The Premier League Manager of the season award is one that isn’t necessarily taken the most serious as the trophy usually finds its way to the desk of the league winning manager of that season. Since the 93-94 season, only two managers that didn’t win the league that season have won the award, George Burley with Ipswich in 2000-01 and Harry Redknapp with Tottenham in 2009-10.
This makes a mockery of the award, the team that wins the league are generally the best team in the league and although for a manager to win the league is an incredible achievement, the league winning club often have the largest budget, the player of the season and the top goal scorer. I am in no way suggesting Sir Alex Ferguson’s job is easy or stress-free just that the Premier League have, over the years, ignored some incredible managerial achievements.
This season I feel 3 managers are more worthy of the gong then Sir Alex Ferguson or Roberto Mancini. These 3 men are: Paul Lambert (Norwich), Brendan Rodgers (Swansea) and Roberto Martinez (Wigan).
Paul Lambert has had an exceptional 3 seasons at Norwich City including this season, his first in the Premier League. The club have gained double promotion and are heading towards a comfortable mid-table position with largely the same squad that was at the club when he took over. Add to that squad some of the best young players out of League 1 and the Championship such as Anthony Pilkington, Elliot Bennett and Johnny Howson on cheap deals and Lambert looks like he has set Norwich up to be a Premier League club for a long time, which is a dramatic turnaround from looking like they would suffer the same fate as clubs like Bradford and slide all the way down the leagues.
Brendan Rodgers is another newcomer to Premier League managing this season having brought Swansea up through the Championship play-offs last season. Swansea have been a total revelation in the Premier League having gained the nickname “Swansealona” for their Barcelona style beautiful passing game. Similar to Norwich, Swansea’s squad is very similar to the squad that brought them up, however the additions that have been made have taken the Premier League by storm. Danny Graham and Michel Vorm were brought in last summer and Gylfi Sigurdsson came on loan in January. All 3 were brought in to fit the “Swansealona” style and are now reportedly being chased by the biggest clubs in England.
The final manager on my list is Roberto Martinez. At several points this season, Wigan have looked doomed, defended like League 2 teams and had no forward inspiration especially the period of 8 league games lost consecutively from September 10 to November 6. Big players like Hugo Rodallega have let him down this season but still, Martinez kept trust in the group of players he had and tried to get them to play the right way. A recent change in formation (a risky yet stylish 3-4-3) has turned a group of Championship level players into world beaters.
Unbelievable performances against Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle look to have taken Wigan from bottom at Christmas to safe at the end of the season. Victor Moses is known as “Wigan’s Messi” and players like Gary Caldwell and Ali Al-Habsi have taken on leaders roles.
In my opinion, all 3 managers are well worthy of the Manager of the Year award although if given a vote, I would go for Martinez who has worked on the smallest budget and smallest attendances in the Premier League with a group of youngsters and players that have never adapted to the Premier League at other clubs and ultimately led them to safety.
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