Watford manager Roy Hodgson is happy counting on long-time assistant Ray Lewington at Vicarage Road.

The pair have been reunited after Hodgson took the manager's job last week.

He told the club's website: “We believe we have something to offer in terms of coaching, our ability to organise a team and man-manage players, we believe in that. I've got no idea how that's going to go down with this particular group of players because I don't know enough about them, we have to find that out and do the very best we can to bring the players along with us and buy the message we're selling.

“We believe strongly we have a good message to sell, and if we're lucky the players will also think it's a good message and we'll be able to bring about the changes we'd like to bring. That's no reflection on anyone who has come before, but if you've got a clear philosophy about how you want your team to play, it takes some time to sell that philosophy.

“Both Ray and I are very encouraging coaches, we coach more by saying 'well done', than 'that's something you shouldn't do'."