Close menu

Four-way race to be named PFA Scotland Manager of the Year

Last updated on .From the section Scottish Premiershipcomments162

From left: Neil Lennon, Stuart McCall, Derek Mcinnes and Tommy Wright

Celtic's Neil Lennon, Stuart McCall of Motherwell, Aberdeen's Derek McInnes and St Johnstone's Tommy Wright are vying to be PFA Scotland's top manager.

Lennon wrapped up the Premiership title with seven games to spare.

McCall has guided Motherwell to third place in the table and is seeking a third successive European spot.

McInnes won the League Cup and has taken the Dons second in the league, while Wright has taken the Saints to their first Scottish Cup final.

Announcing the shortlist, Scotland manager Gordon Strachan did not wish to be drawn on who he had voted for ahead of the winner being announced at a ceremony in Glasgow on Sunday.

"It is a toss up - and there's friends of mine in there and I don't want to upset anybody," he said.

"They have brought entertainment to Scottish football and it's not just their own clubs - they've developed Scottish football this season.

"If we get teams like Hibs, Hearts, Rangers back playing at the top of their level, it would be a right good league again."

With four games remaining, Lennon's Celtic have lost only once on their way to a third consecutive league success.

"Neil, he's won the league and he's got a record number of points," said Strachan, who was twice manager of the year during his time at Celtic.

"It's not easy to keep a team going, keep their concentration, keep their application right when it looks like it's easy when it's not.

"They have made the league look like it was easy with their application and their team spirit."

Celtic's solitary league defeat came at Pittodrie against Aberdeen, who are three points clear in second place.

McInnes, in his first full season at the helm, ended the Dons' 19-year silverware drought with a penalty shoot-out League Cup final triumph over Inverness Caledonian Thistle in March.

He also steered them to the last four in the Scottish Cup, beating holders Celtic along the way.

"I think, with his coaching staff and his players, they have brought Aberdeen alive again," said former Dons midfielder Strachan.

"I was here for the Scottish Cup semi-final in Glasgow and, in the morning, the place was full of Aberdeen fans. The stadium was full and it was fantastic.

"I went to see them in the League Cup semi-final at Tynecastle and the atmosphere was unbelievable.

"Not only has Derek done a great job for Aberdeen, he's done a great job for Scottish football in that he's actually filling stadiums with Aberdeen fans.

"The fact that they've won a trophy is absolutely fantastic after a few years of not winning anything."

St Johnstone were the team to topple Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final and Wright has enjoyed a great debut season in charge, securing a third consecutive top-six finish for the Perth club.

Now Saints have the chance to lift their first piece of major silverware when they take on Dundee United at Celtic Park on 17 May.

"He got off to a great start to the season," said Strachan. "Everybody sat up when they beat Rosenborg because we always know how difficult it is to play a Scandinavian side at that time of the year when they've played so many games.

"He's went on and the team have developed as individuals and as a group. I think they've done fantastically well."

Motherwell, who finished as league runners-up last year, are just two points shy of last term's points tally under McCall, who is Strachan's assistant at international level.

"I've got to say I was a bit worried about him, not his general health because he's getting a bit heavier, the fact that he lost five right good players during the summer," added Strachan.

"If you lose four or five good players through injury during a season then you are liable to have a real problem.

"The fact he has lost these players and replaced them without spending any money, it is quite phenomenal to be third in the league and still with a chance of being second."

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

162 comments

  • Comment posted by Me1, at 14:55 23 Apr 2014

    What's this!!! A football story on the BBC that's NOT Man Utd? I never thought I'd see the day.

    Lennon (Crewe Legend) has done a decent job at Celtic. McInnes has arguably done a better job with far more limited resources.

    My vote for the best manager in Scotland, the man who has done the best job.... Strachan. He's managed to get some fantastic perfromances from the national side.

  • Comment posted by User0871696462, at 16:27 23 Apr 2014

    As an Aberdeen fan It would be crazy for me not to say McInnes. I have to credit all managers on the list though, and especially Tommy Wright as he has taken St Johnstone to their first ever Scottish cup final. As for all the Engurland fans, you stick to your soulless, money crazy foreigner league and we will stick to real football. My team is run by local people and not some boardroom in Dubai.

  • Comment posted by Feldybhoy, at 08:52 24 Apr 2014

    I dont think Lennon should win it, but I can see why he is on the list. Celtic can only beat what is in front of them and he has done that.

    My vote, however, goes to Tommy Wright. He has done a fantastic job coming in and not only continuing the success of previous managers but building on it!

  • Comment posted by Ice Cool Jet, at 19:27 23 Apr 2014

    Lennon doesn't deserve to be on the list. Surely Celtic had higher expectations at the start of the season than to be knocked out of both cups at home and suffer the worst ever defeat in Europe? Winning the league is surely only the absolute minimum.

  • Comment posted by FortyTwo, at 19:25 23 Apr 2014

    @58
    You claim to deal with facts but post a bunch of opinions. Please explain?

    It's a pity these message boards get cluttered with petty jibes intended to generate controversy. Good debate would be worthwhile, many of these postings are childish and pointless.

