Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd is confident the boardroom upheavals at Vicarage Road will not have a negative impact on the club.

Watford revealed this week that directors Giacomo and Vincenzo Russo had been removed from their position "with immediate effect".

But the brothers, who had been on the board since 2004, hit back on Thursday claiming they were dismissed "without any justification".

In a joint statement, the Russos said: "Our concerns have been and remain the best interests of Watford Football Club and its supporters.

"Our removal from the board is completely contrary to our wishes and without any justification whatsoever.

"We have been long-term supporters financially and generally of the club. It comes as a complete shock that the board should see fit to take this action at such a critical stage in the club's history."

But Boothroyd insists the Hornets are still in good health and remain a club that "is very much going in the right direction".

He said: "I think that there is always going to be challenges in any club. I've got to sit down with the chairman and the board and discuss what will happen next season.

"There's nothing to worry about. I work for great people and as a manager you need that. With the club growing as it is off the pitch and the plans we have for on it, Watford is a great place to be.

"I want to be here, I like it here and I think it's the place I can grow at. I get the chance to make mistakes here and because of that you get a better manager - the same thing goes for the players."

Boothroyd has also learnt a great deal from studying Reading's blueprint for Barclays Premiership survival as he plans to bounce relegated Watford straight back into the top flight.

Watford face a Royals side on Saturday who are closing in on UEFA Cup qualification from their debut season in the Premiership.

"I've done a case study on Reading in terms of what they do and how they've done it. I think they're a great model for Championship teams," said Boothroyd.

"The first question I ask is 'why are we at the bottom and why are they seventh?' Then you get into all the factors that surround that.

"What we did was terrific in getting promoted but we've been on a hamster's treadmill in many respects.

"Reading would probably be the only team, with Bolton, that have come into the Premier League, stayed in the Premier League and done well without any kind of sugar daddy.

"That is because they had time to develop as a team. The defence has been together for three-and-a-half years, the midfield pair of Kevin Harper and Steve Sidwell has been together for four years.

"The great thing Steve did was to keep those players together for so long and help them develop.

"Reading finished sixth or seventh for a few years in the Championship and then they went up, breaking the record with 106 points.

By contrast, Watford lacked that same experience because they won promotion 'on the fast track' through the play-offs last season.

But Boothroyd is determined to keep his squad together and is confident they can return stronger from a year in the Championship.

"This club is very much going in the right direction. Your Marlon Kings and Hameur Bouazzas, who may have attracted interest, without a shadow of a doubt will be staying," he said.