Sport
5 contenders to win Premier league Manager of the Season
The Premier League Manager of the Season award has been handed out on 26 occasions but has only been won four times by a manager who didn’t win the Premier League title. George Burley (Ipswich, 2000/01), Harry Redknapp (Spurs, 2009/10), Alan Pardew (Newcastle, 2011/12) and Tony Pulis (Crystal Palace, 2013/14) are the only non-title winning managers to land the award, meaning that Jurgen Klopp should be considered the heavy favourite to win it this season, after a record-breaking campaign.
No Liverpool manager has ever won the award, so who are Klopp’s main contenders to become the 2019/20 Premier League Manager of the season?
5 candidates to be Premier League Manager of the Season
Nuno Espirito Santo
Wolves are on track to secure European qualification for the second season in a row, which is testament to the fantastic work being done at Molineux by Nuno Espirito Santo.
The Portuguese boss has built a squad packed with his countrymen and Wolves have even pushed for a place in the top four during the latter part of the campaign.
Successive defeats to fellow European hopefuls Arsenal and Sheffield United dented Wolves’ slim Champions League hopes but that should not reduce the deserved praise for Nuno.
It is easy to forget that Wolves started the season in terrible form and they have played a massive number of games compared to rivals due to their involvement in the Europa League too.
Under Nuno’s leadership, Raul Jimenez has also developed into one of the world’s top strikers.
Chris Wilder
Sheffield United might narrowly miss out on European football on their return to the Premier League, but most people expected them to be battling against relegation this season.
Chris Wilder has been a breath of fresh air, with tactical innovations like his overlapping centre-backs mixed up with some remarkable straight-talking from the Yorkshireman.
United have racked up results like battering Chelsea 3-0 despite nobody in their squad scoring more than six Premier League goals all season. Dean Henderson’s form in goal during his loan spell has also bolstered his claims to usurp Jordan Pickford as England’s number one.
A born and bred Blade, Wilder has led United from League One to the top half of the Premier League since he took charge at Bramall Lane in 2016. If the managerial award rewards surprise levels of overperformance by a club, then Wilder simply has to be up there with Klopp.
Ralph Hasenhuttl
When Southampton lost 9-0 at home to Leicester City last October, many assumed that such a terrible result in front of their own fans would lead to the sacking of Ralph Hasenhuttl.
But Southampton decided to be patient and stuck with the Austrian, who has calmly led them up the table, away from relegation danger and into the security of a mid-table position.
The amazing goalscoring form of Danny Ings can partially explain their rise but the influence of Hasenhuttl is clear, with Southampton narrowly missing out on the top half after a strong finish.
Some have even taken to calling Hasenhuttl the ‘Alpine Klopp’ and Southampton fans can look forward to a push for European football if their progress continues next season.
Sean Dyche
Burnley continue to overperform dramatically. The Clarets are heading for their best ever season in the Premier League despite recent issues between Sean Dyche and the board.
The Burnley boss – who has been in post at Turf Moor since 2012 – has publicly criticised the club’s decision not to give the likes of Jeff Hendrick, Joe Hart and Aaron Lennon new contracts.
Since the restart, Dyche has struggled to name a full squad of 20 players with various youngsters promoted to the first-team squad amid an injury crisis. That has robbed Burnley of captain Ben Mee, key midfielder Jack Cork, left-back Charlie Taylor and striker Ashley Barnes.
A 5-0 thrashing at Manchester City in their first game since lockdown is the only defeat Burnley have suffered in the Premier League since January. Their campaign has featured highlights such as a dominant 2-0 win away to Manchester United – and yet Dyche remains underrated.
Jurgen Klopp
As much as the above four managers all had truly excellent seasons, they cannot match up to the way Klopp’s Liverpool have simply obliterated their competition in the league this season.
Having pushed City close in the last two years, the Reds hit new heights with a campaign to remember, though a lack of cup success has proven a minor blot in their copybook. European and world champions under Klopp, Liverpool’s form has understandably dipped since securing the title, which has prevented them from claiming some of the records that were in their sights.
Regardless, Klopp’s achievement is almost certain to earn him the Premier League’s Manager of the Year award. He is already being mentioned in the same breath as Reds icons like Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Kenny Dalglish. A Liverpool dynasty with Klopp is very possible.
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