Reading The Signals – Watford 2-0 Rotherham

During a rare inquisitive moment, I found myself driving down the motorway listening to a podcast about ‘Signalling Theory’.

The podcast was a fascinating insight into human communication. The idea that everything we say and do sends a signal, and those most highly attuned are able to manipulate the way signals are sent and recieved. 

Signalling badly could be ‘the tell’ in a poker game, or looking away during a lie. Signalling well could be singing a song to give the world the impression all is well, when that may not be the case.

We’ll return to ‘Signalling Theory’ after I tell you about Watford’s victory over Rotherham at Vicarage Road. Fans were back at either end of the stadium, as two clubs separated by two divisions last season, met as equals in the Championship.

Obviously that is completely untrue, there is nothing equal about the Championship, and Watford’s expected dominance manifested itself speedily. Firstly a Troy Deeney flick was helped home by Christian Kabasele, and then Deeney himself finished after Wes Harding’s awful missed clearance. 

With Watford two up in fifteen minutes, Rotherham boss Paul Warne decided to send striker Kyle Vassell into midfield, helping makeshift left back Ben Wiles deal with Watford dangerman Ismaila Sarr. A clear signal from Warne, that looked to all parties like a white flag being raised rather soon into the battle.

We expected more of the same after the break, but despite not really testing Watford’s ‘Cycling Goalkeeper’ Ben Foster, Rotherham were far more competitive than during their overly cautious first half. The game ended 2-0 to Watford, but the evening’s real lessons were not learned on the pitch, but in the press conference post game. 

The idea of ‘Signalling Theory’ implies some dishonesty on the part of those who are able to exploit it. There was however, no hint of dishonesty, in Watford boss Vladimir Ivic’s demeanour following his side’s victory. To put it plainly, Ivic was furious. He felt his team should have won more convincingly, and his comments about focusing for a full 90 minutes, suggest perhaps he thought some of his players had clocked off a little early in this one.

Ivic clearly wants more from his team, and his record in Greece and Israel suggests he may be able to get it. His demeanour and message seemed very straight forward, leaving no reason to indulge in any ‘Signalling Theory’ to read between the lines.

In stark contrast, the losing manager Warne came bounding into the press conference, confident and full of life. The Rotherham boss is a self confessed Norwich fan, he and I have met previously, and his opening salvo was to make a joke about me being an Ipswich fan, and to jovially remind everyone he had four hours drive home, and the bus was waiting.

I asked Warne if his side were too passive in the first half. He explained away the extremely defensive shape to injuries, and countered the idea of a poor first half by saying ‘he couldn’t be prouder’ of his side’s efforts in the second.

Up he sprang, and left the room loudly singing ‘That’s What Friends Are For’, a mid 80s charity hit, featuring  Watford’s Honorary Life-President, Elton John, who’s picture Warne passed on his way to the waiting bus. 

It doesn’t require a Freudian ability to read human behaviour in order to understand Warne’s post match signals. Through his brash and charismatic positivity and humour, Warne was trying to signal to Rotherham’s players, owners, and fans, that everything is going to be ok. A growing number don’t believe him!

Somewhere in between the complaints of the most pessimistic Millers fan, and Warne’s presentation of this latest defeat, lies the truth, as to where Rotherham are headed. They will either survive and work towards becoming a viable Championship club, or it’ll be a third straight season of relegation at this level.  

With differing expectations, but equal pressure on these two bosses, it will be interesting to see how close each comes to reaching their objectives. Will Ivic’s intense, and icey honesty take Watford up, and will Warne’s enthusiastic positivity keep Rotherham from the drop? 

Keep your eyes on the action on the pitch, the signalling off the pitch, and in time, all will be revealed!

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