Latest news with #Cleverley
Scottish Sun
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Watford player of the season Imran Louza hands in transfer request after falling out with new manager in his first week
After struggling initially last season Louza flourished under Cleverley, even captaining the team LOSE LOUZ Watford player of the season Imran Louza hands in transfer request after falling out with new manager in his first week WATFORD midfielder Imran Louza wants to leave the club after a fall-out with the new head coach. Uruguayan boss Paulo Pezzolano has only just taken over at Vicarage Road from Tom Cleverley but after an exchange of views with the new manager, Louza - last season's player of the year - has told the Hornets he is looking to find another club. Advertisement 2 Imran Louza wants to leave Watford Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 2 The midfielder has fallen out with new boss Paulo Pezzolano Credit: Getty Owner Gino Pozzo had been hoping to keep hold of the Moroccan international, along with the likes of Giorgi Chakvetadze and Kwadwo Baah, in an attempt to try and challenge for at least a Championship play-off spot. But a week into the reign of Pezzolano, Louza has told club officials that he is looking at other options. Louza joined from Nantes in 2021 for £9million but is now worth about £12m. He signed a new contract in 2023 with his deal running to 2028. Advertisement READ MORE ON FOOTBALL CAR CRASH Fans claim Carabao Cup draw is 'rigged' as huge derby clash is handed out Louza made 33 appearances, scored twice and picked up five assists last season having improved under Cleverley who left the club at the end of the campaign. Prior to that, Louza had spent half a season out on loan at Lorient and seemed set to leave Watford. However, after struggling initially last term Louza flourished under Cleverley, even captaining the team. Following new boss Pezzolano's arrival at Vicarage Road last month, Sporting Director Gian Luca Nani said: "Paulo has a hugely impressive track record working with young players, which is essential when you look at the age profile of our squad. Advertisement CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "He has had success at virtually every club, including league titles and promotions, but it is his work on the training ground that impressed the most when we undertook our research. "He has innovative ideas and processes which he transmits passionately to the players. Christian Norgaard to Arsenal LATEST | Transfers Exposed "We believe Paulo is the leader we need as we refocus ahead of the new season. Advertisement "He is fully aware of our ambitions and determination to push for promotion and embraces that challenge."
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tom Cleverley guarantees Plymouth Argyle loyalty and hard work
Tom Cleverley has guaranteed Plymouth Argyle will get loyalty and hard work from him and his backroom staff after his appointment as head coach on a three-year contract. Cleverley also declared he was aiming for 'long-term success' with the Pilgrims during an interview with Argyle TV, which was filmed at the Harper's Park training ground on Tuesday. The Argyle squad will get their first opportunity to meet Cleverley when they report for the start of pre-season on Friday, which will see them put through a series of fitness tests. Advertisement "Very honoured, really proud," said Cleverley, when asked by Argyle TV's Charlie Price how he he felt about being the club's new head coach. "I think you see the size of the club when you are sat here, the quality of the facilities, the size of the stadium in the background. READ MORE: Adin Osmanbasic, Eddie Lattimore follow Miron Muslic to Schalke READ MORE: Truro City vs Plymouth Argyle ticket details for pre-season game "As soon as I connected with people at the club I knew this was a really great move for me in my career and I feel like we are both craving real longevity now and stability, and that's something Argyle brings me. I can't wait to get started." Advertisement Cleverley lost his job as Watford head coach at the end of last season after leading them to a 14th place finish in the Championship but was not out of work for long. The former Manchester United and England midfielder was appointed by Argyle last Friday and has been followed to his new club from Watford by assistant head coach Damon Lathrope, first team coach Matt Bevans and analyst Chris Douglas. Long-serving first team coach Kevin Nancekivell and goalkeeping coach Darryl Flahavan will continue in their roles at Home Park. Cleverley is already well aware of the passion of the Green Army for Argyle after his experiences when he served a touchline ban for Watford's 2-2 draw against the Pilgrims at Home Park last November. It was a game in which former Hornets' striker scored a last-gasp equaliser for the hosts. "I was suspended that game so I was really in amongst it," said Cleverley. "I saw Andre Gray's equalising goal go in when I was heading from directors' box to tunnel so I was as in amongst it as you can possibly get. Advertisement "Although I was at the opposite end, I understand how important the atmosphere can be, how can good it is here, how passionate people are, and ultimately how much the football club behind us really galvanises this community." Argyle's choice of Cleverley as the successor to Miron Muslic, who abruptly left to join German club Schalke at the end of May, has been greeted with near unanimous approval from the Green Army. Cleverley said about that: "I think the longer you spend in football the more you manage to block out external noise but we are human beings, of course you would want a positive reaction rather than a negative one. "I think you will know by my inactivity on social media I'm not really one who's going to be sifting through it but what I can guarantee the football club and its supporters is there will be an incredible amount of hard work from me and my staff to make sure this is a success - not a short success, not a medium success but a long-term success. Advertisement "We are a loyal group, we are a very hard-working group and in my opinion we are a technically and tactically very good group, but that's for us to prove. The other two things we can guarantee, that is loyalty and hard work." Cleverley added: "I love how well balanced and stable the club feels. That was both looking at it from