The misunderstanding of exactly what is happening at Watford remains. The ill-informed comments regarding “all the loan players going back” in the summer and the Hornets “not having a squad for next season even if they are promoted” continues.

Having a Premier League legend in charge of the Golden Boys has increased the club’s exposure and a sustained promotion push means Watford are often talked about in the national newspapers and online.

Yet for all the column inches and ‘expert’ analysis, the Pozzos’ strategy and transfer policy at Vicarage Road is still largely misunderstood.

In an age where football clubs’ futures are put at risk at all levels of the game with gross over-spending, the Pozzos’ plan to run sustainable businesses whilst challenging for promotion is ignored – instead the focus is shifted to their recruitment policy.

The ethical and practical merits of Watford’s controversial recruitment policy is a discussion for another time but the commonly-held perception that loan players like Almen Abdi and Matej Vydra do not care about Watford and will head back to Udinese or Granada in the coming weeks is wrong.

On the whole, loan players return to their parent clubs so you can understand why the assumption is made – despite the Hornets’ owner, chief executive, technical director, head coach and players all stating that the majority of the summer arrivals from Udinese and Granada consider themselves to be Watford players and want to stay.

Daniel Pudil is arguably the best example of what is happening at Watford and someone who would probably make the critics rethink, even if only slightly.

Pudil arrived on loan from Granada in the summer, immediately moved into a flat near the town centre with his long-time partner Veronica and their son Danny and the trio quickly became a part of the local community.

Their two-and-a-half year old son is always in his Hornets kit – Twitter is full of pictures of the little boy in the yellow of Watford – and whilst Veronica initially fancied the warmth of Spain and parent club Granada, the whole family thoroughly enjoy living in the area and have no intention of leaving the club at the end of Pudil’s current year-long loan – regardless of what division the Golden Boys are playing in next season.

“It’s definitely not the case; I would like to think everyone can see we care about the club,” Pudil responded.

“We are here for one reason – because we want to play in the Premier League with Watford.

“I’m sure everyone who is here would love to stay next season even if we stay in the Championship because it’s a really nice club, there are nice supporters, it’s like a family and everyone feels great here.

“I love it here, I really do love it,” Pudil continued.

“After the games you go for dinner with your family and then you think about the supporters – they celebrate every win, every goal, every corner.

“Even if we lose the game they are still supportive and they still believe in us.

“So I think we have to say thanks to them and hopefully in the last game they will help us like they have throughout the season.”

After Watford’s memorable semi-final victory over Leicester City, the British-based players probably knew avoiding the town centre was a good idea but a selection of the foreign imports, namely Pudil, Vydra, Fernando Forestieri and Cristian Battocchio, went for a meal in one of their favourite restaurants in the town centre.

It resulted in the players being lifted in the air by supporters after they went to thank the fans for chanting their names and the players ended the night behind one of the town’s bars.

Pudil explained: “That was a really great feeling; we wanted to show them that we are not just loan players but we care about the club and we care about the supporters.

“We spent almost the whole evening with the supporters and we celebrated with them.

“We are very proud of them as well and hopefully they can see we care about the club.”

Watford have yet to open talks with most of the squad regarding their futures but Pudil is hopeful a permanent switch will be agreed.

He said: “Right now everyone is focused on the last game, the last step, and I’m sure afterwards there will be time to sort out everything else.

“I spoke with my agent and I said I was looking forward to staying with Watford. My first priority is Watford and I hope we can find a solution so I can stay here.”

Pudil has won the Czech and Belgian league titles in the past, has played in the Champions League and was extremely unfortunate to miss out of the Czech Republic Euro 2012 squad, having been included in the initial group.

However, he said: “I have played games in the Champions League and international games but I think this is going to be the best game of my life.

“I think it will be the biggest in my career.”

It looks set to be a fight between Pudil and Fulham loanee Matthew Briggs for the left wing-back position on Monday but the Czech defender stressed “it doesn’t matter who is going to play in the game as long as we get promoted to the Premier League”.

Pudil has played in some big venues during his career, including Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, but he has yet to play at Wembley.

“I remember when I was with Matej [Vydra] one time, we went past Wembley on the train and he said it would great to be able to play a game at Wembley and now we are there. It’s a great feeling and we will see how it pans out,” Pudil said.

Vydra lived with Pudil and his family initially following their arrival in the summer and now the striker has his own flat below his fellow countryman in the same block near Watford Met tube station.

Pudil, 27, often acts as Vydra’s translator and provided the young striker with reassurance during his recent 12-game goal drought.

“Before the last game I just told him to go on the pitch and when the ball comes don’t think about anything just shoot and for sure you will score – the first goal was unbelievable; it was the best goal of the year,” Pudil said.

Now Vydra could help repay Pudil for all of his assistance in the last year by playing a crucial role in the defender fulfilling a childhood dream.

Pudil said: “This is my dream. I’ve always wanted to play in the Premier League and that’s why I came to Watford, to get promoted to the Premier League.

“Now we have the chance to go up and I am sure everyone will do everything they can to make it happen. I think everyone is confident, that’s why we are in the final,” he continued.

“Now we are just looking for the win; there is nothing else that matters so it’s about staying focused, keeping our concentration on the pitch and if we play a good game then we should be the better team.

“Of course we can lose, it’s football, but we have to do everything we can to win the game and if they do better than us then we will shake their hands and look forward to next season.”