Championship Manager of the Season?

[Toony]

Plenty of good efforts from the managers around this league this season, but who's done the best?

[Honey Honey]

Just reading the words Championship Manager makes me want to play that old school game.

It can only really be Lidl Klopp that wins this award.

[Toony]

Yeah I think Wagner shades it from Hughton & Monk.

Stam has done well but I think a lot of that is because the teams below them are useless too, every time I've seen Reading play they haven't looked that good.

[Lucas]

I don't usually look at these things with a bias view but on this occasion, I cannot see why it shouldn't really have been Monk.

Don't get me wrong, Wagner has done an excellent job to date. Take nothing away from him. Huddersfield recruited very well in the summer and he has them playing a nice brand of football that has seen them perform so well.

But Monk for me has performed way and above any expectations held for him. When you put into context and consider the prospects of each team represented by the manager in the poll, Leeds would never have been tipped to perform as well as they have. Not even by our own fans. Huddersfield have surprised many but they fancied themselves for a decent season before it started.

If we were to be honest about Monk, after such a bad start for us, not many would have expected to see him survive still at the club come Christmas, let alone March given how trigger happy Cellino has proved. The only protection Monk had against this was in his own ability and conviction. He stayed patient and kept faith to his methods. In contrast, Wagner already had half a season last year to get his eye in at Huddersfield and work on how he wanted the team to perform.

Monk had his reputation and we all thought it was a good appointment when Cellino made it but up until this season you genuinely wondered if it really mattered who was in the job at Leeds, it always dragged anyone down with the constant off field issues. Pissing in the wind sums it up nicely.

 

Over the course of the season, he's shown fire when he's needed to show fire and restraint when he's needed to show restraint. He's handles the politics brilliantly and he's tamed a club where at times the madness has been phenominal. And he's done this on a shoestring budget, encouraging a lot of faith in youth.

 

He's completely rejuvenated Chris Wood into one of the stand out strikers in the divison. As a result, we've scored more goals than Huddersfield, we've conceded less goals than Huddersfield which is down to the brilliant defensive record we have.

 

And as the results have improved, the expectation levels have once again arose and he has managed to keep the team clam and get the team handling the pressure, a rarity.

 

I think the biggest compliment he's had this season is why so many people have questioned what Swansea were playing at getting rid of him when you see what kind of a mess they have been since. He was very undervalued there and to date, he;s gone some way to proving any doubters wrong in his ability.

 

So that would be my reason's for him

[Dave]

I think Japp Stam (or 'Japan Stan' according to predictive text) deserves more credit given the way he has got Reading playing but I can't overlook Gary Monk given Leeds track record of changing Managers.

[Stan]

Wagner for me but Monk would be a very close 2nd to him. 

[Rafa Beneathus]

Wagner or Monk. Stam is a good shout as well. All done a quality job when they perhaps weren't expected too. Another who has done a good job is Fulham's manager - got them playing some nice stuff. 

i don't expect him to get credit but I feel Rafa has done a good job with us if he takes us up. People expected us to walk it but there was too much change in the Summer for me - and our team really isn't as good as people made out. I don't think he should be manager of the year but people will treat his achievement as nothing. See Aston Villa.

Chris Hughton is another who was expected to have a good season with Brighton, they drew too many games last season but look to have converted them to wins now so fair play to him.

Worst manager of the year? That joker at Forest Montanier was awful but Zola deserves this. Birmingham are absolutely shocking.

[roversgirl]

Wagner or Stam. Both have turned average Championship teams into promotion contenders without spending much money in comparison to the likes of Newcastle, Villa etc. Both play decent football on their day too, especially Huddersfield.

[Dave]

Zola definitely has been the worst and that includes all of Rotherhams Managers.

[Bluebird Hewitt]

Just now, Aaroncpfc said:

Zola definitely has been the worst and that includes all of Rotherhams Managers.

Rotherham you'd expect to be in a relegation battle at least, but Zola has somehow transformed Birmingham from outside play off contenders into relegation battlers within a matter of about 3-4 months. Judging by their form as well since Zola's appointment, I think they could go down.

[JoshBRFC+]

I voted for Monk, been very impressed with him and Leeds this season. 

Lord Mowbray if he keeps us up. 

[Smiley Culture]

I know this is the shortlist but Nigel Clough deserves a shout if he manages to keep Burton Albion in the Championship. I know it's fallen apart a bit but Paul Heckingbottom at Barnsley has had a fantastic year that's seen them win the JPT, the League One play-off's and sees Barnsley in 11th at present. 

[Dan+]

Between Hughton, Monk or Wagner and I'm inclined to go with Hughton - but of course only if he gets them over the line.

I can't vote Benitez. Newcastle should have absolutely destroyed the league and haven't.

