Watford boss targets Premiership

By Jonathan Stevenson

Boothroyd left his job as Leeds coach to join Watford

Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd says he wants to lead the club into the promised land of the Premiership.

Boothroyd took over as Hornets boss in March and kept them in the Championship but he has set his sights on promotion.

"We're trying to create an environment and a team that's sustainable for a long time and eventually gets us into the Premiership," he told BBC Sport.

"If it happens this season great, but if it doesn't we'll keep pushing until we get our place in the promised land."

He added: "There are a lot of big teams in the Championship this season, I think the standard will improve from last time around.

"There are quite a few who seem desperate to get back into that Premiership and a few others who think they've a good chance of getting there for the first time too.

"But we're a progressive club, we're building and we're moving forward. We are signing attack-minded players and that should send out a statement as to what we're trying to achieve."

It would have been easy to turn the job down but it's a terrific challenge Adrian Boothroyd

Boothroyd, 34, was a huge surprise when he was named as Ray Lewington's successor in March, with the Hornets struggling to avoid the drop to League One.

But the former Leeds coach says he had no hesitation in taking the job and cannot wait for the challenge that lies ahead.

"I guess you live your life in a certain way and I've never been a shrinking violet. You take new challenges on in the hope that you will grow from them," he said.

"It would have been easy to turn the job down because they were in danger but as far as I'm concerned it's a terrific challenge and the players did well to get us out of trouble.

"Now we move forward, we have a clean slate, some players have come in and pre-season training is going well."

Boothroyd has so far signed Jordan Stewart and Martin Devaney and is lining up a move for Spanish defender Sietes to add to his squad at Vicarage Road.

And he admits he is still learning the ropes in the transfer market as he tries to replace star striker Heidar Helguson, who has joined Fulham for £1.3m.

"I've hit the post a few times trying to get the players I've wanted because I've let the cat out of the bag too early, but it's all a learning curve for me," said Boothroyd.

"We wanted to keep Heidar but he wanted to play in the Premiership and we respect that.

"He was a cult hero here, but he was only one man and we have to strengthen the squad instead of relying on the one guy as we were doing.

"So far it's been an illuminating summer. We've got some players in and we're looking at more so we'll wait and see what happens."