Tom Cleverley appointed Plymouth manager a month after Watford sacking as he beats ex-England team-mate to job
TOM CLEVERELY has been announced as the new Plymouth Argyle manager.
The former Manchester United star beat out Jack Wilshere to be awarded with the job.
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Tom Cleverley has been appointed as the new Plymouth manager
Credit: PA
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He beat Jack Wilshere to the job
Credit: Alamy
Cleverley was available after he was sacked from his job at Watford due to missing out on the Championship playoffs.
He has signed a three-year contract with the Pilgrims and will be aiming to get the club back into the second flight.
Chairman Simon Hallett has hailed Cleverley's arrival in the dugout following the controversial exit of Miron Muslic.
He said: "Ever since Miron's departure, and knowing Tom was available, we identified him straight away as the perfect person to be our next Head Coach and targeted him immediately.
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"When we spoke to him he was completely aligned with the vision and ambitions of the club and it was clear throughout that Tom was the right fit for us.
"He is fully invested in our long-term plans and will play a key role in helping us achieve them.
"He is young, passionate and did a great job at Watford.
"We are thrilled to bring him to Argyle and look forward to seeing the impact he has on the talented squad at his disposal."
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The club was relegated from the Championship last season under Muslic.
The Austrian had taken over from Wayne Rooney midway through the season.
Despite an upturn in form, the club fell short of survival by just three points as they finished 23rd.
The club had hoped that Muslic would remain in his position for the next season but he left for 2. Bundesliga outfit Schalke 04.
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His exit was confirmed by Argyle on social media with a blunt 13-word statement.
It read: "Miron Muslic has left Argyle to join 2. Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04."
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The 42
3 hours ago
- The 42
As Dublin football's production line slows down, Derry's is ramping up
WE'VE NEVER QUITE been able to nail down whether Ciaran Archer scored nine or 10 goals in the 2019 All-Ireland U20 championship for Dublin. There's a question mark over whether he registered two or three goals in Dublin's 4-21 demolition of Longford at the beginning of that campaign. We'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he finished the campaign with 10-35, a monstrous season of scoring by any standard. And when he curled in the last of those goals in the 11th minute of that year's All-Ireland U20 final, punishing a fumbled short kick-out by the Cork goalkeeper, the possibilities seemed endless. For player and county. It left Dublin 1-6 to 0-0 up and poised to win their fifth All-Ireland at the grade in the 2010s. With the senior team just weeks away from clinching the five-in-a-row, another decade of sky blue dominance appeared almost a given. The young Dubs caved in after that though, suffering a 17-point swing on the scoreboard by full time to lose by eight points. Some of them, including Archer, got back to the 2020 All-Ireland U20 final but lost to Galway, playing second fiddle throughout. Advertisement Ciarán Archer was one of Dublin's stars of the U20 Championship in 2019. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO Five years on, Dublin haven't won even a Leinster U20 championship since, let alone an All-Ireland, suffering final losses to Offaly and Kildare and coming up short to Louth in both the 2024 and 2025 provincial semi-finals. It hasn't been going a whole pile better for the Dublin minors who, since winning the 2017 Leinster title, have won just two provincial titles, in 2022 and 2023. Longford beat Dublin in last year's Leinster minor final and a brilliant young Louth side hammered the Dubs at the semi-final stage this year. We won't say the Dublin conveyor belt has suddenly come grinding to a halt but, compared to what came before, it is a considerable drop off. Which makes for useful background when considering the senior team and their present predicament. Former Dublin minor and U21 manager Dessie Farrell will take his seniors to face Derry in neutral Newry this Saturday evening knowing that a loss could very well end their Championship campaign. Conor Glass and Eoin McEvoy celebrate during the 2024 Division 1 league final. