Newcastle’s Rafael Benitez and Aston Villa’s Steve Bruce, Sheffield Wednesday’s Carlos Carvalhal, Brighton’s Chris Hughton and ex-Birmingham boss Gary Rowett made the shortlist.
The results on HITC Sport’s poll looking at the top five Championship managers for 2016 are in. Amongst the top five is a boss who has only been in charge at his current club for a handful of games and another who is currently looking for work. But does your club’s manager make the shortlist?
5. Gary Rowett (Birmingham City)
Former Birmingham manager Gary Rowett
Gary Rowett’s departure from Birmingham City earlier in the month was met with a huge amount of surprise, so perhaps it should come as little shock that HITC Sport readers voted him in the top five Championship bosses for the calendar year. He nearly guided Birmingham to the play-offs last term, and appeared to be well on course to do it once again this season.
4. Steve Bruce (Hull City and Aston Villa)
The Villans boss has only been in his current job for a couple of months, but already things look a lot lighter at Villa Park as the club go into 2017 very much in play-off contention. It must not be forgotten that 2016 was also a year that saw Bruce guide Hull City to promotion from the second tier.
3. Rafael Benitez (Newcastle United)
Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez
Despite a hugely busy summer at St James’ Park, it is widely accepted that Newcastle United’s best signing of the previous window was getting Rafa Benitez to stay on as manager. The Champions League winning boss still had something to prove given that many expected his biggest problem to be a lack of understanding of England’s second tier, but he has risen to the challenge remarkably and taken Newcastle into the automatic-promotion spots.
2. Carlos Carvalhal (Sheffield Wednesday)
When Carlos Carvalhal arrived at Sheffield Wednesday in 2015 and subsequently made a disappointing start, many would have been forgiven for expecting the sack to be imminent. However, the Portuguese’s appointment has proved to be an inspired one. 2016 saw Sheffield Wednesday reach the play-off final, where only a moment of sheer magic denied them promotion, and they now find themselves right in the mix for the top six once again.
1. Chris Hughton (Brighton and Hove Albion)
Brighton manager Chris Hughton
The manager that HITC Sport readers believe to have enjoyed the best 2016 is Brighton’s Chris Hughton. After keeping them up in his first half season, Hughton guided Brighton to third in his first year. And despite play-off disappointment, his side have continued to improve this season. Brighton finish the year in the top two, and are only behind Newcastle after their game against Cardiff was cancelled.
If the Seagulls win the title, or even make it to the Premier League as Championship runners-up, Hughton could well receive further managerial recognition.
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