Vialli's away day fears

Leo Spall13 April 2012

Watford manager Gianluca Vialli today revealed one of his big fears for his team this season.

Vialli is worried that they will fail to perform at inhospitable grounds in front of small crowds.

When he was manager at Chelsea, poor away form was a key reason for their failure to win the Premiership and internationals such as Marcel Desailly admitted they found it harder to concentrate at less fashionable places such as Bradford.

The 37-year-old Italian has now introduced his own high-profile style at Vicarage Road and is worried that the same problem will return to haunt him this season.

He has brought in players including former Arsenal and Everton midfielder Stephen Hughes, ex-Tottenham and Celtic defender Ramon Vega and Patrick Blondeau from Marseille.

They are used to playing mainly in front of big crowds at top stadiums and the scheduled trips to Grimsby and Walsall are unlikely to hold much appeal.

Vialli, whose team start their season at fellow promotion favourites Manchester City tomorrow, said: "I think a lot of our players belong in the Premiership and they are used to the big stadiums.

"I think they will be able to handle playing at Manchester City.

"I will be more worried when we go to places where the atmosphere might not be so spectacular."

Vialli went on: "I am nervous about the first game. You always have to be, because otherwise it means that you do not care.

"I am also quite curious to see where we stand in coping with the best because we have done a lot of work in the last couple of months, but we might not be at our best yet."

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