WATFORD have sacked Valerien Ismael and replaced him with Tom Cleverley as interim boss.
The Hornets were beaten 2-1 at home by Coventry City at Vicarage Road.
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Valerien Ismael sacked as Watford manager Credit: Alamy
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Tom Cleverley took over on an interim basisCredit: Alan Cozzi
The club announced the news on social networks.
A statement from X read: “Tom Cleverley will take over as interim head coach at Vicarage Road.
“This follows the termination of Valerian Ismael’s contract by Watford FC following today’s home defeat to Coventry City.”
Watford were in disastrous form which saw them drop out of the play off places.
They have won just two of their last 13 games, going from seventh to 13th place.
Their recent poor run means they are 13 points behind sixth-placed Norwich City.
Satisfied owner Gino Pozzo reportedly pondered Ismael’s tenure.
Bizarrely, this comes after he handed the Frenchman a new three-year contract in October.
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Defeat at home to Coventry was the final straw for the Italian businessman.
Amazingly, Watford have changed a number of managers over the past four and a half years.
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This is the 12th time they have had to change a coach in the past four and a half years.
The reins have now been handed to former Man Utd youth product Cleverley.
This is the 34-year-old midfielder’s first appearance in the long team.
The former England international, who made 13 appearances, returned to the club on a permanent basis in 2017 – seven years after enjoying a successful loan spell in 2009-10, when he won player of the season.
During the 2022-23 campaign, Cleverley was appointed club captain by former boss Rob Edwards, now at Luton Town.
At the end of that season, Cleverly announced his retirement from football after an injury.
He took on a role in the club’s academy helping to coach the under-18 team, while also taking on ambassadorial duties.
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Source: HIS Education