the outside but when you meet Simon (Hallett, owner and chairman), when you meet David (Fox, head of football operations), when you meet Andrew (Parkinson, chief executive officer). I really felt well aligned. "Of course we are in a results industry, we are in a short-term results industry, but there has to be a longer term vision, a real process to bring you success and stability, and to make sure your performances are sustainable. I think Simon is someone who really understands that part of it. "Listen, no-one loves winning football games as much as me and we will prepare to win absolutely every single game, but we will also prepare something that I feel will give us a real long-term stability and success, and an exciting journey." Advertisement Cleverley began his coaching journey as under-18 lead coach at Watford in June 2023 before taking temporary charge of the first team in March 2024 after the dismissal of Valerian Ismael before being appointed on a permanent basis the following month. "Academy football is an unbelievable grounding for a coach," said Cleverley. "In my eight months in the academy, you are the coach, you are the kit man, you are the analyst, you are the secretary so you do everything. "It's a great grounding. In my eight months there I think I coached 70 games and then you get flung into the hot-seat, which I felt as prepared as I could be for. "It was something I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have got a passion for developing people and players, and have got a passion for winning. Those two things are really helpful in the job I'm in. I couldn't recommend more the time I spent in the academy." Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley at the Harper's Park training ground on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 (Photo by) Asked what the Argyle players could expect from him as a head coach, Cleverley replied: "First of all, we have to work hard. We have to prepare well, thoroughly. Advertisement "There has to be a strong environment. I have been part of successful teams and I have been part of failing teams. Yes, there is a difference in quality and there is a difference in budget but the over-riding thing is there is a difference in the environment and the culture, and how resilient the group is. "Everything we do has to come from a foundation of that. Be a good team-mate, be a good person, and then after that we can talk technically and tactically. "The players must feel a freedom to express themselves and from there there will be mistakes, and when we have to deal with failures, and that comes back to the strong culture. "There will be a framework and a clarity the players have, but within that they have the right to take risks, to really express themselves and from there hopefully we provide our supporters with an exciting football team to watch." Advertisement On what the Green Army will see from Cleverley's Argyle, he said: "I would expect us to control the football. From that there has to be a purpose, I'm not one of those who wants to control the football because I like looking at the stats after the game and we have had 70 per cent possession. "There has to be a penetration, there has to be a final product, a real purpose to our possession of the football, and from there if that breaks down we are going to counter press hard, we are going to be intense and aggressive. To play like that you have to be fit. "I like to control the controllables and let's start off with intensity and aggression. I think when I talk about preserving the atmosphere and the connection we have with our Argyle supporters then that's a good place to start." With pre-season about to begin, Cleverley could not hide his excitement at the prospect of getting to work at Argyle. "I can't wait," he said. Advertisement "I will have to be honest, as a player I didn't always look forward to seeing the grass again after six weeks off. As a coach I miss it after three days. This is why you do the long hours, this is why you don't retire as a player and just play golf. "The smell of the grass, the sound of the balls, the sound of the studs clattering off the pavement walking up to the training ground, this is football. This is why I absolutely love it and I can't wait to meet the players, meet the supporters and get to work on the grass." You can read more of our Argyle stories from Plymouth Live by clicking HERE
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tom Cleverley confirms Adam Randell set for Plymouth Argyle exit
Tom Cleverley has admitted there is a 'strong possibility' that Plymouth Argyle midfielder Adam Randell will complete a move to Championship club Bristol City. It is understood Randell, who has 12 months remaining on his contract with the Pilgrims, will have a medical tomorrow ahead of his transfer to City, who appointed Gerhard Struber as their new head coach today. Advertisement His expected departure from Home Park comes after striker Ryan Hardie, Argyle's 2024/25 top goalscorer and player-of-the-year, joined Wrexham, newly promoted to the Championship, on Monday for a reported fee of £700,000 on a three-year contract. READ MORE: Conor Hazard expected to be fit for start of Plymouth Argyle season READ MORE: Plymouth Argyle target Christian Saydee signs for Ryan Lowe's Wigan Athletic Randell, who often captained Argyle last season when Joe Edwards was out injured or not selected for the side, has made a total of 173 appearances for his hometown club, including 124 starts, and scored 10 goals. Advertisement Cleverley was asked about the reports of Randell joining Bristol City during his introductory Press conference as the Pilgrims' new head coach at Home Park this lunchtime. He said: "It's a similar situation to Ryan (Hardie), you are going to have a lot of interest and especially when there is buy-out clauses and things like that, so there is a strong possibility that that happens." Cleverley explained that former Argyle head coach Wayne Rooney, who played with Cleverley for Manchester United and England, had only good things to say about Randell. "He's a player that I really admire," continued Cleverley. "When we played Plymouth in the cup last year, Wayne spoke really highly of him, and being a midfielder myself he's someone who I have paid a lot of attention to over the last 10 months. I'm disappointed I'm not able to work with him but never stand in the way of anyone wanting to