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO The Derry seniors are in similar straits. It's only 15 months ago that Derry and Dublin contested a National League Division 1 final that one outlet pretty accurately reported as 'one of the wildest games of football we've seen in Croke Park in a very long time'. Derry won on penalties but it amounted to a thrilling bout between two heavyweight performers who left each other black and blue. Their All-Ireland credentials, it seemed, were evident. Since then, Derry have played 16 National League and Championship games and won just two. And only one of them in the regulation 70 minutes. They have gone from Taylor Swift to Graham Taylor in about the time it takes to say Ange Postecoglu. Dublin's numbers are better, admittedly, with just six defeats from 18 games in the same period since that 2024 league final but the losses have been crushing. Last year's Championship exit was their earliest since 2009. This summer, they finally relinquished the Leinster title. And prior to this year, the last time they lost twice in the same Championship was 15 years ago. The question is, which of the two counties will bounce back quickest? The answer to that one could actually be Derry. Whilst Dublin has suffered a dearth of underage success, the Oak Leaf County has won three of the last five All-Ireland minor titles. U20 success hasn't yet followed but, crucially, there appears to be more than enough quality young performers capable of making the step up to senior. St Patrick's College Maghera won this year's Hogan Cup too. Eoin McEvoy, Patrick McGurk and Lachlan Murray, all starters in Derry's 2020 minor final win, featured against Galway last time out in the senior championship. James Sargent is the pick of the bunch from the 2023 and 2024 teams that won All-Irelands. 'I'd be really excited about James Sargent, unfortunately he's done his ACL but he has a big future,' said former Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue. 'Eamon Young is another player I'd be really excited about that's yet to come. 'Derry have a fair bit of talent to come and probably a nice age profile already in the senior squad that would suggest they're going to be knocking around there or thereabouts for the next number of years.' Dessie Farrell is managing this Dublin team through its latest transition. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO Dublin aren't nearly as advanced. And, worryingly for them, they're not producing the rough diamonds that they once did, for senior managers like Pat Gilroy, Jim Gavin and Dessie Farrell to polish up. Archer made just two senior appearances for Dublin after his U20 career, starting against Longford in the 2022 O'Byrne Cup and coming on three weeks later as a sub against Kerry in the league. And that was that. The 2020 minors, whose championship lasted just one game — a loss to Meath — produced about the greatest yield of future seniors from that period. Hugh O'Sullivan, Theo Clancy, Greg McEneaney, Alex Gavin and Luke Breathnach were all minors that year and have played in this year's Championship. But none of them are coming through with underage medals, even at provincial level. It's 2017 since Dublin produced an underage team – their U21s won the All-Ireland that year – that contained truly exciting talents, laden with medals. Future All-Stars Con O'Callaghan, Colm Basquel, Brian Howard and Eoin Murchan were all on that team. Paddy Small didn't even start the All-Ireland final win. Now that the bulk of their elders from the golden era have moved on, it's been left to those 2017 U21 players, along with a few others like Ciaran Kilkenny, John Small, David Byrne and the evergreen Stephen Cluxton to provide the inspiration. The evidence so far is that it's too great an ask. Related Reads As Derry seek to kick losing habit in Dublin game, kickouts and attacking role are key Calculators out: The final permutations for the All-Ireland football group stages Alan Brogan pointed the finger of blame for the faltering supply line at the schools system in Dublin. 'I believe the drop off in standard of Gaelic football in Dublin secondary schools in the last 10 years is a huge issue,' he tweeted last month. 'Most of my football between the age of 12 and 17 was played in St Declan's.' Brogan's former Dublin forward colleague during the boom times, Diarmuid Connolly, shrugged. 'Look, it's very hard to pinpoint what's happening,' said BoyleSports ambassador Connolly. 'We had a generational team for the last two decades and that talent pool doesn't come along that often. I think we made hay whilst it was there. 'It's like cycles, and the same with my club Vincent's, we had two very successful teams back-to-back and now they're struggling a little bit. It just takes time. 'It'll take putting the work down at the grassroots level, getting back into the schools and getting that competition really competitive again, especially at the senior level in schools. 'Being competitive for minors, being competitive for U21s, being competitive at senior level for All-Irelands over the last two decades, look, I think one year you can nearly write it off to a changing in the guard or whatever it is. I don't think it's a big talking point around Dublin. They'll be back, don't worry about that.'
