IF Gary Bowyer or any of his managerial counterparts need a reminder of why health is more important than football, it came last weekend when the head coach of tomorrow’s opponents Watford was admitted to hospital with minor chest pains.

The good news is that Oscar Garcia, having been released from hospital, was back at the Hornets’ training ground yesterday and there is a chance he may take his place in the dugout for the Ewood Park clash between two of the Championship’s most free scoring sides.

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The stresses and strains of football management are well documented and Bowyer admits it is important to switch off.

But for the Blackburn Rovers boss, described as a ‘workaholic’ by colleagues, that does not mean forgetting about football altogether.

Bowyer said: “I’m fortunate in the sense that this is my passion.

“Watching a game on Sky Sports, whatever league it is, is me switching off in a strange way.

“But you have people around you who make sure you have time away and that you switch your phone off at the right times.

“I’m very determined and very motivated to do well for this football club, so all my time and effort is predominately spent trying to look at ways which I can make myself better or make the team better – or both.

“That requires a lot of time and effort.

“But we get time off in the summer and we get time off during international breaks and that’s when I switch off.”

Bowyer wished Garcia, who he came up against last season when the former Barcelona midfielder was in charge of Brighton and Hove Albion, all the best in his recovery.

But all his thoughts are on leading Rovers to back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

And he is confident his side can do just that after they bounced back from last Wednesday’s 3-2 home loss to Derby County by grinding out a 1-0 victory at Fulham at the weekend.

Bowyer said: “It’s another tough challenge for us but it’s one we will go into full of confidence and full of belief.

“Our home form prior to the Derby game was very good and it’s important we get the fans back on our side cheering us on and get back to winning ways at Ewood.

“We can’t wait, we’re looking forward to it.”

No team has scored more goals in the Championship than Rovers in the calendar year.

However just two sides netted more times than Watford last season and their return of 15 goals from eight matches so far this season is bettered only by Nottingham Forest and Norwich City.

But Bowyer has no doubt if Rovers, who have scored 14 goals in their opening eight games, can keep a second successive clean sheet, they can run out winners.

He said: “We were delighted because there was a lot of talk (about a clean sheet) going into the Fulham game and we actually produced.

“Now what we’ve got to do is build on that, get back-to-back wins and get another clean sheet because we know we are capable of doing that.

“And we know if we can work as hard as what we did at Fulham, and keep that clean sheet, then we’ve got a chance of winning any game because we’ve got real belief we can score.”

Jordan Rhodes’ winner at Craven Cottage – hailed as a ‘masterclass in finishing’ by Bowyer – moved him level at the top of the Rovers scoring charts alongside strike-partner Rudy Gestede on four goals.

But hot on their heels with three and two respectively are midfielders Ben Marshall and Tom Cairney.

Watford assistant coach Ruben Martinez said: “It is difficult because Blackburn are a good team, a physical team with two very good strikers.

“They have Craig Conway as a winger and we know him because we enjoyed him at Brighton.

“They have a very strong defence and their two strikers have eight or nine goals between them.

“I think it will be a difficult game for us but we go with the best squad possible and we try to win.”

Martinez took training yesterday before confirming to the media that Garcia is on his way back.

“He had a lot of tests because it is about a heart, not a leg or something like that, so it was serious,” said Martinez.

“So it is normal he wants to know everything and be sure.

"Now all the doctors, the English and Spanish doctors, say it is okay. I spoke with him and he wants to come back as soon as possible because he enjoys football.

“He loves football and his job. I think in a few days we can enjoy him again.”