Premier League Managers of the Year: Forget about Tony Pulis and Brendan Rogers, what about Mark Hughes?
As the season drew to a close, many looked at the job done by Brendan Rogers as the story of the season, and so it rightfully should be – taking a Liverpool side that finished seventh to the brink of a league title and finishing second only behind a rampant Manchester City side.
Brendan Rodgers has galvanised Liverpool since taking over in 2012 – after he had guided Swansea to the Premier League for the first time
The Northern Irishman has transformed the club’s fortunes and now Merseyside can look forward to Champions League football for the first time since 2009 and perhaps a league title is not too far away.
Rightfully, Rogers was awarded the LMA manager of the year this past week, piping Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis to the prize. Pulis did however pick up the Premier League manager of the year for his 11th place finish with the Eagles.
Palace were essentially gone when the former defender took the reins in November 2013. The London club were sat on four points and looked certain to go down but finished on a haul of 45 after the final game of the season.
Pulis’ no frills play may not have seen them top of the bill on Match of the Day and the Palace squad may not be full of Premier League names, but the heart, desire and ultimately the discipline of the small squad, has seen them stay up.
Tony Pulis transformed the Eagles from relegation certainties to a mid-table finish
The former Stoke boss has performed miracles by instilling belief and unity into what was a fractured club, based on a solid defence and direct attacking football. Astute signings such as Thomas Ince, Joe Ledley, Scott Dann and Jason Puncheon have all come from teams outside the English top flight and proved bargains.
Yet it is back at the Britannia Stadium that you’ll find the most underrated manager of the year – Mark Hughes.
Towards the end of the 2012/2013 season, Stoke were a club stuck in a rut. Players were lost under the leadership of a burnt-out Tony Pulis and were meandering around the lower half of the table, finishing a disappointing 13th, a mere six points above the relegation zone.
Hughes took over a fractured, underperforming squad who were known for pumping long balls into the box and playing too direct. Fast-forward one year and Stoke defender Marc Muniesa has likened the Potters to his former club, Barcelona, in a recent interview with a Catalan radio station. “The philosophy has changed and now we are playing an easier game,” he said. “For five years Stoke have been playing the same way, with more long balls. Coach Hughes tried to change the style, more akin to Barça.”
Mark Hughes left Queens Park Rangers under a cloud when he was sacked in November 2012
The arrival of winger Oussama Assaidi on loan from Liverpool provided Stoke with a the creative force they’d sorely missed, whilst Dutch international Erik Pieters has slotted perfectly since his arrival into a defence that already boasts the oustanding Ryan Shawcross. Goalkeeper Asmir Begović has been outstanding and looks certain to shine in the World Cup for Bosnia, whilst Charlie Adam has been in fine form this year to bolster the Stoke attack.
Their ninth place finish this year is the their highest finish in the top flight for 39 years. Hughes’ disciplined approach with players has seen the team come together under their new boss and play cohesively in comparison to the rigid style of former boss Pulis.
Hughes pushed the team through a dreadful winter, which included a five goal hammering away at Newcastle and has seen his side come through the other side to defeat the likes of Chelsea.
Whether Hughes can progress the team further is still to be seen, as next year fans will expect more from the former Manchester City boss and his side, while still on a relatively small transfer budget. If Hughes can be astute in his purchases while retaining a balance of both attack and defence, Stoke have the potential, with their fan base, to cause a stir in the Premier League next season.
Do you feel Mark Hughes was unlucky not to receive more praise for Stoke’s ninth placed finish? Who do you believe deserved the LMA manager of the year award?
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