The
Premier League season might have yet to reach its climax but the Sky Sports
pundits have savoured enough memorable moments to make their early picks for
manager of the year.
Gary Neville, Graeme Souness and Thierry Henry have joined the Soccer
Saturday boys and Sky Sports News HQ's Morning View regulars in selecting
the bosses who've impressed them the most so far as the clock ticks down on
the 2014/15 term.
Three names dominate our expert picks but do you agree? Here's what the
stats, the educated onlookers and the players have to say about a trio of
contenders for May's annual prize...
JOSE MOURINHO - CHELSEA
Selected by: Alan McInally and Gary Neville
Season so far: While their Champions League campaign ended in
disappointment, Jose Mourinho has guided Chelsea to the brink of the Premier
League title and looks set to break the Manchester stronghold for the first
time in five seasons. Mourinho has spent wisely in the transfer market, with
Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa particularly excelling, while the Portuguese
has maintained the Blues’ formidable backline, reinvigorated captain John
Terry and introduced a young star in Kurt Zouma who is tipped for the top.
With a six-point gap at the summit, and a game in hand over their rivals, it
would take something extra special for the title to head in any other
direction than Stamford Bridge now.
The stats: Chelsea are the only side in England’s top four tiers yet to lose
a home league game this season. Indeed, Mourinho has only lost one of his 93
Premier League home games (W72 D20). Somewhat surprisingly, Chelsea have
used fewer players than any other Premier League side this term (22) - a
stat made even more impressive when you consider their 68.97% win percentage
to date.
The pundit's view: “He doesn't mind us praising him does Jose Mourinho. He
loves the attention of big matches. He comes alive on big match days and
that's what the best managers do. He is the best in the world at the moment
at affecting big matches, absolutely brilliant." (Gary Neville)
The player's view: "He lets people do their own thing, he gives a lot of
confidence to his players, he motivates us with small statements, small
sentences in the newspapers or face to face." (Eden Hazard)
RONALD KOEMAN – SOUTHAMPTON
Selected by: Matt Le Tissier, Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas, Tony Gale,
Tony Cottee, Paul Walsh, Alan Smith, Graeme Souness, Theirry Henry
Season so far: This was not supposed to happen. A mass exodus on the south
coast last summer saw Southampton’s squad decimated, with incoming boss
Ronald Koeman left with the seemingly impossible task of maintaining the
high standards set by Mauricio Pochettino, with a completely new squad.
However, the Dutch supremo has done more than match Pochettino’s
achievements, and taken the Saints into top-four contention. Koeman’s men
remarkably still have the best defensive record in the country, have played
an attacking brand of football that has been universally hailed, and one
more win will see them equal their highest ever top-flight points total.
The stats: Ronald Koeman’s Southampton have kept more clean sheets than any
other Premier League side this season (14) which has been a huge
contributing factor to their impressive defensive record, and helped the
Saints secure a win percentage of 53.33%.
The pundit's view: "If we get the whole squad fit, it looks a pretty strong
squad and hopefully we can see out the rest of the season, keep picking up
points and challenging for that top-four place.” (Matt Le Tissier)
"They have good shape, pass the ball well, are so good at the back, and
Koeman has got them organised fantastically." (Charlie Nicholas)
The player's view: "However good a career he has had on and off the pitch,
he’s very humble. He’s approachable, you can talk to him and he gives off a
calm feeling but strong encouragement. Yes, he’ll tell us if we’re messing
around in training too much or it’s not going quite right, but he has got
this humble aura about him." (Ryan Bertrand)
SEAN DYCHE – BURNLEY
Selected by: Paul Merson
Season so far: It has been a real struggle for Burnley this season, but
willingness to battle is a characteristic Sean Dyche insists his sides must
have. On the measly budget that Dyche has had to work with, the majority of
the footballing world expected Burnley to sink without a trace, with their
small squad tipped to flop on their top flight return. However, after some
impressive results against the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, the
Clarets have every chance of upsetting the odds to stay in the Premier
League, and prove a whole host of naysayers wrong.
The stats: Consistency has been key for the Clarets. Dyche has named an
unchanged team 15 times in the Premier League this season; no other side has
done so more than seven times (Leicester 7). Also, the Lancashire side just
don't stop running. Burnley have outrun their opponents in all 30 Premier
League fixtures this campaign
The pundit's view: "There is pressure and effort all the way through the
team. It is a difficult season for them. We talk about science of football,
but they use the same team, never resting players. The effort and commitment
never stop, but there is also plenty of skill in there." (Phil Thompson)
The player's view: "Nothing has changed since day one and it won't change in
the next nine games, but there is definitely a belief that we can achieve
something this year. We know from the outside that nobody has given us a
prayer but we are still there or thereabouts with nine games to go. I think
we have surprised a few people along the way and it's just having that
belief now." (Michael Duff)
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