Watford FC: Gary Neville and Scott McTominay show why Tom Cleverley's Man United reunion makes sense - View | OneFootball

After another bang-average Championship campaign at Vicarage Road, Watford have recently appointed Tom Cleverley as the club's new head coach.

Following Valerien Ismael's sacking in March, the former Hornets skipper took over as interim boss until the end of the season, but, with some impressive performances and decent results to go with them, the club's hierarchy decided, with two games left of the season, that Cleverley was the right man to take them forward on a permanent basis.

Tom Cleverley appointed Watford FC boss

Following that appointment, Cleverley confirmed the permanent positions of his coaching staff, with Damon Lathrope and Armand Kavaja staying on in roles taken up when Cleverley took the interim job. One notable change, however, was the departure of Jimmy Gilligan from the first-team set up, who has returned to his former role within the club's academy.

Upon the announcement, Cleverley confirmed that Gilligan's departure left space for an experienced pair of eyes within his staff, explaining via club media: "I’m really open-minded about who that person might be.

"Ideally they’re going to have many more years of experience within a top-level coaching set-up than me. And most importantly of all, coming from a winning environment.

"That process is ongoing right now, and we’ll update on that once we’ve found someone we know is going to add value to what we already have."

Warren Joyce linked with Watford switch

It appears that one candidate for that 'experienced pair of eyes' is Warren Joyce, currently working in the academy set up at Nottingham Forest.

According to Alan Nixon via Patreon, Cleverley is keen to poach Joyce from this position, though, with the new Watford boss said to be keen to bring Joyce's knowledge and experience on board at Vicarage Road.

Of course, Joyce spent eight years in charge of Manchester United's reserve sides between 2008 and 2016, first as co-manager alongside Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and later as solo boss.

That was around the time that Cleverley came through the youth ranks at Old Trafford, and so the Watford boss knows exactly what he would be getting from his former coach. Clearly, he thinks highly of the 59-year-old.

Gary Neville and Scott McTominay comments

It is not only Cleverley that does so, though, and having done some research, previous comments made by two Manchester United players, past and present, suggest that Joyce could be an excellent backroom appointment for Watford, and just what Cleverley is looking for.

Gary Neville, for example, said the following in a 2017 interview with ESPN: "Warren [Joyce] was absolutely brilliant in the very difficult role of reserve-team coach."

Neville went on to explain: "Warren was excellent at man-managing individuals who were hovering and drifting between the age of 19 and 21.

"They'd be going out on loan, they'd have had a taste of the first team and the buzz of playing for the reserves will have worn off because they want to be playing in front of big crowds for a first team, they want a new contract. It can be an uncertain time for a player but he motivated them mentally and physically.

"He maximised the players' talents, he'd push them like crazy. He'd do extra gym work and join in with the players as if to say 'we're in this together'. He had a very good way of dealing with footballers, who he knew were not going to make it at United."

The former United right-back concluded: "Players trusted his judgement, they enjoyed his training sessions and responded to his down-to-earth nature; there's an earthiness about him."

Current Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay, who like Cleverley has worked with Joyce previously, has also been complimentary of the 59-year-old, crediting him with a lot of his development.

Speaking on his physical struggles at United as a teenager on the High Performance podcast, McTominay credited Joyce for transforming him: "I can’t really put it into words, I was just more concentrated on going to the gym and improving myself that way. To be honest, I didn’t even notice I wasn’t really playing as much as the other lads.

"Then there was the time when you take a stretch when you’re about 18 and I got to the height I am today.

"Then I got through to the reserves and got to grips with Warren Joyce. I don’t know if you know him. He transformed me.”

In the same interview, McTominay went on to declare that Joyce was "the best person that any young player could go and see in terms of being coached", high praise, indeed.

Cleverley's Man Utd reunion could make sense

Given that Cleverley is looking for an experienced head to add to his coaching team, having read the above comments, a reunion with his former Man Utd coach at Vicarage Road would seem to make complete sense.

It is clear that Joyce has a big impact on those he works with or who have witnessed his work, and as well as being able to guide Cleverley on his coaching journey, Joyce could get to work with some of those in need of development at Vicarage Road, including youngsters on the fringes of the first team.

With Watford's parachute payments having now run out, and owner Gino Pozzo not having endless finances to draw on to fund big-money signings - Cleverley has already admitted that Watford will need to be "creative" in the market this summer - Watford should arguably be looking to their academy more than ever, and appointing Cleverley, who started the season as the club's under-18's boss, will certainly do that no harm.

We have already seen the 34-year-old start Jack Grieves in the penultimate Championship clash against Sunderland at Vicarage Road, for example, whilst Albert Eames and Zavier Massiah-Edwards both made their professional debuts away at Middlesbrough on the final day under the new Hornets boss.

There are undoubtedly big decisions and hard work ahead for Cleverley as he looks to transform the fortunes of a Watford side that have, for two seasons now, been a middle of the road Championship side.

If appointing Warren Joyce to his backroom staff turns out to be one of his first decisions, however, it would seem it could be a very good move.