Cleverley grateful for statement and fans, and is not walking away
The last 48 hours have been turbulent at Watford, for Tom Cleverley in particular, and the 2-1 defeat at Coventry brought no respite.
At the end of the game, the head coach spent even longer than usual acknowledging the travelling fans, and some interpreted that and his gestures as a possible indication he may still decide to leave the club.
Therefore, after the game, he was asked are you going to be walking away from this job?
“No,” was the unequivocal, firm answer from Cleverley, who had clearly been touched by the chants, songs and general support from the away end.
“Don’t read anything into the end of the game, it was more that it’s been a tough period of back-to-back games and the players and I wanted to show our appreciation for how they have supported us.
“It was just an appreciation of the support.
“That support wasn’t just for myself but also for the team, and they have travelled in huge numbers recently.
“Through the toughest period of my 11 months in charge they have been as loud as ever.
“I said in the week I’m the kind of guy that doesn’t take the limelight too well, and I would like some of it to be aimed at the players as well.
“But how can I complain when they’re supporting me so much? It means so much to me.”
The last couple of days would have tested the resolve of a battle-scarred manager, never mind one less than a year into his first job.
“I always got into this role because of my passion for developing players, and I feel like in the last couple of weeks that hasn’t been the main part of my job,” said Cleverley.
“I have to accept that with the industry I’m in there is always going to be speculation after poor results.
“I’ve still managed to focus on the team and prepare the team, and I’m obviously disappointed with today’s result.
“I hope the next 48 hours will be a little less turbulent.”
The statement of support from the owner and chairman, released a few hours before today’s game, is one that the head coach hopes will draw a line under things.
“To have the owner and Scott’s backing means I can do what I feel that I’m good at, and that’s to focus on preparing the team,” he said.
“I was obviously pleased with the statement and I’m ready to roll my sleeves up and fight through this tough period that we’re going through as a club.
“I feel like I am the right person to do that.
“The statement obviously calms speculation and hopefully that’s the end of that now and I can focus on the team through the next period.”
