Watford boss learned so much from England manager Southgate

Southgate, who was born in Watford, had to retire as a player with Middlesbrough at the age of 35 in 2006 – and then days later was a surprise appointment as the club’s new manager.

For Cleverley, retirement from playing came when he was a year younger, but less than a season after hanging up his boots and with a few months of coaching Watford’s Under-18s on his CV, he was made interim head coach before getting the job on a permanent basis a few weeks later.

And as part of his move from playing to coaching, Cleverley was one of the most recent participants in the FA’s International Player to Coach programme, partly devised by Southgate in order to help former England internationals make that step.

Cleverley has spent time with Southgate as part of the course, which the likes of Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole have also completed.

“It’s an absolutely fantastic course, and it was devised between Gareth and Steve Guinan, who is the lead coach on it,” the Watford head coach explained.

“It really is gold standard. It has been brilliant and I took so much away from it that has all been both positive and really useful.”

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Southgate won 57 England caps compared to Cleverley’s 13, but when Middlesbrough appointed him back in 2006, the League Managers' Association attempted to oppose the move because of his lack of coaching qualifications.

It was clearly an experience that Southgate wanted to avoid for future generations of ex-players who could offer so much to the game at every level.

"He didn't feel he got much support in the area he needed it. You're coaching technically and tactically, but there's nothing about leadership,” said Steve Guinan, who is the lead coach on the course.

"There's nothing about managing dressing rooms and difficult conversations, managing up, recruitment, the backroom team.

"Gareth said: 'Why don't we just help our own?' The lads who have given up so much time in summers, England camps, European Championships, World Cups. If their profile is going to allow them to get a job before others - rightly or wrongly - let's give them a better chance than he had at Middlesbrough."

Cleverley's fellow ‘pupils’ included Emile Heskey, Jack Wilshere, Leighton Baines, Darius Vassell, Tom Cleverley and Jermain Defoe.

“Gareth wanted to have something that enabled the FA to give something back to the players that had represented England, while also helping to find and develop future coaches who could one day manage their country,” said Cleverley.

Gareth Southgate (Image: Action Images)

“It just shows you the type of guy that Gareth is: there is a lot more to him than meets the eye in his role as England manager.

“Everything comes to a head during a major tournament like now, but the work he is doing behind the scenes to help England as a football nation is outstanding.

“We had a day at Red Bull Racing, I spent a day shadowing Vincent Kompany at Burnley, we had a session with Mark Clemmit from the BBC who talked to us about public speaking.

“These are all experiences that help you as a leader, and not just a coach.”

The Watford boss said Southgate has changed the way the national team set-up works.

“He has had an effect on how this country approaches its national football, from the youngest age groups right through to the senior team.

“I’m sure if you saw his daily calendar you’d realise how much him and John McDermott, the FA’s Technical Director who was Academy Director at Watford previously, have to do to create a culture in and around the England set-up.

“They have ensured there is real harmony around each team among staff and players at each age group.

“Gareth has input into pro licences and A licences, he is overseeing and involved in so much more than people probably think.

“I think he is doing a great job.”

St George's Park. (Image: PA)

As well as the over-arching ambition of the course itself, Cleverley also got to benefit from Southgate on a personal level.

“Having him involved in my course was really, really good,” he said.

“We went to the England training headquarters at St George’s Park, and spent a morning with Lee Carsley who showed us all his preparation work and squad assembly for the Euro Under-21 Championships that they won.

“Then in the afternoon we were with Gareth, and that was more about his journey from leaving Middlesbrough as a player one season, and returning the following pre-season as the manager.

“It’s quite funny how that has sort of been the case how things have panned out for myself.

“The content of what he presented that day, and how Gareth dealt with that situation and the transition he made, has been really good in advising me.”

Cleverley has then had more opportunities to interact with the England manager.

“I’ve spent three or four days with Gareth over the last year, and his emotional intelligence is excellent.

“The way he can read the players, read the environment and how he reacts in terms of what’s needed in each situation is outstanding.

“He’s got a really top understanding of people and in particular footballers.

“He uses that to his advantage and you can see it in the way the England squad have dealt with adversity, in the past and during the current tournament.

“The togetherness within the squad and the resilience he has created – it shows he knows his players as players, but also their characters and emotions.

“I think he’s a bit of a genius in that respect.”

Gareth Southgate and Harry Kane. (Image: Action Images)

Cleverley says that a move towards head coaches having a far-reaching impact and influencing more than just the training pitch is growing apace.

“It’s something that has proved essential in football globally.

“If you talk to players that have played for Carlo Ancelotti, they will probably say they have had coaches who do more with them tactically, but he gives the players responsibility within a structure, make them feel valued and important, and they make the right decisions for the environment.

“In that respect, Gareth is very similar.

“You’ve also got Steve Holland, Gareth’s assistant, who will play a big part, and that was another element of the course: Steve gave a great presentation on the role of the assistant manager, and talked about his role under seven different Chelsea managers.

“For the pupils on the course who might have to go down that route before becoming a manager in their own right, that was so useful.

“Via that course, I have had top access to the England first team and their staff. It has been invaluable to me.”