Akomeah hoping to follow in Mariappa

Travis Akomeah revealed he is "very close" with Watford academy coach and former defender Adrian Mariappa, who he aspires to replicate at Vicarage Road.

Academy graduate Mariappa played 340 matches for the Hornets across two spells, before moving into a coaching role that has seen him try to push the likes of Akomeah into the first team.

Akomeah captained Watford at Barnet on Tuesday night and is currently third-choice centre-back, with only Mattie Pollock and Kevin Keben ahead of him in the pecking order.

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He revealed afterwards that working closely with Mariappa and Dan Gosling, who coached him in the Under-21s and is now a member of the first-team staff, is proving key in his development.

Akomeah said: "Mapps is someone I'm very close with and obviously a person I look up to.

"He gives me really valuable information every day. I can ask him any questions I want and he's obviously someone that has come through the academy and played over 1200 games for the club.

"He's someone I aspire to follow and he's a great guy, with loads of experience and gives me lots of coaching.

Dan Gosling (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)

"Gos is another person I've worked with in the academy and it's really good to have someone from the academy in the first team.

"It allows me to have that sort of relationship where I can go and ask for information, because you know there's that link."

Earlier in the week, Akomeah revealed he senses a "massive opportunity" to break into the Watford team this season, having spent time on loan at Gillingham in League Two last year.