The disconnect between stone-faced Walter Mazzarri and Watford fans seems a distant memory after new head coach Marco Silva proclaimed building a relationship between himself and the club's fanbase was the "most important" connection to construct.

While results ultimately told for Mazzarri last season and a 17th-placed finish cost him his job, Hornets CEO and chairman Scott Duxbury made clear he and the club's board had been disappointed with the poor, if not non-existant bond forged between the stands and the dugout.

That Silva speaks English already gets him off to a better start than his predecessor, but so too has the feisty, almost aggressive Italian hallmark been replaced by a moderately softly spoken, polite and charming new persona.

And that is not by coincidence; at his first press conference yesterday, Silva himself showed how easily he understands the importance of a united unit - and considers fostering a relationship with the Vicarage Road support a priority.

"For me, it’s the most important thing - really," he said. "The connection between the team and the fans is the most important.

"Sometimes, it’s possible that we have a lot of quality but if the connection doesn’t happen in the most difficult days, we will have problems. When you have a lot of connection between the players, the manager and the fans - it is amazing.

"They will help us. When you have problems in certain times of the game, and it’s really important. We had a fantastic day at the community day with the kids, and it’s very important to me.

"What I felt the first moments when I came here to the Premier League last season, was I liked the feeling between the club and the fans.

"Here, I know our fans believe in the team and want to support the taem, and we want to keep this relationship. It is amazing. If they come to support us here, it will make us stronger. I am sure about that."