Troy Deeney says Quique Sanchez Flores is the best he has worked with and believes his qualities as a person have made him an instant success at Watford.

The Spaniard was handed the unenviable task of trying to piece together a side in order to avoid an instant return to the Championship, with 15 new signings to integrate, when he succeeded Slavisa Jokanovic at the beginning of June.

But the Spaniard has quickly stamped his mark on the Hornets and with 13 games gone the Golden Boys are seven points clear of the Premier League relegation zone, even after successive defeats against Leicester City and Manchester United.

Flores has won many plaudits following Watford’s fine start back in the top tier with the BBC’s Match of the Day pundit Ian Wright labelling him “the new sheriff in town” following victory at Stoke City.

And Deeney believes the reason the former Atletico Madrid and Valencia coach has enjoyed such a promising start to life in England is his personality.

“It’s just how good he is as a person,” explained Deeney. “I am not going to say it isn’t to do with his management skills because how he is as a person feeds into them.

“He can have serious conversations with you and he can have a laugh with you. But you always know he is the boss.

“He keeps you so close so you feel like you would do anything for him but he can also say ‘you’re not doing that right…you need to do something extra’.

“I’ve said it before. He is the best I’ve worked with. As an overall package, as a manager and person, he is very good.”

Flores is the eighth manager or head coach Deeney has worked under at Vicarage Road in five years. But he is not the first to enjoy a good relationship with the striker.

Gianfranco Zola was “excellent” with Deeney after the striker was released from prison after serving three months of a sentence for affray.

“When I had an electronic tag he gave me time to train,” explained Deeney. “When I wasn’t doing well I had good times with Malky Mackay and I got on very well with Sean Dyche too.

“He (Dyche) challenged me as a man which helped me to where I am at the moment.”

Asked why the Hornets have been able to make an encouraging start at a higher level, Deeney laid the credit at the Flores’ door.

“Hard work. Organisation. Belief in one and other and belief in the manager,” he explained.

“Simplicity works for us. Some people have questioned why we are playing long ball sometimes but it is effective.”

The Hornets have been more direct under Flores than recent head coaches but Deeney is adamant Watford’s style bears no resemblance to Wimbledon of the ‘Crazy Gang’ era when the Dons were famed for their direct brand of football under Joe Kinnear.

“We play good football and what we would call sensible football. It has been productive,” he said.