  • Comment posted by bigfingers, at 20:16 23 Apr 2014

    I think if dons finish 2nd mcinnes should get it. They are also the only scottish team to beat celtic this season.

  • Comment posted by Aphexus, at 15:32 23 Apr 2014

    Haha What are all you southerners like! I cannot understand why with the league you have down south that you still have such a massive inferiority complex. Anyway Lennon has had a good season in the league but not enough to earn this honour imo. Between Wright and Mcinnes just now though my odds are on Mcinnes based on the turnaround in dons fortunes. Bottom 6 for last 6 years. Look at them now.

  • Comment posted by User0239025617, at 10:07 24 Apr 2014

    Stuart McCall has rebuilt a Motherwell team (which lost 7 regular starters) with next to no money and would get my nod just ahead of McInnes and Wright. Aberdeen and Dundee United have bigger fan bases and resources, but Motherwell have competed with them over the season. A European spot beckons for them yet again, a significant achievement in the circumstances.

  • Comment posted by Technophobe1, at 17:05 23 Apr 2014

    @ 91 is that why you steal young players from other leagues in the hope you can naturlize them and get them playing for England? Yeah, dis our league but you still want to beat us. 10 times our people and still scared :)

  • Comment posted by User0916458582, at 18:08 23 Apr 2014

    All have an excellent claim: Lennon's Celtic broke records in the league & qualified for CL again; McInnes managed Aberdeen back to respectability, 2nd in the league & won their 1st trophy in years; McCall kept Motherwell challenging for 2nd with no money & having lost a lot of his best players; Wright helped St J beat a team like Rosenborg & unlucky not to progress further - could be any of them!

  • Comment posted by Younger Z, at 14:25 24 Apr 2014

    Got to love English fans slating our football, if their league is so good why pay any attention to us?
    I've got to say McInnes or Wright. Lennon did nothing in the cups, being a million points clear in the league is a decent achievement though. McCall is a very good manager no doubt, but their record against top 6 sides isn't all that great.
    I've enjoyed the season, roll on the cup final! (Arab!)

  • Comment posted by User0328302188, at 14:21 23 Apr 2014

    To all you English trolls, many prominent managers have graced your game and started their careers in the Scottish leagues. I seem to recall the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Owen Coyle, Alex McLeish, Steve Clarke, Malky MacKay, Graham Souness, Gordon Strachan etc. etc. Far more Scots and foreign managers in your top division compared to English managers in your ENGLISH prem league.

  • Comment posted by maccaynwa, at 15:24 23 Apr 2014

    As a neutral, for me it's got to be McInnes, Lennon's done a fantastic job with Celtic but he's got better resources at his disposal than all but 1 other team in the whole of the Scottish leagues.

  • Comment posted by User0940161753, at 15:36 23 Apr 2014

    Based on available resources, improvement from last season, and investment in youth, I'd go with McInnes.
    He's brought a new found optimism to a Dons side who've been struggling to perform for many years.
    Here's hoping he stays up this side of the border for a few more years before attracting too much interest from the English Leagues.

  • Comment posted by User0916458582, at 13:53 24 Apr 2014

    Could be any of them IMO: Lennon's Celtic broke records in the league & qualified for CL again; McInnes managed Aberdeen back to respectability, 2nd in league & won their 1st trophy in years; McCalls kept Motherwell challenging for 2nd with no money & has lost a lot of his best players; Wright helped St J beat a team like Rosenborg & in their 1st ever cup final - Id vote McInnes & Im a Hoops fan

  • Comment posted by Technophobe1, at 16:35 23 Apr 2014

    Erm, Lennon got slated last year for not winning tyanche league in a cantor, he does it this year and still slated? Come on guys, some consistency please. I agree, Celtic should have done more, but giving the CL group, they performed as expected due to injuries and some real dodgy ref decisions. Considering the budget they have shouldn't the EPL trolls be ashamed of their teams performances?

  • Comment posted by Wilburforce2012, at 15:46 23 Apr 2014

    Easy - it's McInnes, given the dramatic improvement in AFC. Don't want to belittle Lennon, but you can't really prove your mettle until you have played against clubs of a similar size consistently.

  • Comment posted by Govie, at 09:26 24 Apr 2014

    Motherwell got beat by Albion Rovers in the Scottish Cup, that should've been enough to stop McCall even being nominated!

  • Comment posted by User0184442512, at 17:17 23 Apr 2014

    96. Cedar

    Bye "Old Bean"! ;-D

    People saying that Scottish footy hasn't got a bright future really are barking up the wrong tree. The Scottish FA created a network of 7 performance schools & will develop a nat sports centre by 2016, with footy being no.1 priority. Basically, the aim is to develop a style that will be the Scottish way.

    Some great players coming thru, Gauld being the stand out 1

  • Comment posted by Technophobe1, at 15:42 23 Apr 2014

    Is all the rubbish about Lennon not being deserving to be mentioned just a little sour? Other leagues have only one big team in it and not achieved in the league what he has. Porto have been massive in Portugal for years but nowhere this year. Man City spending all that cash, who's top? Same goes with the Special One and all his moaning (no not McCoist), or the Chosen One. Strachan for me..

Top Stories