Eddie Howe, Gary O'Neill and Roberto De Zerbi have exceeded all expectations this season. Photo: Custom image
Pep Guardiola may not have lasted Tuesday to nominate Roberto De Zerbi as his nominee for Premier League Manager of the Season.
But he thinks Brighton & Amp; Hove Albion's head coach is one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years. He compared his «unique» football innovations to the influence that famous Spanish chef Ferran Adria had on the culinary world.
«Pay attention to what I'm about to say,» the Manchester City manager said ahead of the champions' clash with Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday night. “I'm pretty sure I'm right in what I'm saying, I think Roberto is one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years. No team plays like them, it is unique.
“When he arrived I had a feeling that the impact he would make in the Premier League would be huge – I didn’t expect them to do it in such a short amount of time. He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, much better than most opponents, he monopolizes the ball in a way that has not been for a long time. Everyone is involved, the goalkeeper as a defensive midfielder.
“If you don’t play at a high level, he can do whatever he wants against you. They totally deserve the compliments and the success they've had, [they] are one of the teams that I try to learn a lot from. It is unique, like a Michelin starred restaurant, unique.
«In Catalonia, there was El Bulli with Ferran Adria, the best chef for many years, and he changed the cuisine, and Brighton plays with something special.» The greatest of his generation, the city manager who has previously declared that Brighton are the best defensive formation team in the world, praised the Italian's use of the «free man» and said he learned a lot from watching his team in action.
However, De Zerbi and Guardiola are not the only managers who have made an impression this season. Gary O'Neill, Marco Silva and Steve Cooper helped Bournemouth, Fulham and Nottingham Forest avoid relegation, while Unai Emery got Aston Villa out of their relegation problems to Europe. Mikel Arteta had Arsenal's best season in 15 years, while Eddie Howe and Newcastle outperformed all expectations with a Champions League spot.
These are the managers our writers vote for.
Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
Oliver Brown writes:It's tempting to choose a manager who works with less abundant resources, but Guardiola is truly unmatched as a leader. Watching him play aggressively on the touchline at the Etihad against Real Madrid was to see a manager who would not tolerate a single slip in his pursuit of excellence. He was so ruthless even at 2-0 that Kevin De Bruyne had to yell at him to shut up. Yes, you can say that Guardiola's fifth Premier League title in six years is all about money, if you will. But if so, how does the Parisian Saint-Germain, also financed by the boundless sovereign wealth of the Middle East, manage to look so invariably mediocre? Guardiola is a figure who matters.
Matt Lowe writes:There are many deserving candidates for the Alternate Manager of the Year award such as Gary O'Neal, Eddie Howe, Unai Emery and Steve Cooper. But what Pep Guardiola is doing at Manchester City is special. Money doesn't guarantee success — look at Chelsea this season — but Guardiola does, and the way he succeeds is breathtaking. One suspects that as long as he stays in England, the rest will play for the other.
Guardiola has won five Premier League titles since «Manchester city». Credit: Getty Images/Lexy Ilsley Gary O'Neal (Bournemouth)
Chris Bascombe writes:After Bournemouth's 9-0 loss to Liverpool in August, then-manager Scott Parker said: «I feel sorry for the players because we are ill-equipped at this level. We need to make a decision about how to help this group.”
The decision was to fire Parker, appoint O'Neal, and watch as the predictions of impending doom were effectively undermined. Bournemouth not only failed to live up to expectations, they beat them. No coach, not even Pep Guardiola, could have improved on what O'Neal did after activating at that particular moment. This exceptional achievement makes him Manager of the Year.
Jason Burt writes:Sometimes you have to look beyond the obvious candidates. If Pep Guardiola wins the treble, it would be great if he doesn't become manager of the year while Eddie Howe turned Newcastle United into Champions League relegation candidates. But my vote belongs to a newcomer: Gary O'Neal. There was no hope for Bournemouth when they took over, his predecessor Scott Parker said so, and they could surely go back down. To be fair to Parker, there's been a takeover and some significant spending since January, but still, who gave O'Neal any chance? Instead, the 40-year-old showed a rare confidence that he was able to get his new club to safety without too much drama.
