How does Cleverley compare to other Pozzo-era managers? | OneFootball

Tom Cleverley was the latest Watford manager to be dismissed by the Pozzo family since their takeover of the Hornets in 2012.

But how does he compare? Playmaker looks at the numbers...

There have been 20(!) permanent managers since the Pozzos took over the club with many having limited shelf life should things not be going the way that the Italian family wants.

Cleverley initially took over from Valérien Ismaël last season on an interim basis before an upturn in form saw him being handed the permanent role.

After one season with the Hornets finishing 14th, the young coach has been given the boot after 59 games in total.

Although 59 games doesn't sound like too long, the 35-year-old has survived relatively well. Only two other Watford managers in the Pozzo era have been in the dugout for more fixtures, Javi Gracia (66 games from January 2018 to September 2019) and the first manager that was brought in under the new ownership, Gianfranco Zola with 75 (from July 2012 to December 2013).

That means Cleverley managed more games than Quique Sánchez Flores, managing 56 from two different stints at the club (44 and 12).

It's also a number well above the average stint, which comes to 30 games, although Óscar García's four-game stint is one that was prematurely ended after four games due to his health. Billy McKinlay had the shortest stint with just two games before Giampaolo Pozzo had a sudden change of heart.

Win rate

While Cleverley amassed 59 games, his win record is not quite as high in comparison to other managers – although these are over different squads and different leagues. Indeed, considering how young this current Hornets squad is, the former midfielder is over-performing if anything.

Xisco Muñoz and Slaviša Jokanovi? both top the charts with a 58% win percentage overall that wasn't enough to keep them in a job.

Ignoring Billy McKinlay's two-game run that ended with a 50% win rate, Gianfranco Zola's the next highest with 44% in total.

In comparison, Cleverley ended his stint with a 34% win rate, ahead of the likes of Nigel Pearson (32%), Marco Silva (31%), and his predecessor Ismaël (29%).

Right at the bottom of that list we see Claudio Ranieri (14%), currently helping revive Roma, and Roy Hodgson (just 11%).

Goals

Lastly, let's have a look at whose Watford's side were banging in the most goals in the Pozzo era. Jokanovi? tops the charts here with an impressive 1.97 goals scored per game on average.

Giuseppe Sannino takes second place with 1.78 goals per game while Zola completes the top three with 1.69.

Cleverley meanwhile averaged 1.2 goals per game, just behind Ranieri (1.21) and Gracia (1.24), although again with such a young team it's understandable that his side weren't always scoring big.

Meanwhile, Hodgson again is at the bottom of the list with just 0.61 goals per game during his brief run just behind the 0.75 goals per game of Quique Sánchez Flores' second stint.