Watford youngster Matty Whichelow has returned from his loan spell at Exeter City with a different mentality, according to manager Sean Dyche.

Whichelow was a regular first team squad player last season, making five starts and 16 substitute appearances during the 2010/11 campaign.

He returned in the summer expecting to challenge for a starting place but only made one substitute appearance for the Hornets before being loaned out to Exeter.

The 20-year-old made three starts during his loan spell at the League One club but returned home early after losing his place.

Speaking at Tuesday’s fans’ forum, Watford’s manager said: “Matty is an interesting one. We think a lot of Matty, along with a lot of the other young players – Gavin Massey, Michael Bryan, Piero Mingoia and these boys are in the background and working hard to be successful.

“Matty is one that we believe in his ability and he needed realignment. He went off to Exeter and I know the people there very well, they do their business properly and he couldn’t get a game there.

“That is not to say he is a bad player because he is not, let me make that clear. But is he ready to really challenge at Championship level? At this moment I don’t think so but he is working really hard.

“He came back from that experience and he has changed his mentality. I spoke to him about it and it was a real knock for him because I think he thought he would go in and deliver performances and it would all work.”

Dyche compared Whichelow’s situation to that of his former team-mate Lee Cook, who benefited from loan spells at York City and Queens Park Rangers.

He said: “Loans are a great development tool and I give you the example from back in the day of Lee Cook.

“He was one who went to York and came back a completely different person and completely different work ethic. He came back, went out again to QPR and came back to deliver very good things for Watford.”

Dyche claims Watford’s young players suffered last season due to the team’s over-reliance on them, which is why he made several signings in the summer.

This strategy has been criticised by sections of the supporters as Watford struggle at the bottom end of the Championship table.

Dyche said: “I believe in my heart in what I am doing with our young players. It is my background; I brought a lot of those boys through, including Marvin Sordell if you want another view of it.

“Marvin is one who came from nowhere to develop into a fine young player and benefitted from a loan spell at Tranmere.

“He is another one where the ups and downs of Championship football are tough for him at times. He just put in two excellent performances and then found it tough at Middlesbrough.

“He has now gone away with the Under-21s, fantastic but he comes back probably another two games deep. That is not perfect for our club but it is what it is.”