Tom Cleverley is the “right person” to lead Plymouth Argyle, says the club’s chief executive Paul Berne.
The Pilgrims dropped into the League One relegation zone on Tuesday after a 2-0 defeat to Mansfield, their third consecutive loss.
The former Manchester United and Everton midfielder was appointed in June on a three-year deal after the team were relegated from the Championship to the third tier.
“We are a quarter of the way into Tom’s first season with us. Whilst results have been disappointing, nothing has changed in terms of Tom being the right person for this club,” Berne said in a statement., external
“We need to bring that stability throughout the club and this comes from head coach downwards.”
Plymouth have won four of 14 league games under Cleverley so far and the 36-year old said after defeat to the Stags he did not have “nine lives” and had to turn results around “really quickly”.
Berne was appointed just over three weeks ago having been a director at the club since 2019.
He pointed to injuries in the first-team squad – against Mansfield, Plymouth could only put six substitutes on the bench – as a factor in the team’s current form but said they were “not excuses”.
“I feel that the club has been through an enormous period of instability, both on and off the pitch,” Berne added.
“We have seen too many changes of personnel and this has made it difficult to find consistency in what we do.
“I believe strongly that we need to return to a state where we regain that consistency and therefore success. That will take time, but this is the right thing for our club and our future.”
