Stylish Hungarian midfielder Daniel Tozser insists Watford have no fear of the Premier League and even believes they will flourish in the top tier.
The Golden Boys will compete in the top flight of English football for the first time in eight years next season after finishing as runners-up to Bournemouth in the Championship standings.
Just five members of the Hornets’ current squad – Heurelho Gomes, Craig Cathcart, Matej Vydra, Lloyd Dyer and Ben Watson – have experience of playing in the Premier League.
However, ten players have played in either the Champions League or Europa League and Tozser insists with the calibre of player available to the club, the Golden Boys have nothing to fear.
Speaking at the open-top bus parade to celebrate promotion, the Hungarian reasoned: “Football suits good players and we have a lot of good players. So we have no fear of playing in the Premier League.
“In the Championship it is sometimes harder to play passing football, especially for a team like Watford who dominate most of the ball.
“We will need different characteristics in the Premier League because we will have to defend more. It is important we do what we have to do to stay up.”
He added: “It is a fantastic competition and I think our team is ready to compete there. Of course some people will leave and some players will come but I am sure if we keep the core of this team we will have a fantastic season.”
Tozser, 30, returned to Vicarage Road on an initial two-year loan deal from Parma last season after impressing during a six-month spell on loan from Italian side Genoa in 2014.
The Magyar, who lists Debrecen, Ferencvaros, AEK Athens and Genk among his former employers, knows Watford are likely to recruit further quality during the summer.
And that is a point underlined by last week’s capture of former Europa League runner-up and 49-cap Austrian international, Sebastian Prodl.
The towering centre-half might not be a direct rival for Tozser’s starting berth but the rangy midfielder is still adamant the current crop of players are more than good enough to hold their own amongst the elite of English football.
He stated: “There will be moves for sure; it is normal. When you get promotion you need some real quality players in the team.
“But you never know what will happen. If they kept the same team I would be 100 per cent confident.”
Promotion to the Premier League has been the stated aim of owner Gino Pozzo since he and his father Gianpaolo completed his purchase of the Hertfordshire outfit from Laurence Bassini in 2012.
After coming up short to finish 13th in 2013/14, the expectation was only heightened when the players returned to pre-season training a little over 12 months ago under the since departed head coach Beppe Sannino.
Time waits for no man though, and Tozser is already looking to next season and the chance to mix it with the likes of Yaya Toure, Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic.
“We have to work even harder than last season,” explained Tozser. “It will be another type of football and it will be a very tough pre-season.”
The Hornets on-loan midfielder added: “I came to Watford to get promotion; like Troy (Deeney) would say in the dressing room it is job done. Now we need to look at next season.”
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