Championship: New Watford boss Oscar Garcia not under pressure to reach play-offs

New Watford boss Oscar Garcia insists he is under no pressure to reach the play-offs this season.

The Spaniard, 41, has taken over a Hornets side second in the Championship after five matches following Beppe Sannino's decision to quit over the weekend.

Club owner Giampaolo Pozzo on Tuesday handed Garcia a one-year deal to replace Sannino, but the former Barcelona player says he has not been set a target of finishing in the top six.

"If he had told me that, I would not be here," said Garcia. "Maybe 20 owners in the Championship are thinking the same.

"We have strength in depth and competition for places and not all the teams have that, but it's a tough league.

"Watford used to finish mid-table, so we want to take the club as far as we can and I will give everything to do this."

Garcia guided Brighton to the play-offs last season but the football did not please everyone at The Amex - a defensively sound side were actually among the lowest scorers in the division.

Finding the net should not be a problem at Vicarage Road, however, with Troy Deeney, Matej Vydra and Fernando Forestieri already among the goals this term.

And with the Hornets currently flying high, Garcia is in no hurry to implement sweeping changes to their style of play.

"I need to change some things slowly because the team is getting good results," he added.

"But normally Watford start well and struggle at the end of the season, so we want to change that, to keep going and to finish well.

"We struggled with strikers at Brighton due to injuries. We had lots of chances but to score was hard. Now at this club I want to improve other things. But I always play attacking football."

Deeney gave the Hornets a huge boost before transfer deadline day when, amid interest from Leicester, Burnley and Swansea, he signed a new long-term contract.

And Garcia admitted: "I'm very pleased about that.

"He's the captain, he's an example of what the club means and he can help me a lot in the dressing room, on the pitch and off the pitch. I am very pleased to have him at the club."