Pundit Arena Because Sport Is Everything
Despite the blistering starts to the season made by Manchesters United and City, neither one of their managers has come away with the Manager of the Month award.
Pep Guardiola, José Mourinho (and indeed Antonio Conte at Chelsea) have made 100% starts to the new Premier League season, but despite their nominations, they have been beaten to the punch by Hull City interim manager Mike Phelan.
Hull City’s Mike Phelan crowned August’s @BarclaysFooty Manager of the Month: https://t.co/9BTy9EgKTg pic.twitter.com/nYMIMOTJFs
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 9, 2016
Phelan took over first team duties in early August after Steve Bruce resigned less than a fortnight before the new Premier League season started.
In his time in charge however, they have defied the odds somewhat by beating champions Leicester City on the opening day, before going to the Liberty Stadium and beating Swansea 2-0 the following week. They almost made it three unbeaten games in a row before a late Marcus Rashford winner inflicted a 1-0 defeat upon them against Manchester United at the KCOM Stadium.
Phelan said upon winning the award:
“I am honoured. It’s an honour you don’t expect, being caretaker manager. It’s a credit to the football club and to the players for all their endeavours that have given me this achievement.”
The clamour for Phelan to be given the job on a full-time basis will now surely grow ever louder, as he becomes the first Hull manager to win the award since Phil Brown in September 2008.
Meanwhile, the Player of the Month award has gone to Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling. The young winger has looked like a player reborn under new manager Pep Guardiola and beat off competition from Antonio Valencia of Manchester United, Hull’s Curtis Davies and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard to win the award.
Man City’s @sterling7 named @EASPORTSFIFA Player of the Month for August: https://t.co/YWMEmNeTsJ pic.twitter.com/QWuSBuEgrY
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 9, 2016
However, the 21-year-old was keen to focus on the team’s performances rather than his own, as that will ultimately determine how much of a success this season will be in his own view:
“I’m absolutely delighted to have won the EA Sports Premier League Player of the Month Award for August,
“To receive personal awards is great, but it really is all about the team.
“We’re only just at the beginning of the campaign and there is a long way to go, but I only hope that this is a sign of things to come and by the end of the season the team will be getting our hands on some silverware.”
The goal of the month award went to Middlesbrough midfielder Christian Stuani, for this fantastic effort during his side’s 2-1 win at Sunderland last month:
Stuani’s effort was chosen in a public vote ahead of strikes from the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Philippe Coutinho and Jamie Vardy.
