The decisions a club take following promotion have to be some of the hardest in football and when it comes to entering the Premier League they become even tougher.

In simple terms it is a decision between do you stick with the men you trust and who have worked tirelessly, often over several years, to get you into this position or do you look for the key to survival further away from home.

The result can often depend on the managers involved. For Burnley, their boss Sean Dyche wanted to retain the team ethic that saw them overcome the odds by securing promotion. A key factor in not signing many new players also appeared to be his desire not to risk the long-term future of the club by throwing money at the calculated gamble of retaining their Premier League status.

For others, they recognise there is usually a need for more quality regardless of what has happened the season before.

There is not necessarily a right and a wrong answer. For me it is about striking the correct balance.

And the comments in the last week from three of Watford’s most important men have provided me with confidence that could happen ahead of what is certain to be an extremely tough 2015/16 campaign.

With a scouting network that is the envy of most teams in Europe, the Pozzos are likely to find temptation at every corner of the globe. And having unearthed countless talent over the years, they would be foolish not to exploit that knowledge and contacts by bringing in players from around the globe.

But on Monday owner Gino Pozzo told his squad, at the civic reception in Cassiobury Park, that “we really have a Premier League group – even before we reached the Premier League”. That must provide the squad with confidence that many of them will still be here next season, and in most cases rightly so.

Captain Troy Deeney also added in the week that having spoken to Pozzo, he expects four or five players with Premier League experience to arrive at Vicarage Road. Whilst it isn’t the sole quality needed for survival, having several players who have been there and done it would improve their chances greatly in my opinion.

However, as Billy McKinlay found out, Pozzo does what he believes is best for the club and there is unlikely to be much room for sentiment.

This point was illustrated by the head coach, Slavisa Jokanovic, who stated you can not be “romantic” when preparing a squad for the Premier League. He knows tough decisions will have to be made.

So based on the comments by Watford’s skipper, owner and head coach, a number of the current first team should be in the squad come August and they are likely to be joined by players with experience of the Premier League. Add in several stars from the Pozzo network and it seems they could have a successful formula.

But as the summer of 2013 showed, good signings on paper do not always transfer that quality on to the pitch. Iriney, Diego Fabbrini and Javier Acuna were just three examples.

So the Pozzos have already been burnt at Vicarage Road before and they do not need me to tell them about the importance of doing their research into potential signings, not only on the field but off it. The English way of life can be a huge culture shock and the likes of Filippo Giraldi, the chief scout and man who acts as the link between Watford and the scouting network, will have a difficult summer alongside such as Pozzo and sporting director Luke Dowling when it comes to deciding who would be best suited to life in the Premier League.

It is a difficult balancing act when it comes to maintaining the dynamics of a squad. Add too many signings and you lose the harmony and togetherness that secured promotion in the first place. Fail to introduce enough extra quality and you could find yourself short.

The noises coming out of Watford in the last week have provided optimism they could find the right formula for survival.

  • The Pozzos’ arrival three years ago has made it even harder for academy graduates to break into the first team. Promotion to the Premier League is likely to make that mountain even tougher to climb.

The reasons why that is the case is a discussion for another day but I was delighted to see ‘one of our own’ secure all three player of the season awards at a Football League club this week.

Piero Mingoia was not graced with the strapping physique many professionals rely on but he had talent and a great attitude; attributes which have resulted in him becoming a hit at Accrington Stanley in the last two years.

This week he won players’, fans’ and the main player of the year award at Accrington – all after finding himself on the sidelines when new manager John Coleman arrived in September.

Likes most products from the Hornets youth system in recent years, the 23-year-old is a credit to the academy and a good all-round bloke.

Whilst opportunities will be harder to come by at the Vic, Mingoia has shown the Golden Boys’ conveyor belt continues to produce talent.

The Hornets have handed five scholars professional contracts in the last year and even if they don’t feature for the first team before moving on to pastures new in the future the likes of Mingoia and Jazzi Barnum-Bobb, who was released last summer and this week signed a second professional contract with Cardiff City, should give youngsters at the club great confidence and make Watford fans proud.