New Watford manager Walter Mazzarri has ordered players to stay at a hotel during pre-season in an effort to forge a closer bond, according to striker Jerome Sinclair.

The team have been staying at a Hertfordshire hotel since last week during their build-up for the 2016-17 Premier League season.

Italian Mazzarri, who has also coached Napoli and Sampdoria, replaced Quique Sanchez Flores in May but began working with the players last week.

"We have been staying in a hotel, going back and forth from the training ground," Sinclair told British media.

"We've all been staying together but I do not have a place down here anyway so it's not been much different but for some of the lads, maybe they're not so keen, but it's okay."

"We are just taking it as it comes at the moment -- we have not been told what's forthcoming for the future. There has been a lot of bonding but it's a great bunch of lads."

Watford, who finished 13th in the Premier League last season and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, open their league campaign at Southampton on Aug. 13.