Quique Sanchez Flores: Watford can go all the way in FA Cup this year

The Hornets boss has a feeling his side can 'do something interesting'

Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores (Getty Images)

Quique Sanchez Flores, the Watford manager, believes his side can lift the FA Cup this season ahead of their fifth-round meeting with Leeds at Vicarage Road tomorrow.

Watford have impressed on their return to the Premier League and Flores is also out to make an impact in the Cup, intending to field a strong team against the Championship side.

On whether Watford could win the competition, Flores said: “Why not? We have the feeling that we can do something interesting in this competition. We pick good players, we play well, we haven’t been conceding goals which shows we are taking it seriously.

“You need to focus just on the next game, we are now focused on Leeds. We chose the right players, we respect the competition, we respect the fans and the history of the club so we will try and put our best team out.

“The fans want to go through to the next round. We have a good opportunity, we are playing at home, we have the opportunity to play with our fans, we try to accept this challenge.”

Watford are on 36 points in the league and all but certain to stay up, but, if Flores rings the changes against Leeds, he says it will not be because he is taking the Cup lightly.

He said: “We are mixing well in both competitions, the league is our priority of course, but now we are able to play in the FA Cup and the focus is for that.

“We have a squad of 25 players, they train very well and they all deserve to play. We have the confidence in these players.”

Watford have never won the FA Cup, losing 2-0 to Everton in the 1984 final under Graham Taylor.

Flores added: “I can feel that the fans love this competition because everyone around football can feel how important this cup is in English football. It is an amazing experience, so it is important to respect the competition and I would like to equal the experiences of the club in 1984 when they played in the final against Everton.

“When I was living in Spain and other countries, always when I had the [FA Cup] final on you could feel the history. Even when I was younger, this unique match we could watch and it was amazing.”

Meanwhile, Leeds head coach Steve Evans insists a protest campaign against owner Massimo Cellino is not affecting his players. He said: “If players start telling you it’s affecting them they’re probably not playing well and they’re looking for reasons.

“I think players and staff have a job to do. We mustn’t forget our job.”