The Swansea City manager is an unpopular figure at Vicarage Road having quit the club after a little over six months to take charge at Reading.<\/p>\n
But that is now behind him and he is taking his Swans to the ground where they last tasted a league victory on the road – back in March.<\/p>\n
He told Wales on Sunday: \u201cIt was unfortunate the way it ended with Watford.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy gut feeling at the time was to leave, but there is no doubt, when I look back in hindsight that I shouldn\u2019t have.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always wanted to go to a club that was going to give me a chance as a manager. Watford did that. They gave me the opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t make a really good start there and the club was a bit broken.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt took a bit of time for my methods to get across and for us to get results, but I was able to pull it all back in together as a one-club mentality.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that was my sadness. There were a couple of comments in the press which were obviously misconstrued and left me in a worse light than it actually was.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was the disappointment of giving the supporters hope that they had someone in charge who was going to be in the job for two, three or four years to help them grow again.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey loved my style of football and the way we were playing. We were going from strength to strength, but then all of a sudden I went.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fans probably felt I had let them down and I can totally understand that. I have met many Watford supporters and had many letters thanking me, but it didn\u2019t fit well with some and I can understand their feelings.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I wouldn\u2019t have left for any other club than Reading, a club I knew well, where I\u2019d lived for 21 years, where my children were and it was a real heart pull on me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually had key people from within the club saying that I couldn\u2019t pass this opportunity up. So I went with no regrets at the time. Then there was the backdrop with the comments which I didn\u2019t make and that fuelled the supporters.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I look back now and realise it wasn\u2019t the right thing to do, even if it has made me a better manager.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t go back there with Reading, but in the home game there was a lot of tension and I had a 24-hour bodyguard.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was told there was a threat against my life from the fans coming to the ground. I only found out on the Thursday before the game when the local police warned the club there was something happening so they brought in security.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not me. I\u2019m a guy who works openly with people and the decision was a gut feeling at the time.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, all that aside, I have nothing but great memories of Watford.\u201d<\/p>\n