Watford predict ‘bright future’ for Tom Cleverley as former Manchester United midfielder sacked

Add as preferred source on Google

A whole host of former Manchester United players are in management right now but one has just lost his job in the Championship.

Sir Alex Ferguson will go down as arguably the greatest manager the game has ever seen, but his former Manchester United players are experiencing mixed fortunes.

Wayne Rooney lost his job as Plymouth Argyle boss earlier this year, having failed to bounce back from his Birmingham City struggles.

Steve Bruce dropped into League One with Blackpool, whilst Mark Hughes took the Carlisle United job – and couldn’t save them from League Two relegation.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has impressed at Besiktas, but Ruud van Nistelrooy finds himself in trouble after Leicester City’s relegation.

Michael Carrick missed out on the Championship play-offs with Middlesbrough, and one of his former United teammates has now been sacked by a second-tier rival.

• READ MORE: Inside the life of Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson

Watford axe former Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley

It will be to nobody’s surprise that Watford have made a managerial change.

The Hornets go through managers like they’re going out of fashion, with Gino Pozzo no stranger to swinging the axe.

Since the end of the 2019-20 season, Watford have now been through nine managers.

Former United midfielder Tom Cleverley is number nine, having been sacked by Watford on Tuesday morning.

Cleverley played 79 times for United’s first team having signed from Bradford City as a kid.

United sold Cleverley to Everton in 2015, but he finished his career with a six-and-a-half-year spell at Watford.

July 2023 saw Cleverley take on a coaching role in the Watford youth setup, and he was put in interim charge of the first team less than a year later.

Watford won just one of their last nine Championship games, finishing 14th in the table.

Rumours linked Cleverley with a Watford exit in January, but the Hornets have now made the change.

• READ MORE: Manchester United hold ‘first meeting’ over Victor Osimhen deal, but may prefer to sign a different striker instead

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
13	WolvesWolves	35	12	5	18	51	62	-11	41
14	EvertonEverton	35	8	15	12	36	43	-7	39
15	Man UtdManchester United	35	10	9	16	42	51	-9	39
16	TottenhamTottenham	35	11	5	19	63	57	6	38
17	West HamWest Ham	35	9	10	16	40	59	-19	37

Watford explain Cleverley axe

This decision has not exactly gone down well, with Watford fans largely still behind Cleverley.

Watford have attempted to explain the decision, believing that ‘the time has come for a change’.

“We thank Tom for his service – not just in his role as Head Coach but for everything he has given Watford as a player and member of staff,” said sporting director Gian Luca Nani on Watford’s official website.

“But the time has come for a change and to build on what we believe is a young and talented squad that will have benefitted from the experience of the Championship this season.

“It has been a privilege to work closely with Tom; to understand how he sees the game and his enthusiasm for everything here. He deserves to be recognised for this and I’m sure he will have a bright future in the game.

“Tom will always be part of Watford in recognition of all that he has achieved over so many years,” he added.

Cleverley departs having won 20 of his 59 games in charge, losing 25 and drawing 14.

The 35-year-old will now await his next coaching opportunity, just as Adam Lawrence prepares to leave United.

Perhaps United will ask Cleverley to come in and coach at Carrington, but we are sure that we haven’t seen the last of Cleverley as a manager.