He has completed his first task. (Quite well). That was survival. Just the same as the last manager(s) have. Now he has to continue to improve.
I don't think anyone on here who is a Sunderland supporter is not happy about the way Big Sam has turned things around for us. Having said that, there is no way on earth that he deserves manager of the year. What Leicester have achieved on limited resources is unique in the modern game, and it pains me to say that by the way, so only one choice for manager of the year.
That's the thing, I don't think it's just a case of same old Sunderland, pull it out of the bag last minute then **** it all up next season. The players we've signed and the manager we have look like they're going to do a cracking job for us. I can't lay out hard facts to support that but it's what I believe. Others are more negative and that's up to them.
In order top 5: Ranieri Pochettino - they played the best football. Howe - lost his talisman all season so has to be ahead of Flores for me. Flores Allardyce - because even though your squad are good enough and experienced, the nerve holding, with Norwich and Newcastle on your tails, under immense pressure, that's admirable. Bottom 5: Monk McClaren Mourinho Wenger - everything was there for them and they ****ed it up. Martinez - the worst, what a shower of **** he served up with probably the best Everton squad in recent history.
Slaven Bilic has had a great debut season in the Premiership. I reckon West Ham probably took more points off the top teams, than anybody else.
I think they did mate, incredible achievement, but he bottled CL football with a thumping at home to Swansea, you've got to motivate your players for 38 games, he let them give up on that day for some unforgivable reason.
Surely McClaren did the best work...? He gets my vote, which will help him temper the disappointment as he lies on a beach somewhere nice on Ashley's pay-off money
So you've pretty much got Steve Bruce to thank for your long stint in the Premiership. Most of your qualify players came during his reign... #lightbluetouchpaperandstandback
Am I the only one who thinks Steve McLaren should get it? He did a fantastic job of completely ****ing up the Mags season that Jesus himself couldn't have saved them, lol. He may not win an award but he gets a big old thanks from me.
As I sort of get the point of the OP, there are too many comparable cases; even just looking at ourselves, how about Dick last year and Poyet the year before, We've scrapped that many times I can't remember who saved us and when lol , Martin O'Neill, Fat face, even Di Cannio Who? It's ridiculous.. As someone has mentioned Nigel Pearson last season is a better similarity. I take my hat off to Ranieri for the way he has managed all season, a very likeable character and great with the press. He tinkered with his squad ever so slightly at the start of the season and whether by luck good fortune or good man management he drove Leicester to the Premier League title against all the odds, well 5000 - 1 to be exact. Sorry OP but he gets my vote too Let's give it to Big Sam next season when we do an Arsenal (unbeaten all season) what's the odds on that fellas.
1. Ranieri 2. Pochettino 3. Koeman 4. Flores 5. Billic 6. Howe 7. Klopp 8. Guidolin Allardyce would just about sneak into the top 10, changed your style for the better and signed key players...but avoiding relegation by 2 points after being in charge for 30 games?! Anyone who thinks that makes him manager of the season needs their head testing.
Can't blame them in a way though. If some team had destroyed us 6 times in a row, were currently 9 games unbeaten against us and had just topped it off by ****ing relegating us. I think I'd find it hard to give to go on their board and give them credit
Fat sam will never ever be manager of the season as long as his arse points downwards.......There is only one contender and he won it by a country mile. Nobody came close to him this season.