Bournemouth was written off when Gary O'Neill replaced Scott Parker. Photo: Reuters/Andrew Cooldridge Eddie Howe (Newcastle)
Luke Edwards writes:Taking a team that was in the bottom three when he took over and turning it into a Champions League qualifier in a year is an extraordinary feat. Those who say that Newcastle bought their success profitably overlook the fact that Fabian Char, Miguel Almiron, Sean Longsaff, Callum Wilson, Joelinton and Allan Saint-Maximin were at the club before the takeover.
< p>Newcastle spent the money well rather than extravagantly, but prospered thanks to Howe's excellent management and coaching. Alan Pardew was named Manager of the Year for leading Newcastle to 5th in the table, Newcastle surpassing him this season and also reaching their first cup final since 1999. The improvement under Howe has been stunning.
Unai Emery (Aston Villa). )
James Ducker writes:Look, if Pep Guardiola wins the treble, then the award should go to him, but by taking the Manchester City head coach out of the equation for now — which I did — then the field is open and there will be any number of deserving candidates. The omission of Gary O'Neal as Barclays manager among the season's nominees seems perverse given the work he has done at the Bournemouth team, largely written off by his predecessor Scott Parker, and hats off to the work of Eddie Howe. in Newcastle.
But I choose Unai Emery. Aston Villa were 14th after seven losses in 13th, three points clear of the relegation zone and in disarray by the time he took over in early November, but a 3-1 victory over Manchester United set the tone for everything in his first game. come. Roberto De Zerbi rightfully has his fans, but he inherited a Brighton side that was already beautifully constructed by Graham Potter and on the rise. Emery pulled Villa into seventh, within three points of Brighton, and turned them all around. From 25 February to 30 April Villa were the best team in the Premier League after City.
John Percy writes: It was a tough choice between Emery and Roberto De Zerbi, but it would have to be the Aston Villa head coach for a clear impact. The transformation since his appointment in October has been remarkable, with only champions Manchester City and Arsenal scoring more points. Villa can claim a European entry and, even if they lose, still secure a top 10 spot for more than a decade. Also worth mentioning is Forest's Steve Cooper, who should probably win the Most Underrated Manager of the Year award. his reputation in England after a difficult period at Arsenal. Credit: Reuters/Karl Resin Roberto De Zerbi (Brighton)
Sam Dean writes:Brighton's evolution as a team under De Zerby has exceeded the wildest expectations of their supporters. No manager in the league squeezed more of his resources than an Italian who took a group of mid-level players and produced one of the most exciting, progressive and tactically advanced football performances in the league.
Levy Colville never played in Premier League until this season, and now looks like one of the best young defenders in the division. Kaoru Mitoma didn't start a single Premier League match until De Zerby's arrival and is now one of the most colorful wingers in Europe.
The likes of Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister, Lewis Dunk and Pascal Gross took it to the next level this season, and then, under De Zerby's careful management, teen forward Evan Ferguson emerged.
And that's it. this despite Brighton losing arguably their best player, Leandro Trossard, to Arsenal in January. Yes, it is a triumph of team-building and culture-building by Brighton's owners and executives. But the development of these personalities and the performance of the team on the field? This is De Zerby.
Jeremy Wilson writes: There can be no doubt that De Zerby has benefited from the excellent surrounding infrastructure, but his record since Brighton beat Chelsea 4 driven by Graham Potter -1 in October is phenomenal. Previously successful only in Italy and Ukraine, he adapted superbly to the new culture and for the first time in his history led Brighton to finish in the top six, Europe and on penalties in the FA Cup final. And it's all thanks to a payroll that is one of the lowest in the division.
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