Sean Dyche categorically rules out return to former club: ‘Absolutely not’

Watford will look for yet another manager this summer, but there is no chance that Sean Dyche takes the job.

talkSPORT understands the Hornets are set to part company with Ed Still at the end of the 2025/26 season.

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Still replaced Javi Gracia at Vicarage Road in February, but has picked up just three wins in 14 Championship matches.

The Pozzo family bought Watford in 2012 and look set to make their 24th permanent appointment on the touchline.

Dyche was the first managerial departure under the ownership soon after they took over.

He finished 11th in the 2011/12 Championship, which was their highest final standing in four years, but was then replaced by Gianfranco Zola.

On talkSPORT Breakfast, host Jeff Stelling read out all the managers at Watford since Dyche, who was sat alongside him, left 14 years ago.

“Dyche back!” the ex-Watford boss jokingly replied, before being asked if he would return for a second stint.

He replied: “Absolutely not! No chance, what are you talking about?”

Dyche made 78 appearances as a player for Watford from 2002 to 2005, and returned in 2007 as an U18s coach.

Two years later, he took the job as assistant manager to Malky Mackay before replacing him in the hotseat ahead of the 2011/12 campaign.

Dyche reflected on his time at the club, but once again insisted that he has no plans to return as manager.

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“I loved being at Watford, I had a brilliant time as a player there, an assistant manager, youth team coach, manager.

“But no, I wouldn’t, no.”

Dyche’s managerial career so far

After his departure from Watford, Dyche joined Burnley and guided them to promotion to the Premier League in 2013/14.

The Clarets were relegated in their first season but made an instant return to the top flight and remained their for six consecutive years.

Dyche left in April 2022 and spent around nine months away from the touchline before joining Everton.

He steered the Toffees away from Premier League relegation on two occasions, the second of which came amid an eight-point deduction.

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Dyche was dismissed in January 2025, and then Nottingham Forest hired him in October as their replacement for Ange Postecoglou.

However, he spent less than four months at the City Ground, with ten wins coming from a possible 25 in all competitions.

When Igor Tudor left Tottenham Hotspur at the end of March, Dyche was one of the rumoured names to replace him.

But after Roberto De Zerbi was announced as successor, he revealed to talkSPORT that he did not speak to Spurs about the job.