play at the top level." Advertisement Cleverley confirmed he had been aware of the possibility of Hardie leaving Argyle during the process which led to him becoming their head coach. "When a relegation happens, I think there is always interest in the best players so we were prepared for that," he declared. "What I would say is the early business the club has done has been very good. "I feel I would have been very aligned with that business if I was in the building at the time, and I'm really excited by those players. We don't want to dwell on the players we have lost too much. "Ryan was a fantastic player and servant for the club. Him and (Mustapha) Bundu really caught fire in the second part of the season and we wish him all the best." Advertisement Bundu, who finished as Argyle's 11-goal second top scorer last season, has moved on from the club as a free agent after rejecting the offer of a new contract. It leaves Cleverley without a senior striker in his squad at the moment. Cleverley said: "We are all working hard towards that. We don't want to be kneejerk with bringing one in because we haven't got any in the building. "We want to get the right players in that will fit into our project. Everyone is working really hard towards that and I'm sure there will be some news soon." He added: "We will be working from a variation of a 4-2-3-1. It's quite rotational and when you play with a 10 and a nine that number 10 can be like a second striker at times. I like the system because it's quite adaptable within the framework." You can read more of our Argyle stories from Plymouth Live by clicking HERE
The Irish Sun
13-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Tom Cleverley appointed Plymouth manager a month after Watford sacking as he beats ex-England team-mate to job
TOM CLEVERELY has been announced as the new Plymouth Argyle manager. The former Manchester United star beat out Jack Wilshere to be awarded with the job. Advertisement 2 Tom Cleverley has been appointed as the new Plymouth manager Credit: PA 2 He beat Jack Wilshere to the job Credit: Alamy Cleverley was available after he was sacked from his job at Watford due to missing out on the Championship playoffs. He has signed a three-year contract with the Pilgrims and will be aiming to get the club back into the second flight. Chairman Simon Hallett has hailed Cleverley's arrival in the dugout following the controversial exit of Miron Muslic. He said: "Ever since Miron's departure, and knowing Tom was available, we identified him straight away as the perfect person to be our next Head Coach and targeted him immediately. Advertisement READ MORE ON FOOTBALL "When we spoke to him he was completely aligned with the vision and ambitions of the club and it was clear throughout that Tom was the right fit for us. "He is fully invested in our long-term plans and will play a key role in helping us achieve them. "He is young, passionate and did a great job at Watford. "We are thrilled to bring him to Argyle and look forward to seeing the impact he has on the talented squad at his disposal." Advertisement Most read in EFL Breaking Latest The club was relegated from the Championship last season under Muslic. The Austrian had taken over from Wayne Rooney midway through the season. Despite an upturn in form, the club fell short of survival by just three points as they finished 23rd. The club had hoped that Muslic would remain in his position for the next season but he left for 2. Bundesliga outfit Schalke 04. Advertisement His exit was confirmed by Argyle on social media with a blunt 13-word statement. It read: "Miron Muslic has left Argyle to join 2. Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04." More to follow... THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. Advertisement The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video . Like us on Facebook at
Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Rooney's ex-Man Utd teammate set for Plymouth job after icon's disastrous spell
Tom Cleverley is poised to become the next Plymouth boss after emerging as the best candidate with Wayne Rooney's former Manchester United team-mate looking to lead them back to the Championship Tom Cleverley is set to become the next Plymouth boss after holding productive talks with the club's bosses as they look to bounce back from their Championship relegation. The former Manchester United star is expected to succeed Miron Muslic, who masterminded the FA Cup win over Liverpool but left for Schalke last month. Cleverley meanwhile is out of a job having been sacked by Watford last month. He had led the Hornets to a 14th-place finish in the second tier in his first full season. Plymouth had spoken to four candidates about their vacancy with Cleverley emerging as the frontrunner. Former Arsenal star Jack Wilshere, who had been caretaker boss at Norwich, was also interviewed but looks set to miss out according to the Guardian. Plymouth's managerial search has been led by David Fox, their former player who was recently appointed head of football operations, and the former Norwich sporting director Stuart Webber. The Pilgrims knew their relegation was all but confirmed ahead of the final day with a hugely inferior goal difference meaning they were ultimately down. They were beaten by Leeds at Home Park which bought an end to their two-year stay in the Championship. Their demise began with Wayne Rooney at the helm. Cleverley's former team-mate at Old Trafford was handed another managerial gig in the Championship but struggled for results. He won five of his 25 games before he was shown the door just after Christmas. He left Plymouth sitting in the relegation zone and, despite an upturn in form that saw them down the likes of Sheffield United, they couldn't save themselves and will hope to bounce back at the first time of asking. They are among the pre-season favourites for promotion. Rooney has said on his stint: "I loved my time there - I think the fans were great, the staff were great. We just hit a bad run of form and the players actually you know I can't fault them, they were trying everything. Maybe we just lacked that bit of quality." Rooney's successor, Muslic, appeared to take a swipe at the Evertonian and claimed that the club would never have gone down had he been in charge all season. "I think if I'm the head coach from day one we will be far, far away from the relegation zone," he said previously.
