Being the fourth head coach of a club in the last 13 months would probably prompt media questions anyway, but when it’s Watford it’s a given.

Such has been the Hornets penchant for a change of leader regularly over the last 10+ years that any new head coach at Vicarage Road can expect a few questions about job security.

And so it was when Valerien Ismael faced the press ahead of today’s season opener against QPR.

“I have no more pressure than is normal,” he said.

“As you saw last season, everywhere around the world in the big leagues including the Premier League, clubs change manager.

“I think this sort of pressure is not only on Watford, I think it’s everywhere.

“I feel confident here. I’m exactly where I want to be. The work with the board, the squad, the people around the club is excellent so far.

“We have worked in pre-season, now we have 46 league games and we have to put the input that started from day one onto the pitch 46 times.”

It was suggested by one journalist that coming to Watford was something of a recovery mission for Ismael, given he left his last job in England, at West Brom, midway through a season

“It’s not recovery, that’s just your point of view,” he commented.

“If you see my statistics at West Brom they were not that bad as I’ve heard people say.

“In my point of view it was a good job because you’ve seen what’s happened after I left.

“Now I’m focussed on Watford to make sure that we start well and we continue to improve. The Championship is a long run but we are all on the same page, from the board to the players and everyone in the club.

“Everyone was willing to change some things and I am exactly where I wanted to be. The board gave me the feeling that I am the right manager for the club, and we took the decisions all together. They gave me the feeling this club is right for me.”

Then Ismael was asked if he would employ the same direct, ‘long ball’ tactics as he did when he took Barnsley to the play-offs in 2021.

“Did you do your job? Did you see any games with me at Besiktas or from Watford in pre-season?” was the reply.

“Barnsley was a different situation, now we are faced with another different situation. If you had seen a lot of games then you see it is very different.

“It depends on the players and their qualities, assessing the squad you have and trying to play the best way.

“We have changed shape and the way we want to play, and you will see the intensity which is really what you need.

“But it’s all about the squad you have. Here we have a good squad, who can do everything I want to do.

“We’ve got the quality and the experience in the squad as well, but it’s a new start from inside the club and we could see the change that was needed.

“We have made big cuts in the squad and we made it clear from day one that it will boil down to making the effort on the pitch and creating a togetherness.

“In the Championship, it’s not always the best team which goes up. It is the team with a big mentality, with togetherness. That is what we need to create.

“We’ve made a good start in the seven weeks of pre-season. Now it’s all about the games. Every game you win will create more, and cement, the belief among the players.

“The truth will be seen out on the pitch now.”

With former Premier League winners Leicester City and old Division One champions Leeds United joining Southampton in being relegated last season, the Championship looks at least as difficult as it ever has.

“I think when you look at Southampton, Leicester and Leeds, and you see the squads they have and the value of the players, then for them there is no other possibility but to be in the top two,” said Ismael.

“But they will need to adapt to the Championship as well. They will need to understand it, especially those players who came down from the Premier League and have never played in the Championship. This league is ruthless.

“I think Watford experienced that last season.

“Now that’s an advantage for us because that big pressure is no longer on our shoulders. But we have our own pressure inside because we want to compete, and we know exactly what we are able to do.

“This season in the Championship is a special one.

“The quality of the squads is definitely much higher, the level of the players and the level of the games will rise.

“We have some new rules, like the multiball, which will keep the ball in play longer and increase the intensity.

“Teams in the division this season will play much more football. I think the league will change, and it’ll be fantastic for the fans.

“It’s going to be difficult for everyone to reach their goals, but it’s a long run and the main rule in the Championship is anyone can beat anyone.

“Luton got to the Premier League last season, Coventry were in the play-off final. Nobody expected that, and this is the beauty of this league.

“You have to take games one by one, stay focused and do your job.”

On that subject, when Ismael was asked if having five of the first seven league games at home meant the Hornets might be able to make a flying start, the Watford head coach wasn’t getting carried away.

“Yes – let’s just take it one by one,” he said.

“It’s fair enough to say that, but if you see the schedule in January we are playing every game away.

“Let’s take games one by one. On paper it looks good to start like that, but on the pitch is another matter.”