The 49-year-old’s brilliant season with Hull City has been recognised by the game’s governing body
Sergej Jakirovic has been a big hit at the MKM Stadium this term(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
Sergej Jakirovic’s outstanding first campaign in English football has been recognised with a nomiation for the Championship’s Manager of the Season award.
The Croatian has been included on a four-strong shortlist with Coventry City’s Frank Lampard, Millwall’s Alex Neil and Middlesbrough’s Kim Hellberg – who is also managing in England for the first time.
All four have considerable merits but Jakirovic’s Hull City are one of the surprise packages of the season having overcome severe transfer restrictions – and yet another change of head coach – to sit comfortably in the play-off places for most of the season.
Indeed Jakirovic’s Tigers look set to make the play-offs after last night’s game between Wrexham and Southampton resulted in a 5-1 win for the Saints and City enjoying a four point cushion on seventh place with only five games remaining.
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But it’s not only the fact Jakirovic has won 20 of his 41 Championship matches, as much as the style in which they have done it, with only three clubs scoring more goals.
For his part Lampard has led the Sky Blues to an almost certain title, while Neil has had Millwall knocking on the door of the automatic promotion places of late and Hellberg came to Boro after Rob Edwards’ departure and has had them in the top two for most of the campaign.
Indeed the only two managers currently in the top six that are not nominated are Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna and Southampton’s Tonda Eckert who turned round their fortunes after a poor start under Will Still.
The EFL Championship Player of the Season award is being contested by Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney, Coventry City goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, Millwall’s wide-player Femi Azeez and Swansea City striker Zan Vipotnik who is currently the top scorer in the division with 20 goals.
The League One manager award is between Graham Alexander of Bradford City, Lincoln’s Michael Skubala, Brian Barry-Murphy at Cardiff City and Alex Revell of Stevenage.
The winners will be announced live at the League’s annual ceremony in London on Sunday, 19 April, which is also being broadcast live on Sky Sports Football from 8:30 pm.
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