Tom Cleverley spoke to the media after Watford's 2-2 draw with Leeds United in his first game as Interim Head Coach at Vicarage Road.
After an opening goal from Vakoun Bayo, Emmanuel Dennis' strike restored the lead following a first-half effort from Crysencio Summerville, but Mateo Joseph struck late on to see the points shared.
Read what the Head Coach had to say below...
On the performance:
I thought it was a much stronger performance even though we’ve not got the three points. We were more controlled, structured, brave in possession and I thought for 65 minutes we were absolutely excellent.
Of course we are playing against the league leaders and they are going to have periods in the game. I am really proud of the players tonight and they deserve a lot of credit.
I was really pleased, it was an exciting performance and what impressed me the most was the focus of the players. Not one of them switched off for the first 70 minutes. It was really pleasing and gives me a lot of encouragement moving forwards.
With and without the ball they worked their socks off, showed real quality in the final action, with goals from both strikers, and on another day it could have been two or three, coming in at half-time with a bit more of a convincing lead. In the end I am really proud of the players and a draw might have been a fair result.
I’m obviously a little bit disappointed when you lead twice; I felt we had some good chances to go 2-0 up at the time. They have some real quality. It was a good game of football and I’m still pleased with a point.
On his first game in the dugout at Vicarage Road
You don’t get too much time to soak it up and enjoy it. Obviously at the full-time whistle it is nice to get the reception, and I didn’t think it would be this soon, performing in front of a packed out Vic, and in front of the Rookery again. I’ve been lucky to be back in this position again.
On playing a new system:
It’s difficult in a short period of time to find that consistency with how you want to play. That’s more of a pre-season job. My job is to create a game plan to win every game from now until the end of the season. I thought we did well today and the players absolutely nailed it. It gives us another option and I thought the three centre-backs were outstanding.
We have got the personnel to adapt. I thought it was the right team to do it against, with how they play. They basically play with a front five so we matched that up. It’s not as simple as that and it takes a lot of physical work for the back five.
On playing on the front foot:
Everyone wants to play football on the front foot, but you have to be structured at the back, especially against teams like Leeds who will punish you. I thought it was much more organised and structured than the Birmingham game, and that fills me with a lot of confidence.
On his substitutions:
Momentum is a massive thing in football. When you are coming up against good sides, it’s very difficult to get that back. There are a lot of ifs, buts and maybes, whether the changes are right. At the time, I thought they were the right ones to make.
On facing West Brom on Monday:
West Brom will be a tough opponent. We really respect what they are doing, they are a well-coached, organised team, and then straight into Preston after that. The players will turn around, dust themselves off, and take heart from this performance, and go again Monday.