The 42
4 hours ago
- The 42
'I loved putting on the Leinster jersey every single time'
MARTIN MOLONEY WILL be there in Croke Park this evening. He's an ex-Leinster player now, having just enjoyed a strong first season with Exeter in England, but Moloney will be willing on some of his best friends against the Bulls. The 25-year-old was at the Aviva Stadium last weekend too, taking great joy as his former housemate, Jamie Osborne, had an outstanding game in the semi-final win over Glasgow. Thomas Clarkson, who Moloney came through the academy with, was another Leinster man who shone. 'You have some of your best friends playing and you're just hoping they go on to be man of the match,' says Moloney of the fairly new experience of being a Leinster fan. After that win over Glasgow, Moloney went back to Osborne, Brian Deeny and Sam Prendergast's house to catch up with them. Clarkson and another five of their Leinster team-mates came over too. They did what they have always done – watched sport. The Bulls' URC win over the Sharks was followed by the gripping Munster hurling final that went to penalties. The evening reminded Moloney of the years he spent working his way through the Leinster academy onto a senior contract in 2022. He made 11 appearances for his native province before leaving last year. There is no hint of bitterness on Moloney's part that things didn't progress further for him in Leinster. He's genuinely delighted to see his mates getting ahead in blue and green jerseys, with others soon heading off to play in red ones in Australia. Moloney's friends have also no doubt been thrilled to see the powerful, combative flanker making an impact outside of Leinster. Sitting in a café in Dublin this week, the Athy man was excited to reflect on signing a new deal with Exeter to extend his time with the Premiership club into next season. He joined initially on a short trial last summer and quickly earned a one-year contract. Moloney set a target of playing 20 games. He made it 21 appearances in the last game of the season against Sale two weekends ago. 'You learn the best lessons in the arena,' is how Moloney puts it as he sums up how beneficial this season has been for him. He had a short spell on loan to Cornish Pirates in the Championship in December but fought his way into Exeter's back row towards the end of the season, earning his new deal with the Premiership club. Moloney with Exeter club captain Jack Yeandle. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO Director of rugby Rob Baxter noted how Moloney 'was playing his best rugby for us towards the end of the campaign where he really showed his value,' and highlighted that they expect him to get better and better next season. Life in Exeter has been good so far, even if Moloney's partner, Tess, has been back in Dublin working 'unbelievably hard' as a doctor in the Mater Hospital. Her support and the big effort to get over for his games has made it all possible. The pay-off has been some memorable weekends visiting beautiful parts of Devon and Cornwall. Moloney is excited about Exeter's new signings for next season, including Wallabies centre Len Ikitau and South African hooker Joseph Dweba. The newcomers, along with the returning England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, will add to a talented squad. This season was difficult for Exeter. They finished second from bottom in the Premiership with four wins in 18 games. Moloney points out that they were involved in a fair few tight losses. No fewer than eight losing bonus points highlight how it was close to being a much happier season. 'One thing about the Premiership is that the teams are so evenly matched,' said Moloney. 'If you look at a set of five games in a weekend, they're unbelievably hard to predict. 'Within the league, there are lots of contrasting styles of play. The way Bristol play is very different to the way Sale play. So each week it's kind of a fresh challenge, it's a great league to play in.' He wasn't playing on the dark day when Exeter were hammered 79-17 by Gloucester, prompting club owner Tony Rowe to give the players a dressing down in the changing room afterwards. Long-serving coaches Rob Hunter and Ali Hepher left the club in the wake of that game, following defence coach Omar Mouneimne's exit in October, but Moloney says the players just had to keep trucking on. Advertisement 'It was a horrible day for the club. Rob was a coach who had a big, positive impact on my game. And so I was obviously sad to see him go. It was tough for a lot of people, the same with Ali and Omar. 'As a player, the only thing you can control is your next game and how you're preparing for it and how as a team, you come together and prepare for the next game.' Despite the challenges for Exeter, Moloney has been able to develop his game. Moloney is a combative, physical flanker. