Damon Lathrope hopes his Watford side will be an “exciting team to watch and an enjoyable team to play for” following his appointment as the Golden Girls’ Head Coach.

Lathrope takes up the number one role after a spell on the team’s coaching staff last term, also spending three years working in the Hornets’ Academy after a playing career which saw him rack up over 250 league appearances.

“I’m really excited and grateful for the opportunity,” said Lathrope. “It’s something I didn’t see myself doing, I’ve been at the club for three years now and I’m really excited to get going in this new role.

“Prematurely, I fell into coaching off the back of my playing career and initially started with Stevenage’s academy. They were really good for me, and gave me an opportunity when I could barely walk. I then helped out at Hitchin Town, and then the opportunity came up to join Watford.

“I’ve been here for three years and absolutely loved it, worked my way up the age groups and here I am now.”

Watford’s squad contains considerable experience alongside plenty of promising youth talents. Lathrope’s time working and playing in academy football will undoubtedly allow the 32-year-old to create a positive environment for the team to thrive in.

“My background working with the Academy and with young players, that’s at the forefront of my mind. It’s something all of us staff are in conversation about and keen to make the most of this year,” Lathrope continued.

“Having experienced players is huge. You’ve got players that know the league probably better than I do, they’ve played at that level and higher, and I want there to be a relationship between players and staff where we can go and seek information from them, and take their opinions seriously.

“For the group that will be with us, they’re goldust when we’re trying to build a positive environment. We’re getting a nice blend and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Lathrope hopes to embed an attitude and style that allows the Hornets to immediately bounce back to the Barclays Women’s Championship, following relegation last term. He recognises the difficult task at hand, but is motivated to create special memories at the club.

“We want to control games,” stated the former midfielder. “We want to have the ball for longer than the opposition, but we really want the players to understand the purpose behind it and that comes down to time on the grass and pre-season. We want to be an exciting team to watch and an enjoyable team to play for.

“The girls we have here are very committed to the cause and we’re all edging towards the same goal.”

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