Tom Cleverley didn’t hold back after Watford’s 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth, issuing a stinging critique of the culture surrounding the club and insisting that too many poor performances are going unpunished.
The head coach was visibly furious post-match, making clear that change is coming in how he manages the squad. His most pointed criticism wasn’t about tactics or missed chances—but about the mentality and standards inside the dressing room and around the club.
“I don’t think there’s enough consequences at this club for not doing your job at times,” Cleverley declared when asked about his substitution of Rocco Vata following Kevin Keben’s red card. The attacking player was pulled for defender Mattie Pollock, a move that sparked debate, but Cleverley was adamant: “People can focus on me taking an attacking player off, but I think you have to take off who deserves to come off.”
He made it clear that performances—not positions—will decide who stays on the pitch. “I will be much more demanding in the next two weeks, that’s for sure,” he added. “The players always try for me, and you can see that right to the end. But I will always make substitutions of people I see deserve to come off.”
Cleverley emphasized that going down to 10 men required a more experienced presence on the pitch and that Vata’s removal wasn’t personal. “I don’t want to focus just on Rocco,” he said.
When asked to explain what he meant by “consequences,” the former Manchester United man spoke from personal experience.
“Our fanbase are very respectful. Our media is very local,” he explained. “I’ve played for clubs where that is not the case, and as a player you feel like you have to perform and we have to win, or else there will be consequences for the next six days of my life—whether that is walking down the street or picking up a newspaper.”
He continued, “I felt that made me better, because I knew there were consequences for my all-round life for not doing my job on a Saturday. We have to work like every day is Saturday and win at all costs, and it’s life or death.”
Asked whether he was surprised by the travelling supporters applauding the team despite the loss, Cleverley praised their loyalty: “I have to give credit to our fans—2,500 of them here today and they have stayed behind the team to the end, and it does help.” But he added: “It is more my job, the staff’s jobs, people within the club to create a culture where we are judged on results and performances. And then there has to be consequences for not reaching the required levels.”
Cleverley also addressed his decision to avoid using any of the Academy players on the bench late in the game, despite trailing. “We had six players under 21 in the team at the start of the game today—that’s six outfielders. So the majority of my team today can still play for the Under-21s,” he explained.
Throwing more young players into a high-stakes match could backfire, he argued. “If I put three more Academy lads into that today I risk them having a bad experience,” Cleverley said. “These things can leave long-lasting scars if we get beaten up by an experienced team and we end up losing 3-0.”
Reflecting on a pre-season learning curve, he added, “I learned quickly from the pre-season game at Wycombe that having too many Academy lads on the pitch at the same time can have a counter-productive effect.”
Still, Cleverley made clear he believes in his young prospects—just not at any cost. “I trust the young lads to play: they wouldn’t be here if not,” he said. “They are exciting young prospects and I am desperate for them to see the pitch—but it has to be the right time.”
Cleverley’s message is unmistakable: effort alone won’t be enough going forward—Watford needs accountability, and he’s ready to enforce it.
