The football world has paid tribute to Gianluca Vialli following his passing at the age of 58, with former Hornets reflecting on the time they shared with the ex-Watford manager.

Golden Boys legend Paul Robinson took to Twitter to pay his respects, thanking him for his guidance and sending well-wishes to Vialli’s family and friends.

Robinson was the second-highest appearance-maker under Vialli, and expressed his sadness upon hearing of his former manager’s passing.

“Having seen him play in top-level football, I couldn't wait to learn from him,” Robinson remembered, having expressed profound sadness at his former manager's untimely death.

“I was inspired by him as a person, having seen how he played at the very top level of the game. There was a sense of awe when I first spoke to him, but he was so down-to-earth.

“He put a lot of trust in me; I remember him saying he knew I could play left wing-back and any other position he needed - and my confidence grew from that. I felt my game really went to the next level.

“I'd had great seasons as a team already of course, under GT [Graham Taylor], so I was a little bit older at this point and Luca really allowed me to express myself.

“I wanted to learn from him; to understand what he wanted from our team and me as a player. I must have really clicked with him, because I played loads of games and scored a nice few goals that season.

“Both Luca and Ray [Wilkins] were inspirational people for me. You wanted to listen to their experiences.

“He was a total gentleman. That feeling of respect; that was my first emotion when I met him, so it was a great sadness when I heard the news of his passing.”

Marcus Gayle also provided a personal tribute to Vialli, having been brought to Vicarage Road by the Italian in 2001.

“It’s sad, sad news,” said Gayle. “He strove for perfection in all that he did, on and off the pitch. I had the pleasure of watching him on TV, playing against him and then was coached by him. What a top guy.”

Also signed for the Hornets by Vialli, compatriot Filippo Galli posted an emotional message accompanied by photos on Instagram, with the caption:

“Goodbye Luca, rest in peace. My condolences to the family. You will forever be my gaffer.”

Captain during Vialli’s tenure at Vicarage Road, Neil Cox remained close friends with his former manager many years after their association at Watford, catching up on the phone, sharing managerial advice and meeting for rounds on the golf course.

“Luca was a true gentleman that loved his football,” said Cox.

“He had a winning mentality towards the game, and he was a student of it. He knew it inside out.

“But most of all he was a great person that cared for the people around him. He was a touch of class, on and off the pitch.”