New Head Coach Chris Wilder is itching to get his Watford tenure underway away at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday (March 11, 3pm KO), as he and his coaching staff look to guide the Hornets to a top-six finish in the remainder of the Sky Bet Championship season.

The 55-year-old was revealed as the new man at the helm earlier this week (Tuesday March 7), and after five months out of the game - following his departure from fellow second-tier side Middlesbrough in October 2022 - he can’t wait to be reunited with the matchday buzz that will undoubtedly surround the clash at Loftus Road.

Though time with his new players has been limited, Wilder is delighted with the way the squad has responded to his methods out on the training pitch so far, and he is looking forward to seeing how they translate that to matchday.

“It’s great to be back, because I have missed it,” he said. “I haven’t been out of the game for long periods in the 20 years or so I’ve been a manager, so to be back in this position at such a historical football club is a wonderful feeling. I can’t wait to get going.

“I’ve come in with the point of view that there’s no point looking back, and that I’ve got to focus on what I can control. There are 11 games left, and we’ve got to take things game by game to try and get the results we need to be where we want to be.

“There’s been a lot of talk about formations and structures, but I’ve played with several different systems at my former clubs, and I think at the top level - both in management and as players - you have to be able to adapt depending on what’s in front of you.

“There are certain non-negotiables, and first early messages that are important to deliver. Attitude and desire play a big part, and if we’re going to be successful and get the wins we need, we’re going to need that. I have to say that in the few days I’ve been here, I’ve been really impressed.

“I’ve told the players that they don’t want to be sat on a beach in May when the play-offs are going on, thinking about what might have been. They have the ability to affect what’s in front of them, and that starts on Saturday.”

The trip to west London marks a clash against an Rs side who are without a win since December 17, just seven points above the drop zone and in desperate search of a result under a new Head Coach of their own, Gareth Ainsworth.

While eager to avenge Watford’s narrow defeat against QPR in the reverse fixture back in August, Wilder is also looking forward to locking horns with Ainsworth - someone he has crossed paths with on a number of occasions throughout his managerial journey.

He said: “It’s a huge game on Saturday. It’s a tough start - we understand that - but I’m sure they’ll be saying that as well. It’s all there for us to play for, and we’ll be looking to come away with something to really kick us into gear.

“If we can do that then I’m sure the fans will get behind us. I’ve kept my eye on what’s been going on in the Championship and the attendances at Vicarage Road have been great all season. We’ll be looking forward to our first game at home, but there are a lot heading to QPR and we really want to make them proud.

“It will be nice to see Gareth. I’ve come up against him a number of times, including when I was at Northampton and he was at Wycombe, and we were both battling to stay in League Two. I was delighted he got the QPR job and it was thoroughly deserved. He’s well known for getting the maximum out of his players, and that’s what we’ll be looking to do here for sure.”

Graham Taylor was similarly famed for working his way up the leagues with Watford, and Wilder expressed how privileged he feels to have taken up the position once held by the Hornets’ greatest ever manager.

He added: “Graham Taylor built the club on values such as hard work and togetherness, and that’s what we’ll be looking to do. I only came across him when I was playing against his teams - most memorably against Aston Villa in the late 1980s - but everybody knew how loved and well respected he was.

“I’ve been to lots of football dinners and the inner circle - the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Walter Smith and Lawrie McMenemy - all respected and admired him hugely. I’ve not really had much to do with Watford before now, but I’m a historian of the game so I’m well aware of his impact here and how much he’s loved.

“There are many different pathways into management, but I guess comparisons could be made between me and Graham, in that respect. If I achieve anything like what he achieved in the game, I’ll be a very happy man.”