For it’s on the training pitch where the 35-year-old wants to be and feels like he’s at his best.
And although he has no previous association with Middlesbrough, he knew he was joining a “massive football club” when he learnt of the opportunity to join Rob Edwards on Teesside this summer, a job offer he describes as a “no brainer”.
“This is a massive club with a brilliant history and unbelievable individuals throughout the history of the club,” said the first team coach in an interview with the club out in Portugal, where Boro are coming towards the back end of their week-long training camp.
“It’s over to the lads now, who’s going to be the next one? Who’s going to be the next legend within this group?
“My perspective coming in was real excitement to be part of something special, and that’s what we want to try to do.”
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And how do they do that? By ensuring the players have real “clarity”, says Watling.
“There’s lots of hard working going on, and it’s about trying to get what the manager wants from his brain to the pitch to the players,” says the former Rangers coach.
“Getting it down on paper and bringing it to life is a really enjoyable part of the job.
“It’s about how we can win with style and a bit of steel as well, which is going to be important, and just having different ways to win. Can you win off a set play? Can you win off beautiful football? Can you win ugly? All of those things.
“We have to make sure we play like the big team, have our idea and execute it against every opposition.
“We have some really good individuals. We don’t want them to be robots. We want them to put their personality on the game, take the ball and be brave in doing so, but then show a robustness to go and get it back quickly.
“The team has to be the star but the individuals have to be able to sprinkle their magic on top of it.
“For us, it’s about trying to get Rob’s vision and imprinting that on the team.
“It’s about the players having ultimate clarity when they stand in the tunnel, ultimate clarity on how we go and win.
“There’s been a lot of sweat, running and hard work but there’s been a lot of fun as well and I think the lads have really enjoyed it.
“I keep saying it, they must put their stamp on their position and take their shirt.”
Edwards has made it clear that he wants his side to entertain this season, but Watling’s winning ugly comment is an acknowledgment, it seems, of one of the issues that plagued Boro last season.
Issues and weaknesses are being addressed.
“The standard has been good, but we knew that coming in,” said Watling.
“That’s why we were really excited to take the job.
“The players have stepped up. They have to bring it to life and put their personality on the ideas.
“What we try and do as coaches is sometimes make it look neat and tidy and sometimes make it look messy so the players can go and figure it out.
“The real feedback you get will be from the opposition. They try to hurt you, they try and break your tactic. And then it’s down to us to see how we fix it and how we do the same to them.”
Edwards, Watling and Adi Viveash is a new-look coaching team, with the trio working together for the first time.
“It’s been really enjoyable,” added Watling.
“It’s really fresh and there are loads of ideas.
“I’ve come up against Rob a couple of times when he’s managed different clubs. We met [in the summer], spoke football and he asked me to become one of the coaches, which was a great privilege.
“Hearing Middlesbrough were interested was a no-brainer for me personally.
“It’s been great. I love working with Adi, someone I looked up to as a younger coach [at Chelsea], so to work with him and swap ideas and debate football is brilliant.”
