Watford sources reveal true feelings in wake of disappointing Tom Cleverley sacking

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Tom Cleverley has lost his job at Watford, and in an EFL Analysis exclusive, we can reveal how those internally at the club really feel about the situation.

It was, admittedly, a pretty disappointing campaign for Watford, who ended up finishing down in 14th place in the Championship table.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
11	SwanseaSwansea	46	17	10	19	51	56	-5	61
12	Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday	46	15	13	18	60	69	-9	58
13	NorwichNorwich	46	14	15	17	71	68	3	57
14	WatfordWatford	46	16	9	21	53	61	-8	57
15	QPRQPR	46	14	14	18	53	63	-10	56
16	PortsmouthPortsmouth	46	14	12	20	58	71	-13	54
17	Oxford UnitedOxford United	46	13	14	19	49	65	-16	53

The Hornets went into the season with aspirations of reaching the Championship play-offs, so the deficit between those expectations and the end result was always going to cause problems.

In the end, Tom Cleverley paid the price by losing his job on Tuesday afternoon, and Watford will now be searching for their 17th permanent manager in the last decade.

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Watford sources are not surprised by Tom Cleverley departure

In an EFL Analysis exclusive, we have inside information thanks to Graeme Bailey and sources at Watford who can tell us how those at the club are really feeling about Tom Cleverley’s sacking.

It is said that the decision to part ways with Cleverley has sparked disappointment internally at Vicarage Road, but it is not a move that has caused much surprise.

Those within the club hold Cleverley in high regard, as do a number of figures outside the club, and there is a strong belief that one of Watford’s Championship rivals will swoop for him this summer.

Sources had previously told us Cleverley was preparing for next season, but that is no longer the case, clearly.

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Tom Cleverley’s record at Watford explained

Funnily enough, Cleverley became the longest-serving Watford manager since Javi Gracia in 2018/19 by sticking at the club for over a year.

Cleverley took over in March 2024 as caretaker manager before landing the job permanently in April, and he ended up overseeing 52 matches for the Hornets as the full-time manager.

He won just 19 of those games, drawing nine and losing 24, though, to register a points-per-game ratio of 1.27 and a 36.53% win rate.

Where Cleverley will go next is anyone’s guess, but as a young and popular coach, we could well see him back in the Championship soon.