'Players don’t seem as interested as maybe we were when I was young'
As part of the elite mindset that Tom Cleverley has said is lacking at Watford comes the need to live every day in that same way.
Whether it’s training, gym work, recovery sessions, video analysis, diet or games themselves, to be at the top players cannot afford to be distracted from giving their best.
The same goes for how defeats like Tuesdays are handled.
“Like everyone, defeat hurts some more than others,” said the head coach.
“The modern-day player has a few more distractions away from the game and their careers, and they don’t seem as interested as maybe we were when I was a young player.
“All I would say is this group wouldn’t have improved as much as I feel they have if they weren’t determined.
“They wouldn’t have come back from so many setbacks if they weren’t determined.
“I fully trust I have enough lads in there that care about the success of the football club to get a response from Tuesday.”
What is easier to deal with: a less-gifted player with an elite mindset, or a player that has elite skills but isn’t so committed?
“I’m going to sit on the fence!” laughed Cleverley.
“I’m going to say you’d probably want a squad of 90% that you can trust to do the basics, and 10% that can win you a game.
“I was in the 90% and it’s part of my job to try and motivate the 10%.
“The balance of a squad is key.
“I wouldn’t say one is more important than the other because I don’t think you can be successful without one or the other.
“But in this division you need a balance of players that is heavily focussed on consistency.”
Mindset is not as easy to coach as tactics, but Cleverley said he doesn’t find that part of the job difficult.
“I actually enjoy it, so for me I don’t see it as the hardest thing,” he said.
“I really like the emotional intelligence part of coaching and trying to tap into the players’ minds and the dynamic of the group.
“It’s not one of the most difficult things for me because I find it enjoyable.”
He has had to deal with explaining the omission from the squad of one or two players recently.
“Ryan Andrews knows that in this environment we go after training standards, and he wasn’t at the levels in the last week or so,” Cleverley pointed out.
“Now we did the same with Ryan at Sheffield Wednesday away earlier in the season, and he responded very maturely.
“He knew that they weren’t the standards that he set himself, or that we set as a group.
“I’m sure he will respond very well to being left out.
“James Morris is a little bit different when we play a back four, as he only really covers the left back position whereas other players can cover two positions on the bench.
“He’s a little bit unlucky.”
