Hornets first team coach Billy McKinlay revealed Watford boss Oscar Garcia was passing down little messages to his coaching staff from the directors box during the Golden Boys’ 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers.

The Spaniard was not on the touchline as he continues to fully recover from chest pains he suffered 13 days ago.

But he was at Ewood Park and watched his side let a two-goal lead at half time – given to them by Matej Vydra and Daniel Tozser – slip in the second period.

McKinlay said Oscar didn’t take the pre-match team talk or speak to the players at the break.

However, he explained: “He was in contact during the game with little messages.

“I saw him at the end of the game and he was pleased with some aspects of the game and there were things he believed we could do better.”

McKinlay added he didn’t know much influence the Hornets head coach had on substitutions as he and fellow assistant coaches Ruben Martinez and Javier Pereira “were all in agreement about what needed to be done”.

Garcia returned to the Hornets’ training ground on Thursday and McKinlay stated the head coach spoke to his players yesterday.

He said: “Oscar just came in to tell the players he was back. The coaching staff there had been doing the majority of the work and he was happy to leave it to them. They are two guys (Martinez and Pereira) he trusts explicitly.”

The Scotsman did not know whether the Spaniard would take training tomorrow or the team for Tuesday’s Championship clash with Brentford at Vicarage Road but added he "hoped" Oscar would be in the dug-out in three days time.

McKinlay only joined the Hornets yesterday and he had only had a couple of chats with Oscar prior to the trip to Blackburn.

He said he is looking forward to working with the former Barcelona midfielder and added: “Everyone is desperate to get him back and he is well on the road to recovery and we are looking forward to getting back in there before the game on Tuesday.

“He is fine and the quicker we get him back the better.”

Click here to read McKinlay's views on the 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers and a match report can be found here.