THE GODFATHER

Cleverley aim to nurture Hornets’ starlets in the way he was by United legends

TOM CLEVERLEY wants to become a Godfather at Watford and perform a similar role to Manchester United icons Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Wayne Rooney.

The former Reds midfielder has taken the Hornets armband and is starting to play a vital role in nurturing under-21 stars such as Jeremy Ngakia, James Garner and Saturday’s match winner Joao Pedro.

Watford have not exactly looked pretty on their return to the Championship, with just two goals, but they now have seven points.

And their youngsters could well be their biggest strength, led by midfielder Cleverley, 31, who spent 15 years at Old Trafford.

Cleverley said: “I like to lead by setting an example. I was lucky growing up to have so many top experienced pros, and it certainly helped.

“It’s a really exciting young group of players. It’s good to play against them every day in training, it keeps us on our toes.

“I remember players leading by example. It was the professionalism they showed. They were naturally keeping you in line as a young lad.

“You’ve just got to look at Scholes, Giggs, Ferdinand, Evra, Rooney – players who’d won five or six titles but still had the desire to keep going.

“I was really lucky to never be content with what I was achieving. I tell them not to get too ahead of themselves, and don’t think you’ve completed football when you’ve got so much to do.

“But these lads want to learn, and it’s a pleasure to steer them in the right direction.”

Cleverley has been captain in the absence of Troy Deeney but the veteran striker came on in the dying stages of this drab derby win even though there is still uncertainty he will remain at Vicarage Road.

Cleverley said: “Troy’s been an icon at this club for so many years now. He’s the go-to man – we just want the transfer window to close now.”

Luton just did not turn up in the first M1 derby in 14 years with Pedro grabbing the winner on 35 minutes from Ken Sema’s cross.

But disappointed boss Nathan Jones said: “We won’t change too much.

“We have a 55 per cent win ratio and won’t over-react. I’m gutted at our performance, it was a week too far.

“But I won’t give them time off until the international break.”

MOTM