Watford manager Rob Edwards has revealed that he opted to name Tom Cleverley as the club's captain for the 2022/23 campaign as he believes the midfielder is a true leader.
As confirmed by the club's official website on Saturday, Cleverley will take over this particular role following Moussa Sissoko's departure from Vicarage Road.
Sissoko sealed a move to Ligue 1 side Nantes earlier this month after representing Watford in the Premier League during the previous season.
The Hornets will be looking to provide their supporters with something to shout about in the Championship in the opening stages of the new term.
Set to face Sheffield United on August 1st, it will be interesting to see who is given the nod to start for Watford in this particular fixture.
Having been named as the club's new captain, Cleverley is expected to feature in the heart of the club's midfield in this particular fixture.
Ahead of Watford's showdown with the Blades, Edwards has explained the reasoning behind his decision to hand Cleverley the responsibility of leading the club on the pitch.
Speaking to the Watford Observer, Edwards said: "He is a true leader out on the pitch and we need that.
"When I told the lads on Friday that Clevs was captain I said that it was an important role in the team.
"But I also said that I was looking for leadership from all my players.
“I encourage all the players to use their voice and be a leader, and we are fortunate that we have six or seven players whose leadership qualities clearly stand out.
"We have a lot of players who I can lean on and who can help set an example to the group."
The Verdict
This is a key decision by Edwards as captains set the tone for the rest of the team by displaying leadership on the pitch.
When you consider that Cleverley possesses the qualities needed to fulfil this role, it is hardly a surprise that he has been handed the armband ahead of the new campaign.
Having provided 22 direct goal contributions in 67 second-tier appearances during his career, the midfielder will be confident in his ability to make a difference at this level in the coming months.
Providing that Watford are able to make an encouraging start to the season, there is no reason why they cannot go on to challenge for promotion with Cleverley in their side.