"No idea" - Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit issues damning verdict on Tom Cleverley’s Watford sacking | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively with FLW, David Prutton has been speaking on Watford's decision to sack Tom Cleverley.

Watford dismissed Tom Cleverley after finishing 14th in the Championship, very much keeping up their zero-tolerance mantra for managerial success.

Some argued the sacking was harsh, but after taking only one point from their last five games, the Hornets were faced with a massive summer of change, which ultimately included Cleverley.

The former Manchester United, Everton and Watford midfielder, capped 13 times by England, was appointed as interim boss in March 2024 following current Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael's departure.

The 35-year-old would assume the role full-time a month later, but now finds himself out of a job ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. Cleverley had been the first Hornets’ boss to remain in charge for an entire season since Javi Gracia in 2018-19.

“Lacking leadership” – David Prutton’s damning verdict on Tom Cleverley’s Watford dismissal

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit David Prutton was undecided regarding the decision and believes time will tell whether Watford have made the correct choice.

“I have no idea regarding Watford sometimes,” admitted Prutton. “The team that I saw come the end of the season was ill-disciplined and lacking leadership, both on and off the pitch.

“It doesn't help when you've got a manager who has constant whispers about their role at Watford, with people saying that they're only a few games away from being moved on.

“I think the fact that they stuck with him for a season, I mean it's damning them with faint praise, but that's one positive to take from a season where nothing much was achieved, was it?

"So, do I think they made the right or wrong call? Absolutely no idea. No idea. I've got no idea who goes in there, got no idea what the next port of call is for them.

"I presume they’re an extremely ambitious ownership at Watford. As an entity moving forward, you need strong minds and strong personalities in the dugout, but obviously, if it's not working, they'll just change anyway.

"So, right or wrong call? No idea."

After three successive seasons back in the second-tier, Watford are slowly moving away from an era that saw them as Premier League regulars, and now seem to be resigned to a Championship residency.

Once Cleverley's departure was confirmed, Watford sporting director Gian Luca Nani thanked the 35-year-old for his commitment to the club over the years both as a player and manager, but insisted that it was the right time to make a change after a disappointing second half of the season.

"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," Nani said in a statement on the club'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."

The Hornets are now looking for their 10th permanent head coach since Nigel Pearson was sacked in the summer of 2020 with the club facing relegation from the Premier League.

Only time will tell what type of manager Watford choose to lead the club forward next season, but whoever they are, history doesn’t reflect kindly upon their potential to stick around at Vicarage Road for the long-term.