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO He has always been a destructive defender. The Chiefs challenged him to bring more variety. So on top of his longstanding jackaling quality, Moloney has been working hard on reefing the ball in tackles, as well as making better decisions around the breakdown and not over-chasing turnovers. His set-piece skills have also improved. Exeter's DNA has always been about physicality. Moloney has never struggled in that regard. It's his calling card. Anyone who has watched him play will have noted the relentlessness of his contact work. There is a slightly wild edge to Moloney's work rate, something that Leinster loved about him. A calm, considered, articulate young man away from the pitch, Moloney brings an aggressive edge on it. 'The physical part of the game is a part that I really enjoy,' he says. 'I put a lot of preparation into it because I think that has a big impact on the players around you and also has a big impact on the result. 'Obviously, tactical and technical stuff is very important, but in some of the big games, the most physical team wins. 'Where do I get my edge from? Anywhere I can.' There is a big technical element to his physicality. It's not just about his mindset. Moloney is grateful to have trained and played alongside Will Connors, 'one of the best chop tacklers in the world,' and Josh van der Flier, who had a big influence on him. It's no surprise that Moloney looked up to Seán O'Brien when he was coming through, all the more so because they're both products of the Leinster Youths system. Moloney initially grew up in Carlow on a diet of hurling and football, but when he was 10, he moved with his family onto their beef farm a stone's throw away from Athy RFC. Moloney went down to the Showgrounds and instantly loved rugby. He played for Athy – also Joey Carbery and Jeremy Loughman's home club – right through until joining the Leinster academy, proudly representing them in the Provincial Towns Cup before moving to Clontarf in the All-Ireland League. So Moloney was ecstatic to watch Athy claim the Towns Cup in April, their first success in the competition since 1984. Athy man Moloney won a Grand Slam with the Ireland U20s in 2019. Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO 'There is a really special group of people there running the club who were in the club when I was there and they're all still there,' says Moloney. 'And even more people have come in since and they've managed to get a really good group of senior players together. They're able to put out two women's teams as well. They're doing a fantastic job.' Moloney wouldn't have a professional rugby career without Athy. His school, Knockbeg College, didn't play rugby. He loved his days in Knockbeg, playing in a brilliant football team, a good hurling team, running cross-country, throwing shot put, and getting involved in any other sport on offer. Moloney's campaign to start a rugby team was unsuccessful. So his rugby was all in Athy RFC. Moloney is proud to have come from there, through the North Midlands team in the Shane Horgan Cup, the Leinster Clubs U18 team, and on into an Ireland U18s jersey. The majority of Irish professional players come through rugby schools and though Moloney never felt in any way disadvantaged, he says contact time with a rugby ball was something he later had to account for. 'The biggest thing is that lads in schools would play rugby at lunch every single day,' says Moloney. 'I was playing hurling, football and basketball. The lads in schools have a rugby ball in their hands for every five minutes they have to spare.' The Leinster Youths Selects programme was helpful for Moloney, with coaches like Noel McNamara bringing together groups of talented club players for sessions during the season. McNamara was a massive influence on Moloney, coaching him for the Ireland U18s and U20s, as well as in the Leinster academy. He developed Moloney's technical and tactical understanding, his ball-carrying, and pretty much everything else. 'Noel has an unbelievable way… he's so articulate in the way that he can explain the game,' says Moloney 'It's no surprise really that Bordeaux have probably the best attack in the world.' Moloney's senior Leinster debut came in a Rainbow Cup game against Munster in 2021, with his first start the following year in the Pro14 against Edinburgh, the first of a run of appearances at the tail end of the 2021/22 season. Back row competition in Leinster is always fierce and Moloney had to be patient until what looked like a breakthrough performance against the Sharks in October 2022. He was supposed to be the 24th man. Jack Conan was injured during the warm-up, so Moloney went onto the bench. Then Rhys Ruddock was concussed soon after kick-off. In came Moloney for a 78-minute shift alongside Johnny Sexton, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, and Robbie Henshaw. Moloney made the move to Exeter last summer. