Tom Cleverley says he has dreamt of achieving success in the Watford dugout after being appointed as the club’s Interim Head Coach.
Speaking to watfordfc.com in his first interview since accepting the role on Saturday evening, the former club captain spoke of his pride at taking the Vicarage Road hotseat and his plans for the rest of the Sky Bet Championship season.
Cleverley was 20 when he first arrived at Watford on loan from Manchester United in 2009, with the midfielder scoring on his debut against Nottingham Forest and eventually being named Player of the Season.
He went on to win the Premier League title with the Red Devils in 2013, as well as earning 13 England caps and playing at the London 2012 Olympics for Great Britain.
In 2017, Cleverley re-joined Watford on loan from Everton before making the switch permanent, and he ended his career with the Hornets in the summer after playing 181 times for the club, scoring 19 times.
Although injury cut his playing time short, Cleverley remained with the Golden Boys as Lead Coach of the Under-18s and has enjoyed great success in the role, guiding the youngsters to second in the league and booking a cup final and semi-final apiece.
“I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet,” the 34-year-old said.
“I’m obviously extremely proud. I’ll be honest, I’ve not really thought of the sentiment behind it too much as the first thing I thought when I got the call was ‘how do we beat Birmingham on Saturday?’
“I’m sure over the next days and weeks I’ll realise how big this opportunity is.”
Despite his success with Manchester United, Cleverley has often described Watford as “my club” and he made the bulk of his professional appearances at Vicarage Road.
“It’s where I grew from being a boy to a man,” he said.
“I really matured as a player and a person to become one of the leaders of the group and the club’s a massive part of my life; it’s embedded in my heart.
“Getting the club promoted back from the Championship to the Premier League was one of the biggest achievements of my career.
“Although I’m very aware this is only a temporary thing, I’d be lying if I said I’d not dreamt of achieving big things here.”
Cleverley said his time with the club’s Under-18s convinced him that he’s ready for the challenge ahead.
“If you’d have rung me six months ago I’d have said ‘absolutely not, I’m not ready,’” he said.
“But the eight months I’ve had in the academy have been comfortable on the grass, comfortable managing players and it has been absolutely priceless. I’ve learnt more in these eight months than I have in my whole playing career put together, probably.
“It’s really grounded me; it’s made me feel ready for it.”
The step-up to the first team is something that will not be underestimated, Cleverley asserted.
“I understand that youth team and academy football is very different,” he said.
“The job completely engulfs your life. It’s difficult to switch off, you have to love the game, you have to love the group and be passionate about developing players.
“Me and my staff will be working every hour of the day to make sure this is a success.
“When I came back to Watford I saw a couple of young players in the group who I felt needed a little bit of guidance and I became passionate about helping those players.
“That’s when I thought that maybe this [coaching] would be a natural role to step into as I finished playing.”
Cleverley has confirmed his backroom team, bringing in his Under-18s assistant Armand Kavaja and Watford FC Women Head Coach Damon Lathrope as Interim Assistant Coaches. Familiar face Jimmy Gilligan will be Technical Consultant.
“I feel that sometimes my weaknesses are his strengths and vice-versa,” he said on Kavaja. “We work well in that aspect so that was a no-brainer for me.
“I used to watch Damon coach in the backfields and I was impressed with him then.
“Whenever we talk football he blows me away a little bit. I’m really impressed with his tactical knowledge, we see the game in a similar fashion and I think he’s an important part of the team.
“Bringing Jimmy in was key to the whole thing really. I was conscious that me, Damon and Armand are fairly young for coaching experience. Jimmy has that in abundance; he’s been a mentor for me right from the word go in my coaching career. Jimmy knows the club inside out.”
On tactics, Cleverley said he wouldn’t try to “reinvent the wheel”.
“There will be some subtle changes and a small change in the mindset and organisation,” he said. “I respect what’s gone before me, I don’t think the whole thing needs turning on its head but hopefully there will be some visible changes, starting in Birmingham.
“It’ll be a little bit like me as a player - high energy, on the front foot, aggressive, and hopefully we’ll penetrate quickly and be an attacking team.
“I’m confident that I have a clear plan about how to get those results on the pitch.”
As his playing career only ended recently, Cleverley knows the Watford squad well and he has been at most home games this season.
“I know their games inside out, I know them as people,” he said.
“Hopefully they will say I was a very respectful teammate to them and they will repay me with hard work and endeavour.
“I feel like even the players I’ve not played with, I know their games fairly well.
“I’m seeing it as an advantage and a head start.
“It’s already a little bit strange eating on the staff table in the canteen, changing in the staff dressing room. But I feel comfortable, I feel excited. I feel ready and motivated for the challenge ahead. And we’re going to attack it head on.
“My absolute focus is winning the next game and making sure everyone leaves this season looking forward to the next.”
