Gianfranco Zola surprised by Watford's rapid rise but is eager to cash in now

Watford are ahead of schedule in their plan to reach the Premier League but Gianfranco Zola will be disappointed if they miss out on promotion this season.

The Pozzo family targeted measured progress when they took over at Vicarage Road last summer.

Zola was tasked with building a team ready to challenge for promotion in 2013-14 but he has the top-flight in his sights a year earlier than expected.

Watford only missed out on going up automatically on the final day of the season and now face Leicester in the play-offs with the first leg of the semi-final at the King Power Stadium tonight.

Zola is surprised by Watford’s success since his appointment just four weeks before the start of the campaign but believes they are ready for the Premier League.

“We were not planning to have a season like we have had this year,” said Zola, who brought in 13 players during last summer’s transfer window. “With the problems we had I did not expect the team to develop so well.

“Too many things started late and we had to change many things but it would be disappointing to miss out now because of the way we have played and got results.

“The owners are very happy with what we have done so far and they will back us up and support the club even more next year.

“It is a very well organised club and they are ready to adapt to the new situation if it happens. We know that whatever happens this year, we will try even harder next year.”

Watford have beaten Leicester home and away this season and Zola is already dreaming of a meeting with former Chelsea team-mate Guy Poyet at Wembley.

Poyet is now manager of Brighton, who face Crystal Palace in the other semi-final tomorrow, and Zola said: “If that happens, I will be happy because one of us will go up. I am dreaming of going to Wembley and I do hope that it will be with Gus. The disappointment of Saturday is over and we are ready to compete again. There is a determination among the players to achieve something we think we deserve.

“We know we have a good team and we have been playing well recently. The most important thing is to go with the joy to compete because there are 18 teams that would like to be in the position we are.”

Zola will assess the fitness of Manuel Almunia and Jonathan Bond but is confident both goalkeepers will be available. Almunia sustained a hamstring injury in the warm-up on Saturday and has not trained this week, while Bond is nursing a broken nose.

Bond was this week rushed to Italy to have a protective face mask fitted at the same facility used by Chelsea striker Fernando Torres.

“We have had improvements in that situation,” said Zola, who was forced to turn to 19-year-old rookie Jack Bonham against Leeds. “I am hopeful they will both be okay.”

Troy Deeney is suspended following his red card against Leeds but the striker will be available for Sunday’s return leg at Vicarage Road.