[Dan+]

On 3/25/2017 at 1:31 AM, Any O'Brien said:

Wagner or Monk. Stam is a good shout as well. All done a quality job when they perhaps weren't expected too. Another who has done a good job is Fulham's manager - got them playing some nice stuff. 

i don't expect him to get credit but I feel Rafa has done a good job with us if he takes us up. People expected us to walk it but there was too much change in the Summer for me - and our team really isn't as good as people made out. I don't think he should be manager of the year but people will treat his achievement as nothing. See Aston Villa.

Chris Hughton is another who was expected to have a good season with Brighton, they drew too many games last season but look to have converted them to wins now so fair play to him.

Worst manager of the year? That joker at Forest Montanier was awful but Zola deserves this. Birmingham are absolutely shocking.

Villa have been extraordinarily bad at the same time though. It still takes a particular skill set to actually get a team up but you should be going up really given what you've spent.

I got told the other day Villa have spent £77mil this season. On what? 

[Dan+]

On 3/24/2017 at 3:10 PM, Lucas said:

I don't usually look at these things with a bias view but on this occasion, I cannot see why it shouldn't really have been Monk.

Don't get me wrong, Wagner has done an excellent job to date. Take nothing away from him. Huddersfield recruited very well in the summer and he has them playing a nice brand of football that has seen them perform so well.

But Monk for me has performed way and above any expectations held for him. When you put into context and consider the prospects of each team represented by the manager in the poll, Leeds would never have been tipped to perform as well as they have. Not even by our own fans. Huddersfield have surprised many but they fancied themselves for a decent season before it started.

If we were to be honest about Monk, after such a bad start for us, not many would have expected to see him survive still at the club come Christmas, let alone March given how trigger happy Cellino has proved. The only protection Monk had against this was in his own ability and conviction. He stayed patient and kept faith to his methods. In contrast, Wagner already had half a season last year to get his eye in at Huddersfield and work on how he wanted the team to perform.

Monk had his reputation and we all thought it was a good appointment when Cellino made it but up until this season you genuinely wondered if it really mattered who was in the job at Leeds, it always dragged anyone down with the constant off field issues. Pissing in the wind sums it up nicely.

 

Over the course of the season, he's shown fire when he's needed to show fire and restraint when he's needed to show restraint. He's handles the politics brilliantly and he's tamed a club where at times the madness has been phenominal. And he's done this on a shoestring budget, encouraging a lot of faith in youth.

 

He's completely rejuvenated Chris Wood into one of the stand out strikers in the divison. As a result, we've scored more goals than Huddersfield, we've conceded less goals than Huddersfield which is down to the brilliant defensive record we have.

 

And as the results have improved, the expectation levels have once again arose and he has managed to keep the team clam and get the team handling the pressure, a rarity.

 

I think the biggest compliment he's had this season is why so many people have questioned what Swansea were playing at getting rid of him when you see what kind of a mess they have been since. He was very undervalued there and to date, he;s gone some way to proving any doubters wrong in his ability.

 

So that would be my reason's for him

Very good post and I think the reason in bold is why you've swung me to going for him over Wagner.

[Honey Honey]

What I would say about Rafa is that the positive is away from home we have been cruising. 1 more away win and it is the best season in the club's history.

When you do the league table by away results we have 43 points, the team 2nd has 32. That is an 11 point lead out of 19/20 games. Absolutely immense.

Now do the reverse, do home results and we are not even in the top 6. We've struggled, often against shite and I'd say that is half down to Rafa's refusal to change the formation and pace (he has never gone 442 all season) and half down to players like Colback and Perez struggling when they should be smashing it at this level.

Points wise we are actually on the same course as last time. The main difference was that last time there was no 3rd team doing well like there is now. Pressure exists, it didn't then and we just rolled in with over 100 points. 

[IgnisExcubitor]

Voted for Rafa, because I have only followed Newcastle in Championship. Am not really surprised with Newcastle's away form. Rafa loves it when has to defend and counter.  He likes to set up teams that defend, while waiting for that perfect opportunity to counter. Unlike say Wenger, Rafa also doesn't appreciate hogging possession. I remember Torres stating how Rafa demanded to get goals with the least passes as possible. Just a quick counter.

[Fairy In Boots]

Rowett would have been in this conversation if still at Birmingham I'm sure if it, he's started well at Derby to. 

I'd go for Monk over Wagner because off the field Leeds has been a circus and his on field success seems to have calmed that nutter chairman down. 

[Bluebird Hewitt]

I have about 4 in my head at the moment and will wait till the end of the season to decide.

[Toony]

Hughton' done a quality job at Brighton, to overturn the disappointment of last season they way he has is a much harder job than what it looks.

I'm not surprised though, probably the most under-rated manager in the country.