Manchester United’s manager is currently in the midst of a long-term project and navigating bumps along the road, but a former club man who’s turned manager has made it look quite easy!
For all the credit to Sir Alex Ferguson, one thing has always stuck out that players who played under him or the staff who worked with him didn’t become amazing managers in their own right.
Ironically enough, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer might be the best of the lot with his achievements at Man Utd looking better by the day, and now succeeding at Besiktas.
Michael Carrick is trying to establish himself as a genuinely class manager at Middlesbrough but hasn’t been able to separate himself from the pack.
Going further back, the likes of Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, and more had respectable but unremarkable managerial careers.
One man is trying to turn the tide in his very first managerial job.
Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images
Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images
Tom Cleverley achieves remarkable feat at Watford
For a young manager starting out in his first job, there can’t be many jobs that are worse in terms of stability than Watford, a famously trigger-happy team.
Watford have gone through ten managers in the last five years alone at a strike rate of two every season, including caretakers.
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Therefore, when Tom Cleverley was handed the interim reign in March of last year, the expectation was that he would see through the season before leaving for pastures anew.
A strong finish to last season ensured he kept his job for this one in permanent capacity but “permanent capacity” doesn’t mean anything when it comes to Watford.
However, Cleverley, exceeding all expectations, has not only kept his job for a full calendar year, but became the first manager since Javi Gracia, who stayed for 18 months back in 2019.
Cleverley always looked like a manager-in-waiting at Man Utd
As a fleet-footed midfielder, Cleverley’s game intelligence always separated him from his peers even when he was a player under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.
He was not always the popular pick because his playing style was more functional than fashionable, especially with the ball, but he kept it ticking.
He has tried to mold his Watford team in that image as well, averaging 52.7% possession/game despite being in control of a team not considered a contender in the second division.
More importantly, he’s shown an ability to connect with the players at a human level, showcasing his man-management skills which are arguably more important than tactical acumen these days.
In a huge statement of confidence, he’s also signed a three-year deal with the club, a sign of trust practically unheard of at Watford.
If he keeps this going, Watford are only 11th in the table right now, then he can break the cycle of Sir Alex Ferguson’s proteges never really being the cream of the footballing world.