Bradford youngster and former Manchester United star in plan

When speaking to Tom Cleverley, who retired from football at the age of 33 last Sunday due to injury, the Bradford schoolboy turned Premier League winner with Manchester United told me he has already taken on a new role, coaching Watford’s youngsters.

It is a lovely gesture from the Hornets to their departing midfielder and mum told me it was great to see Cleverley with his head screwed on and being clued up with a solid Plan B now his playing career is over.

She makes a very fair point, and it leads to the question of how many footballers have their alternative career mapped out after playing.

Cleverley has a clear progression in mind, telling me: “It wasn’t an upsetting decision to retire as I just couldn’t do it anymore.

“I’m more of a forward thinker anyway and I’m working with the young players at Watford now, with my long-term plan being to become a first-team manager at some point.

“I’ve got to get that experience down the pyramid or in academy football first though and gain as much as I can to be ready for the big bad world of management.

“My expertise is in senior football and I have that knowledge and game intelligence.

“It’s something I’d love to give back to others. I’m massively invested in my new role now and I’m here to get those lads ready for Watford’s first team.”

Money-wise, Cleverley is likely to be fairly well-set for a while, having spent much of his career in the Premier League, earning a decent salary with United and Watford.

Tom Cleverley earned decent money as a young player at Manchester United. (Image: PA.)

But for several members of the Bantams squad, who have only plied their trade in the lower leagues and not earned anywhere near the amount Cleverley has, it would be extremely beneficial to already have a life after football plan in place.

Some already will do, perhaps in football, as a coach or agent, or even a completely alternative career, such as in property or teaching, but it is never too early to start that forward planning, however much matchdays are on your mind.

But there is far more to it than that of course, with Cleverley touching on the mental side of the game in our chat.

Asked how important those around him had been as his inevitable retirement drew closer, the 33-year-old said: “I think every successful footballer has a strong support network, whether that be your family or coaches.

“I keep my problems to myself a lot, so I was chuffed with the reaction to my announcement and I’m sure some time I’ll sit with my dad and go through past videos and reflect on my career.”

He added: “I still remember how I was in the Under-8s at Bradford before winning the league with Man United and playing for England and you can lose that.

“Look at Harry Maguire for example, he’s come from Sheffield to captain Manchester United and it’s important for him to forget the noise around him sometimes, because it’s always nice to hear from your roots.”

Harry Maguire gets plenty of stick as a Manchester United and England player, but Tom Cleverley says the centre-half has come a long way. (Image: PA.)

More players seem willing to speak out about mental health, the pressures on them from the outside world, and having to try and shut that out.

You would hope that when players look back on their careers, they can reflect on the good times with team-mates and the support network who meant a lot to them, rather than nameless and faceless strangers who hurled abuse at them.

But sometimes the problems can run very deep, Cleverley also mentioned speaking to Josh Windass after his retirement, and how the former used to pretend to be the latter’s dad, former Bantams striker Dean, playing football in the garden.

The 54-year-old has been one of the most candid ex-footballers to go on record about his mental health struggles following the end of his playing career.

Windass has attempted suicide twice and admitted later that a 26-day spell in the Sporting Chance Clinic saved his life.

Dean Windass celebrated plenty of goals at City, but found things tough after his retirement. (Image: NQ Staff.)

The popular striker has since become something of an unofficial ambassador for mental health and preaches the importance of us all talking to one another when times get tough.

Footballers are often easily led into questionable schemes and investments post-retirement too, with ex-Newcastle and Wales forward Craig Bellamy revealing he’d gone bankrupt in April and how much of a mental toll that has taken on his life.

No-one is saying footballers need babying, but workshops can be held and lessons taught at clubs, both on decision-making after a playing career and how to cope with the end of all you may have known from the ages of say, five to 35.

Nothing is certain and not everything will go swimmingly for every footballer after retirement, but if, unlike Cleverley, there is no clear plan in mind, please let’s make sure we do what we can to guide them on the right path.