Nigel Pearson (centre) was present in the Vicarage Road directors' box for the 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace last weekend
New Watford manager Nigel Pearson says they will need a "collective buy-in from everybody" to stay in the Premier League.
The Hornets are bottom of the table on nine points, with Pearson their third manager of the season after Javi Gracia and Quique Sanchez Flores were sacked.
"Can we stay up, you're asking? Yes," Pearson said at a news conference.
"This strikes me as a club with an identity that maybe we need to redefine on the pitch."
He added: "But I'm confident we can do that."
Watford, whose only league win of the season came at Norwich in November, are effectively seven points adrift of safety because of their vastly inferior goal difference compared to their rivals above the relegation zone.
Pearson has got previous form in pulling clubs out of trouble having done so with Leicester in 2014-15. The Foxes spent between late November and early April at the foot of the Premier League before eventually finishing 14th after a remarkable late run.
They went on to win the league the following season under Claudio Ranieri.
"I'm not going to try to reinvent the wheel," added Pearson. "It would be slightly foolish of me to think there's going to be a revolution, first and foremost it's the mindset of the players.
"If it has been damaged and their confidence has been eroded by us not being able to find the answers this season, myself and the staff will do everything we can to help them on the journey.
"But ultimately the players will have to come to the party. They have to embrace the challenge. I know what it's like as a player when you're frustrated about how things are, but things can change quickly."
Pearson begins his reign at leaders Liverpool on Saturday (12:30 GMT).
Source: bbc.com