I've been thinking about this and I've narrowed it down to a shortlist of six. Neil Warnock (QPR) - Has proved again he is one of the best at this level. Built a team of players he knows can cut it in this league and added that vital bit of flair. Paul Lambert (Norwich) - Taken a side made up of players with very little experience at this level and guided them to second with a handful of games remaining. Simon Grayson (Leeds) - Pretty much the same reasons as Paul Lambert. Brian McDermott (Reading) - Quietly gone about his business and has Readng firing on all cylinders at exactly the right time in the season. Kenny Jackett (Millwall) - Taken a team from league one, barely changed it and has them on the brink of the play-offs. Malky Mackay (Watford) - Had a young team tipped for relegation and turned them into a free scoring bunch of players who have only just started to tail off. So thats my six, but who would I give the award to? As a Norwich fan I'd love to say Lambert but with my unbiased football head on this is how I see it. Firstly I'd eliminate Warnock. He's kept QPR at the top of the league all season, but he's had money to burn and unlike Gordon Strachan knew just who to get in to do the job. Second to go would be McDermott. Yes Reading are on fire now, but like last season they started too slowly. Third and fourth would be Lambert and Grayson. Both have done well but both clubs would expect to be up near the business end of the table. That leaves Mackay and Jackett with Jackett just edging it. Neither club would have expected to be pushing for the play-offs this late in the season, but somehow they both are. Watford have relied heavily on Danny Graham and due to their small sqaud are now slipping away, however Millwall just keep chugging on. Two notable exceptions from my list are Dave Jones and Brendan Rogers. The reason I've excluded Jones is because he has made Cardiff a bit of a two man team. It's no coincidence that their recent slump in form has come at the same time Bothroyd and Bellamy have hit a slump in form. As for Rogers he inherited a good side and added a goal scorer to it. I know people will disagree with some inclusions and will think others should be in there, but this is how I view it over the course of the season.
Warnock by a mile. When he first arrived we were on the brink of relegation, and had lost 6 out of the last 7, but he came and look where we are now.
I know you will all disagree or that i am saying him because he is the manager of my team but i honestly think Nigel Pearson has done really well this season. We started the season in real trouble with debts and players on 45,000 a week (Bullard) and was playing like a league 2 side, where now he has started to bring his own team in and getting rid of the highly paid players (Bullard, Ghilas, Gardner and Oli). I think we are a better all round team now and with new owners and Nigel Pearson in charge i am very confident of a promotion push next season. Paul Lambert has also done a great job and yeah i also agree with Neil Warnock but he is a great manager anyway.
To be honest I'd forgotten about Pearson. He has done a pretty decent job since he's been in charge and I'd expect Hull to be challenging next season. As I said originally the main reason I didn't go for Warnock is the fact he's had the funds to buy the players he needs. Yes money doesn't make a good team as QPR fans will know from previous seasons but a manager of Warnocks quality plus millions will always equal success. If he'd done it witha similar budget to Millwal, Watford and to an extent Leeds or Norwich I would have given it to him hands down.
Has to be Warnock really. If it was about money then Sheffield United wouldn't be bottom. I think they got Ched Evans for ã3m? Correct me if I'm wrong. He's not spent as much as people make out - under ã1m for Taarabt, 750k Paddy Kenny, Derry Free, Hill Free, Routledge Loan, Miller Loan, Mackie at 100k! The most we've spent was probably on Rob Hulse who has been pants which goes to prove it's really not about how much you spend! Compare Mackie to Hulse!! He's taken a club who were in freefall and turned them into Champions elect. It's boring 'cos we all knew he was a great manager anyway, but he's the obvious candidate. Now, if we're looking for something a little different, I'd go with Kenny Jackett at Millwall. I think he's done very well indeed!
I haven't really looked outside our own camp, and Nigel Pearson has done a magnificent job. Most the players in the starting 11 weren't even with us at the start of the season! He's steered us towards play off contention. Easy to pick someone up at the top, but big Nigel has worked miracles for us (Hull) this season. Outside of my own team the fella at Reading would get my vote, bang on form at the right time, and I think they can nick that second auto spot.
You would only give it to Colin because they will finish top - so an easy gift- but he did not do much more than most Championship managers (and many others) would have achieved with his squad and money.
From an un-biased view my vote goes to Lambert...what a fantastic job he has done and created such a solid team!
QPR had several Championship-level managers who could not achieve it. Before Warnock arrived, the place was stagnant and failing; I don't enjoy his brand of football but it's certainly effective and he's got the best out of the players in front of him. Can't begrudge him the honour if he's awarded it.
For me it is between Paul Lambert, Kenny Jackett and Neil Warnock. I think my order would be 1 Paul Lambert 2 Neil Warnock 3 Kenny Jackett After that there has been in my opinion some other great ones like Malky, Dougie Freedman and also Simon Grayson.
My top 3 would be Paul Lambert - Has done a magical job at Norwich Brian Mcdermott - Has had nothing to spend and got us in the play offs Neil Warnock - His had lot's of money to spend but fair play look who's top of the league
Oh God listen to the R'shole! Someone started to list all of the players Colin has signed and then left out Tommy Smith ã2m and Rob Hulse ã1m. So all of that adds up to 9 players who are decent at this level. 9 players!!!!!!!!!! Manager of the season has to be Jackett, who just shades it from Malky who has performed miracles. And then look at Sheffield, Derby etc. Leicester of course think that Sven is not expensive. I wish someone would post a "debt league" table - QPR have lost ã35m in 2 seasons - they should have won the Champions League!!!!!!!!
It will be given to Warnock. I think Cotterill deserves it. He has kept Pompey up without having two pennies to scratch his arse with.
You are so wrong. When Neil took over last season we were quiet probably going to be relegated. He managed to stop that. He then decided on the right formation and brought in a number of players that he had identified as the best available to suit this system. He didn't spend a fortune (undoubtedly more than is realised), whereas most people still think that millions upon millions were spent ââ¬â queensparkrangers has listed it out a few posts up. He then organised the team, made us hard to beat and gave us several goal scoring threats. And it worked. He is clearly manager of the season. In just a few months he transformed a side heading for League 1 into a side heading for the Premier League side. The only possible competition is Paul Lambert who has done a fantastic job at Norwich. The main difference being that Norwich were already a side used to winning matches at the start of the season, we were used to losing.
Apologies, I did miss off Tommy Smith, but not intentionally. He and Hulse combined were ã2.5m. Hulse has been useless this year and has not contributed to our Premiership status. Tommy has been good, but as I already pointed out, not as influential as Mackie (100k), Derry and Hill (free), or Paddy and Taarabt who both cost (individually, not combined) half of what TS cost. My point being, it's not money that counts, it's what you do with it! Certain clubs (Leicester) have spent just as much as us, if not more, and not done as well. Warnock deserves the prize.
I wish I knew what the criteria was. Every season seems the same though - the manager of the team that wins the league also get Manager of the Year! I am not suggesting whoever that manager is, is undeserving of the award but what exactly is the award for? If it is 'just' winning the league then Neil Warnock it is but there must be other factors whereby a manager of a team finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th could argueably be more deserving. If, for example, Doncaster Rovers or Scunny Utd made the play offs, I would expect their manager to win the award. Back to this season Neil Warnock - Won the title. Paul Lambert - back to back promotions from the depths of despair. Brendan Rogers (If Swansea go up) - Quality attractive & attacking football achieving promotion. Kenny Jacket - Getting Millwall within touching distance of the play-offs in the 1st season back was a magnificent achievement. Dougie Freedman - Saving Palace from relegation. There are other candidates but to me the 5 mentioned above should be prime candidates.
