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Merit for Jay after USA displays
The beginning of July marks the start of pre-season training for Watford but it has already been a busy summer for the club and its players both home and abroad.
Following the departure of Brendan Rodgers to Reading and the ascendancy of Malky Mackay from coach to manager in mid-June, the Scot has now assembled a backroom staff to support him in his work.
Mackay's new assistant will be Sean Dyche after he was promoted from his role working with the club's academy and reserve teams
Former Hornet Dyche acted as Mackay's right-hand man during his five-game spell in charge in November last year, prior to the appointment of Brendan Rodgers as manager.
Having performed the role under Colin Calderwood at Nottingham Forest, David Kerslake has joined the Hornets as the club's new first team coach.
Kerslake turned out for Tottenham, QPR and Swindon during his playing days, and Mackay feels that the former defender possesses the necessary skills to take over his old job.
Hornets legend Alec Chamberlain remains the club's goalkeeping coach, while Martyn Pert rejoins Watford as head of conditioning after leaving the club in December 2008.
Pert has worked abroad, with Miami Heat Basketball amongst others, and will be in charge of ensuring that the Hornets are physically sound come the start of the season.
Richard Collinge becomes head of medical after Andy Rolls' recent departure.
Back on the pitch, and club captain Jay DeMerit could not prevent USA from losing to Brazil in the final of the Confederations Cup, after heroically helping them battle past European Champions Spain in the semi-final.
A 2-0 victory over a full-strength Spanish outfit included a gallant display from DeMerit and his central defensive partner Oguchi Onyewu, with Jozy Altidore and Fulham's Clint Dempsey grabbing the all-important goals.
After stifling the world-class Spanish frontline of Fernando Torres and David Villa, DeMerit and Onyewu were heralded worldwide, with a prominent Barcelona daily labelling the Hornet defender's performance as "superb".
Goals from Dempsey and Landon Donavan inside 27 minutes set the US on their way to another potential shock against Brazil in the final.
The Brazilians had routed DeMerit and his team mates 3-0 in the group stages but the first-half in the championship game proved to be a vastly different affair.
However a second half comeback inspired by two goals from Luis Fabiano pulled the score level before captain Lucio headed in the winner with six minutes remaining to hand Brazil a 3-2 win and the trophy.
It was a tale of good and bad for Hornets number one Scott Loach as he played the entire 90 minutes in England Under 21's 4-0 defeat to Germany in the Under 21's European Championship final.
The Germans dominated the encounter from start to finish but a bad mistake from Loach gifted a second goal to the opposition.
Although Loach will have been disappointed to see four goals go past him, some poor defending and ball retention from Stuart Pearces' men meant the 21-year-old had a difficult task ahead of him.
The international exploits of both DeMerit and Loach will come as valuable experience for both players and for Watford in the forthcoming season, but it is likely both will be given time to rest before returning to pre-season training with the rest of the squad.
The Hornets' first pre-season friendly is at Borehamwood FC on July 11 before the squad complete their summer preparations against former UEFA Cup winners Parma at Vicarage Road on August 1.
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Weather for Hemel Hempstead
Saturday 26 May 2012
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