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Leinster won a thrilling URC game 54-34 and Moloney was superb. It looked like a turning point for him, but disaster struck a few weeks later when he ruptured his ACL. From such a high against the Sharks, Moloney had his 'darkest day' in rugby as he was injured against Scarlets. He wouldn't play again nearly a year and a half. Moloney responded stoically, helped by a call from van der Flier. 'Josh rang me a few days after I got injured and said, 'Look, it's not going to be a straightforward journey, no long-term injury is, but you can make this the best period of your life and come back a much better player.' 'That stuck with me for a few parts of the journey and some of the days that didn't go well.' Having undergone the initial surgery, Moloney moved in with his parents in Athy to begin his recovery. They set up a bed in the living room beside the TV for those immobile initial days. He was grateful for the support from his family and Tess. Moloney's pathway back to fitness was difficult. He needed two further bouts of knee surgery and when he finally got back into Leinster training, he ruptured one of his biceps. It was cruel but Moloney stuck at it, working hard to make himself physically stronger in the gym during that long period on the sidelines. He also improved his mental skills in sessions with Leinster's Declan Darcy. There was great pride in making his comeback for Leinster off the bench against the Stormers in South Africa in April 2024, a full 17 months after his knee injury. 'You learn a lot about yourself in those periods and I do think it sticks with you,' says Moloney of nearly 500 days of injury rehab. 'It does give you an extra layer of resilience.' That game in Cape Town last year proved to be his last one for Leinster, but all has worked out well in Exeter so far. The example of Tadhg Beirne shows how dogged, talented players like Moloney can take a different route to the top. Playing for Ireland remains his main overall goal in rugby and Moloney feels Exeter is a perfect place for him to improve his game. For today, he's back in the role of Leinster supporter. He was also at the Northampton semi-final in the Champions Cup and hopes this is a happier occasion. 'I absolutely loved putting on the Leinster jersey every single time,' says Moloney. 'I really want them to go on now and win the URC. I think they deserve to win and hopefully they get over the line this year.'
The 42
4 hours ago
- The 42
A Year of Heimir - What Ireland's boss has achieved, and what he has still to prove
AND SO ENDS the First Year of Heimir. Hallgrimsson will be more than 12 months in the job by the time Ireland next kick off in September, and so we look back at the achievements and the yet-to-dos of a 10-match reign that has thus far featured four wins, four defeats, and two draws. Successes Designing a structure Ireland have thus far betrayed a very clear indication as to what they have been doing on the training ground. Ireland have developed an obvious method of play depending on the level of the opposition, a necessary clarity in advance of a sprint through World Cup qualifying. Without possession, Ireland set up in a 4-4-2, but this switches to a 3-4-2-1 – a little like how Shamrock Rovers play – when they have the ball. The 5-0 hammering to England at Wembley is, of course, best forgotten, but the first half offered a vision of Ireland may choose to set up against group heavyweights Portugal. Nathan Collins was selected in central midfield and asked to choke central areas and force England wide, at which point he dropped into centre-back and pushed the Irish defence out wide, thereby putting pressure on the incipient English cross. It was all going so well, too, until Liam Scales was sent off and Ireland imploded. But with Cristiano Ronaldo – the best penalty-box player in the history of the sport – likely to await over qualifying, they have a blueprint to try and curb his influence. Time has been put to good use. Building depth Stephen Kenny completely overhauled the Irish squad and greatly broadened the player pool for Hallgrimsson, who has nonetheless sought to assess even more potential options. The manager has used 37 players in total across his 10 games thus far, and that doesn't include players who have been called up and have not played, including Shane Duffy, Josh Honohan, Mark Travers, Josh Keeley, and Bosun Lawal. Advertisement The consequence is Ireland have depth in most positions now, although that is partly a consequence of too many players not doing enough to separate