The first-team squad supported their Under-18 teammates at Tuesday night’s FA Youth Cup win over Southampton as Tom Cleverley sought to further increase the unity at the club.
Cleverley, his staff and players were at the back of the Sir Elton John Stand to watch the 2-1 win over the Saints, and the many of them headed down to the dressing room afterwards to congratulate Matt Bevans, Lloyd Doyley and the young players.
Earlier today, Watford were drawn at home to FA Youth Cup holders Manchester City in the semi-finals.
“It’s something I grew up with, the importance of the FA Youth Cup,” Cleverley explained.
“Sir Alex would come to every cup tie, and then in the later round the first-team players would come and show their support.
“And so I thought it was important for us to do that, especially after what happened on Sunday.
“I wanted to make the whole club really united, which I feel we have done really well.
“It also puts the young players under a bit more pressure. These players who I want to experience high-pressure environments, having the first team there puts a little bit more on it for them.”
Cleverly added his voice to the many who congratulated the Under-18s on reaching the last four of the cup.
“It’s a fantastic achievement and makes us really proud as a football club,” he said.
“I was really pleased with turn-out on the night and the performance from the lads.
“We have an Academy team in the last four of a really prestigious national cup competition competing against the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Aston Villa.
“Watford were the first team into the semi-finals as well.
“It’s a really good group and one that I have absolutely no hesitations about dipping into for the first-team squad.
“They are really flying the flag for us and the club seems in a very healthy moment.”
Three of the team that started in Tuesday’s cup tie have already played for the first team, and Cleverley said that figure could rise.
“There are a few debuts to come out of that group, and both Leo Ramirez-Espain and Amin Nabizada are firmly part of the first-team squad for every game at the minute,” he explained.
“They are players I am very close to trusting playing lots of league minutes.
“When I was with the Under-18s last season we got Man City in the third round, and they went on to win it, so it’s been nice to have a bit more of a favourable start but then two really solid tests against two Category 1 teams in Tottenham and Southampton.
“We have been both of them convincingly in my opinion.
“It makes the whole club have a feel-good factor, and Richard Johnson and Jimmy Gilligan have done a great job.
“They have given me resources to dip into, and it’s really significant when you get a team in the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup.”
By training with the first team, it means the likes of Ramirez-Espain and Nabizada can work alongside, and learn from, Imran Louza and Giorgi Chakvetadze, whose style of play and positions are very similar.
“Absolutely they can, and they are intelligent young lads so I’m sure they will,” said Cleverley.
“It’s priceless what they have, working with great role models and examples.
“And they are very similar types of players: Leo to Imran and Amin to Giorgi.
“They should be learning, if they aren’t already.”
Having coached many of the current Under-18 squad himself last season, Cleverley was already in a good position to know which of the group might be destined for the first team.
“You always have an inkling but that has changed over a period of time I must admit,” he said.
“They still have a lot of physical development to go through at that period of time, and that’s the period of your career where distractions start coming into your life.
“How young players deal with distractions is also a key factor to whether they can go and fulfil their potential.
“The professionalism of this group is why we all see this as a potentially special year for our Academy and they are living up to it.”
The old adage that ‘if you’re good enough, you’re old enough’ is one Cleverley is happy to subscribe to.
“I fully agree with that statement and I think it shows with a first-team back-four that has an average age of 21 and a striker who is 19.
“I absolutely have that mentality.
“Amin and Leo are amongst others, but those two are very close to getting first-team appearances and I have full trust in them.”
