Beppe Sannino believes Fitz Hall is “one of the key players” at Watford and has given the defender a chance to earn a contract after recent illness.

Hall has remained with the Hornets following the expiration of a one-month deal he agreed earlier in the campaign.

He had been training away from the squad due to a chest infection but Sannino has been impressed with the 33-year-old.

Watford’s head coach said: “Fitz Hall is a very important player, one of the key players at Watford in terms of personality, experience and presence.

“After I joined the club he was not training because he had a chest infection so I haven’t seen him on the pitch.

“Today (Thursday) he was training so he is getting better. As I have said before, after the Bristol City game Fitz will be one of the players we will assess.”

Hall made one start and one substitute appearance after former Hornets boss Gianfranco Zola decided to re-sign the player following a string of defensive injuries, as the player had been training with the club since the summer.

The centre-back excelled in his 22 outings for Watford last season but after the player initially delayed contract talks, the club’s hierarchy decided to opt for other options in the summer.