themselves from their positional rivals. This is most obvious in central midfield, where Ireland have plenty of options, almost all of them easily interchangable. Ireland do, however, lack some depth at left-back, which is why Robbie Brady has emerged as such a crucial player. Ryan Manning is better further forward, Callum O'Dowda is injury-prone and at League One level, and Matt Doherty is an option but much more comfortable on the right flank. Given the lack of alternates to Brady, don't be shocked if James McClean yet makes an unlikely Irish comeback. Hallgrimsson has been frustrated at other attempts to build depth. A home-based training camp in January didn't happen as the FAI hadn't budgeted for it, while additional friendlies slated for May – which would feature Championship players and padded out by those the fringes of contention – fell apart when one of Ireland's two opponents withdrew. A less diplomatic manager may have publicly voiced his annoyance. Curbing counter-attacks Ireland have looked much more secure under Hallgrimsson when they turn the ball over, a regular area of weakness under Stephen Kenny. (If they were rarely cut open in the same way under previous managers, it was at least partly down to the fact they rarely attacked in such a way as to leave themselves open.) Hallgrimsson's team has thus far struck a better balance. He has spoken of the importance of 'rest defence', which is how Ireland are set up to defend opposition counters when they have the ball. The above formation usually keeps three centre-backs and two midfielders behind the ball in the event Ireland lose it, and thus gums up the middle of the pitch whenever Ireland are turned over. They have also become more clever and effective at committing those small, niggly, non-bookable fouls to stop opposition counters whenever it's threatened. The yet-to-dos Build a clear starting XI Hallgrimsson spoke early in the job of wanting to create an obvious hierarchy within the squad, with a settled starting XI building the kind of cohesion that is invaluable at international level. That hasn't happened. It's partly because of injury, partly because of the manager's own calls, and partly because some of those who have been given opportunities haven't done enough to make themselves undroppable. From this remove, only Caoimhín Kelleher, Nathan Collins, Robbie Brady, and Josh Cullen are an absolute lock to start against Hungary. Matt Doherty, Dara O'Shea, Jason Knight, and Troy Parrott have probably done enough to deserve inclusion too, but equally, would there be a big step-down if they were respectively replaced by Jake O'Brien, Liam Scales, Will Smallbone, and Adam Idah? Otherwise, all of Chiedozie Ogbene, Festy Ebosele, Mikey Johnston and Kasey McAteer are competing for a spot on the right wing, while Hallgrimsson can pick any two from McAteer, Johnson, Finn Azaz, Ryan Manning, Jack Taylor, Sammie Szmodics, and Evan Ferguson for the two number 10 spots. Every international manager wants options, but Hallgrimsson would prefer for one or two of these players to elevate themselves significantly above their compatriots. Stop leaking goals For all of Ireland's solidity in transition, they continue to concede goals: Tuesday's clean sheet against Luxembourg was only the second of Hallgrimsson's reign. (The first came at home to Finland, and required Caoimhín Kelleher to save a penalty.) Ireland have conceded 15 goals across Hallgrimsson's first 10 games, two more than the equivalent figure across Stephen Kenny's final 10 matches in charge. (Granted, a third of the Hallgrimsson figure came with 10 men in that berserk second half at Wembley, though Kenny's run includes home-and-away games against France and Netherlands.) Hallgrimsson has identified a trend of conceding from crosses, which he says comes from Ireland becoming too passive. This is a slightly worrying trend, that Ireland can struggle when they sink deep and defend their penalty area. With tests against Portugal and Hungary awaiting, that is something they must improve. Vastly improve the attack Though Ireland appear to be better balanced, they haven't vastly improved their attacking output, given they have scored eight goals across their 10 games under Hallgrimsson. Though it's a small sample size with which to make our contrast, Ireland averaged 1.175 goals per game across Stephen Kenny's 40 games. Take the outliers of a couple of strolls against Gibraltar out of the equation, and Ireland averaged 10.6 shots per game in Kenny's final year in charge, whereas they are at 9.1 per game under Hallgrimsson. Given Ireland are third seeds, they'll spend more of the forthcoming qualification group on the backfoot, but they must add more in attack to pick up the points they need, especially in the ties with bottom-ranked Armenia.
