Crystal Palace, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester City coaches nominated for Manager of the Season award. Find out who CaughtOffside writers voted for here.
Adam Davies:
Brendan Rodgers. Former AS Monaco sporting director Tor-Kristian Karlsen describes successfully implementing attacking patterns and collective movement as one of the most difficult things to do in football, and Rodgers created perhaps the most exciting football the Premier League saw this term. The Liverpool boss also dramatically improves players he coaches, and the evolution of Jon Flanagan, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge at Anfield illustrates Rodgers’ value to the club as much as the Reds’ involvement in the title race.
While Tony Pulis deserves immense for not only saving Crystal Palace from what appeared certain relegation, but also managing a mid-table finish, it is far harder to gain places in the Premier League higher up the table. To jump from 7th to 2nd without huge financial input is almost unheard of, and as a result Rodgers is my manager of the year.
Tom Seymour:
Tony Pulis. I think Manuel Pellegrini has been unfairly overlooked in this category in most polls, but then with the biggest wage bill in the world you’d expect Manchester City to do well.
However, everyone’s favourite cap-wearing long ball expert Pulis has seemingly achieved the impossible at Crystal Palace and kept them up – with games to spare. Victory over Chelsea was particularly impressive, whilst the 3-3 draw with Liverpool was one of the games of the season.
Richard Morgan:
Manuel Pellegrini. The experienced Chilean guided Manchester City to a second title in the space of just three campaigns with a calmness and serenity that was badly missing under previous boss Roberto Mancini, while the football on display at times at Eastlands was breathtaking.
Robert Summerscales:
Roberto Martinez wins my vote hands down. He has transformed Everton’s image and has got the Toffees playing an exciting and attractive brand of football.
His results have not been bad either! In his first season at Goodison Park, the Spaniard guided his team to 72 points in the Premier League – a club record and 11 more than the Toffees gained in the 2004-05 campaign when they finished fourth under David Moyes.
The Spaniard is tactically astute and frequently changes his formation to suit the occasion. In my humble opinion, he is the best manager of his generation.
WINNERS:
Tony Pulis and Manuel Pellegrini share this award by virtue of two nominations and two honourable mentions.