Watford Parts Ways with Head Coach Rob Cleverley
In a move that was widely expected, Watford have announced the departure of head coach Rob Cleverley, according to a report on the BBC Sport website. The news comes after a disappointing second half of the season for the Hornets, who failed to build on a promising start to the campaign.
Cleverley, who was appointed as head coach of Watford in 2022, had been under pressure in recent weeks, with the team’s form having tailed off significantly since the turn of the year. The BBC Sport website reported earlier this season that Cleverley was the first head coach to remain in charge for an entire season since Javi Gracia in 2018-19. However, despite this achievement, it appears that the club’s hierarchy had decided that Cleverley was not the right man to lead the team forward.
According to reports, Cleverley’s struggles this season were compounded by a series of injuries, particularly among his forwards. As quoted on the BBC Sport website, Cleverley said: "There’s no difference in the number of goals we’ve conceded from pre-January to post-January, but the amount of goals we’ve scored has dropped significantly." He also acknowledged that the team’s hopes of achieving a play-off place had been undermined by these injuries.
Despite the challenges faced by Cleverley, the BBC Sport website reports that he had an unbeaten run at home in his first 15 league games as boss, which was a notable achievement. However, results took a downturn following a 2-1 defeat by Cardiff on 29 December, and they only took five points from the next nine matches. This poor run of form ultimately led to Cleverley’s departure.
The BBC Sport website also reported that Cleverley had been the subject of speculation regarding his future, with former Villarreal head coach Jose Rojo Martin, known as Pacheta, reportedly in talks with Watford to replace him. However, the club dismissed this as "pure speculation" in January, and owner Gino Pozzo later expressed his support for Cleverley, saying: "We are committed to support him and look forward to the challenges ahead together."
In a post on the Hornets website, the club confirmed Cleverley’s departure, stating: "There will be no further club comment until a new appointment has been made." The BBC Sport website understands that Cleverley’s departure was a mutual decision, with the club and the head coach agreeing that it was time for him to move on. As the BBC Sport website reported, Cleverley had promised to learn the lessons of the campaign, adding: "We spent 10 weeks in the play-offs [places], we showed real positive signs before the turn of the year and I think we can clearly identify where and why we’ve run out of a bit of steam."
The departure of Cleverley marks a significant change for Watford, who have had a tumultuous few years, having been relegated from the Premier League in 2022. Since then, they have finished 11th, 15th, and now 14th. No Watford manager or head coach has lasted an entire calendar year in the job since Malky Mackay in 2010. The club will be hoping that a new appointment will bring a fresh perspective and help to stabilise the team.
As quoted on the BBC Sport website, Cleverley had some parting words for the team, saying: "We’ve got an incredibly young squad, the average age is boosted up by one or two individuals, but apart from that it’s largely under 25 and the majority under 21 at the minute. The experiences they will have had this year – some bad ones – to really develop and ultimately improve from is one of the really exciting positives from this season." The BBC Sport website will continue to provide updates on this developing story, including reaction to Cleverley’s departure and speculation on who will be appointed as his successor.
The news will come as a surprise to many fans of the club, who will be hoping that a new appointment will bring success in the upcoming season.
