JAVI: BREN WON’T GIVE US A SHOCK

JAVI GRACIA has urged his Watford players not to get sidetracked by the return of former boss Brendan Rodgers to Vicarage Road.

Rodgers, who cut his managerial teeth with the Hornets 10 years ago (above), takes charge of Leicester for the first time tomorrow.

He remains an unpopular figure among some Watford fans, having walked out after just six months to join Reading.

But Gracia said: “It doesn’t affect us. We are focused on our job. I don’t know what happened with different coaches who were here before.

“I’m going to do all I can to win the game. The most important thing is to be concentrating on ourselves.”

Gracia revealed he has watched Celtic many times – so is ready for anything Rodgers may be preparing. “Because there’s a new manager, on this occasion we don’t have the same information about the other team,” said

Gracia.

“But we know the players they have and I don’t think they are going to change many things. I know all about the titles at Celtic and I’ve seen Celtic many times – I know more or less the way they can play.”

Watford dropped to eighth in the table after their 5-0 defeat at Liverpool (inset) in midweek.

Yet Gracia (below) has no concerns about his players failing to make the grade, saying pre-match preparations are like studying for exams.

“It’s like when you’re a kid, you study and study and think you are prepared enough for the exam,” he added. “The most important thing is not the result, it’s all the things you do to prepare for the game.

“For the future, I’m sure if we have the same behaviour when we win and when we lose, we’ll grow as a team.”