been a unity of purpose, a team whose total value is far beyond the sum of their parts.
Edwards has been tapping up fellow managers, including his old Tangerines boss Ian Holloway and Nottingham Forest's Steve Cooper, for tips on handling the high-wire drama of the play-offs.
Elijah Adebayo (L) has proved a real handful in the Hatters' attack this season“With Steve, I was keen to find out how he went about it last season because he's been to three play-offs in a row, and he was really helpful about the organisation – little things like making sure the tickets are sorted early,” said the Hatters messiah. “And I had a good hour on the phone with 'Ollie' to pick his brains about how to manage this period, keeping the players fit and fresh, and it's always a fascinating conversation with him.
“I remember when we got promoted with Blackpool, and we needed to win our last game of the season at Old Trafford to stay up, his speech before the game was incredible. I remember it made me feel like I wanted to run through a brick wall for him, and I asked him afterwards if he planned it or just spoke off the cuff.
“It did the trick because we took the lead, but unfortunately it just made United angry and we couldn't quite get over the line.
“I won't try and copy Ian Holloway because he's unique. I'll just have to be me.”
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