Given the job on Saturday night, assembling a coaching staff, taking training and planning for the game at Birmingham on Saturday.

Watford’s interim head coach Tom Cleverley has had a lot on his plate in less than 72 hours, and talking to the media is, quite rightly and understandably, not something he’s had the chance to do.

However, he has always been very generous with his time when I’ve asked to talk to him in the last couple of years.

Cleverley – or Clevs as most people refer to him – is a perfect interviewee as he’s relaxed, open, a great storyteller and gives thorough, erudite answers.

So, before he first speaks to the media in his new role, here’s a chance to look back on some interviews he’s given to The Watford Observer in the last 18 months.

Firstly, in November 2022, he discussed his England career and also gave some fascinating insight into what it’s like to be part of the national team.

“When I started becoming part of the England squad, the North/South divide was just coming to an end. Before that the United and Liverpool lads would stick together, and so would the Arsenal and Chelsea lads,” he said.

“But nowadays you don’t see those divides in the camp, and I think’s one of the reasons why the team has been more successful recently. Everyone is pleased to be together and there are no cliques.”

Cleverley also revealed that dinner in a well-known Watford venue was a treat for the England players.

“Every meal is eaten as a team in the dining room, and that room will be allocated to the team,” he said.

“There wasn’t much variation in the food, but when we stayed at The Grove in Watford before home games the manager, Roy Hodgson, would let us eat once during the week in The Glasshouse, which is an amazing buffet.

“If we were there for a week because we had two games, we’d have 20 meals in the team dining room and then one meal in The Glasshouse, which the players all loved as a bit of a treat.”

The former midfielder also admitted that nerves affected his performances for England.

“The England games were the one time in my career where I felt nerves got the better of me. I started well in the first couple against Italy and Moldova, but after that I felt genuinely nervous. More nervous than I felt in cup finals,” he said.

“I was okay in those first two, but then I had a real bad game against Ukraine at Wembley, and I think it made me realise how much press attention the England games get. You aren’t just letting the fans of one club down, you’re letting the whole nation of football fans down.

“I’m still really proud, though, to have played 13 times for my country.”

To read the full version of that interview, click here.

Also in November 2022, when Cleverley was trying to work his way back to fitness from a serious ankle injury, he talked about that journey.

“I tried to get to a stage where surgery was the last resort, and unfortunately that’s what it came to. Four years ago it was on my right side, this time it’s the left side,” he said back then.

“I could not take the pain anymore and I had to get them repaired. They get cleaned up, a couple of small tears are stitched together and away I go. I’ve not had an issue with my right ever since, so I hope for the same with my left.”

Cleverley admitted that there are “dark days” when you have a serious injury, and that he tried to help former teammate Dan Gosling when he was in the same situation.

“The first 10 days are the darkest. That sounds a bit dramatic because people are going through far worse in their lives. But you do have dark days,” Cleverley said.

“I’ve spoke to Dan about that, because you will have 10 days when you are genuinely horizontal. At least he’s got the World Cup to watch. But you can’t pick your kids up, you can’t make your own food, you can’t get a drink, you’re constantly reliant on your wife.

“You’re bored, you’re having to watch Watford’s games from home, and you just feel useless. Those 10 days post-surgery are the hardest.”

You can read the full interview by clicking here.

As well as dealing with the more serious side of the game, Cleverley has a sharp sense of humour and in an interview in January 2023 he told the story of a deadline day clash with the fearsome Roy Keane.

“It was the summer of 2014, and Louis van Gaal had come in at Old Trafford and told me I could leave,” he recalled.

“I’d been talking to Roberto Martinez at Everton, and it was set for me to go there. United wanted me to go to Aston Villa, and I’d met Roy Keane – who was assistant there – in the week. My first choice was to go to Everton though.

“United were adamant I was going to Villa, but I’d gone up to Everton and I was parked in a lay-by close to their Finch Farm training ground.

“Then United contacted me and said there was going to be no business done with Everton.

“I text Keane and said to him I was at Finch Farm and I wanted to sign for Everton. He replied with a barrage of abuse!”

Read the full story by clicking here.