Craig Cathcart believes the Watford players were responsible for Javi Gracia's sacking and said he feels like they let their former coach down.

The Northern Irishman was visiting his parents when he found out the news about Gracia's sacking - and subsequent replacement by Quique Sanchez Flores - and said he and his team-mates could have done more to keep him at Vicarage Road.

"I think as players if a manager gets sacked you do feel a sense of responsibility of not doing your job properly," said Cathcart.

"I think a few of us have to look at ourselves for that, the results weren't going the way anybody wanted them to, as a whole group of players and staff and obviously the club have made a decision to let the manager go and bring in Quique.

"We have to take responsibility, but we have to look forward now and do what the new manager wants to do and look forward to the rest of the season."

Since his departure Gracia has been in touch with some of his erstwhile playing squad to say his goodbyes and Cathcart claims he and his team-mates had a very strong relationship with the coach.

The defender said it was disappointing to see Gracia go, but that he was looking forward to working with Sanchez Flores once again.

"I know a few of the lads have had messages off him," he said, "you do build up a relationship with managers and staff when they come.

"He was here for a year and a half in total and they were all good guys and it's disappointing when anyone gets sacked and it's not nice to see, but it's part of the job now.

"I was a big fan of Quique the first time around and I was disappointed when he left. It's not something you see very often when managers come back to the club, but obviously Gino and Scott have seen how Quique works and they think it'll be beneficial for the team for him to come back in.

"We're just looking forward to it now as a group of players, working with Quique now and moving on to the rest of the season."