Goal.com Premier League Manager Of The Year 2008-09

Nominations

Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United)

Quintuple was the magic word all season, and in the end, United missed out on the trophies that Sir Alex will have had notched up on his list of priorities as No. 1 and No. 3, so he won't be feeling too good at this moment in time.

Let that not take away from what was an incredible season of squad management, producing numerous impressive strings of results, though not with the best big-game record they've ever had. It was good, but ultimately, this was a season that did not quite live up to expectations - as daft as that may sound - and the tactical meltdown in the Champions League final in particular must fall at the feet of the Scot, who remains arguably the greatest manager of all time.

Roy Hodgson (Fulham)

With an estimated £11m NET spending over the summer, Roy Hodgson took Fulham from a final-day finish in which they stayed up via goal difference, to a final-day finish in which they sealed their highest ever league standing in their 130-year history and a Europa League spot ahead of Tottenham and Manchester City, among others.

The squad building at Craven Cottage was immaculate over the summer, and could only be fully appreciated once the experienced tactician got them playing from the start of the season. The style of football and the attitude of the side has won them many, many neutral fans and Hodgson, as an international student of the game, could not have asked for a better return to the Premier League.

David Moyes (Everton)

If this were an award for the manager of the last five seasons, Moyes would have to be the man to take the cake. His development of this Everton side has been outstanding. With limited resources and smart scouting, he has built up a squad that has consistently been one of the best of the rest and even looked half a threat in Europe.

Neutrals will have been hoping he would clinch a much-deserved FA Cup at the weekend, but it wasn't to be. The Toffees still aren't the most entertaining side to watch, but Moyes' unwavering consistency - which edged Martin O'Neill out of the nominees list - is worthy of more than just a little bit of recognition.

Tony Pulis (Stoke City)

Everybody's favourite bet to go down at the beginning of the season was probably Stoke, and the fact they survived with a degree of relative comfort is credit to Tony Pulis. Phil Brown looked like he may have walked into this list, were it not for Hull City's capitulation and them only surviving by the skin of their teeth.

Stoke were considerably less fancy, but far more reliably consistent. While not a pleasant team to watch, their home form was imperious and undoubtedly kept them in the league. Pulis' discipline and motivational skills played a big part in the side's success - not to mention snapping up James Beattie mid-season.

Harry Redknapp (Tottenham Hotspur)

The man for a crisis was called in at White Hart Lane to rescue a ship that looked like sinking, Newcastle style. Having himself turned down the Magpies in the past, 'Arry clearly saw something within Spurs that he could mould into his own, and his transformation of a beleaguered side and willingness to stick to his principles (such as not playing £15m signing David Bentley, not for a lack of ability, but because he didn't fit within the tactical setup of the team) are testament to his understated genius and experience as a manager.

He took Spurs from the foot of the table to the brink of European football, and while he was given the financial resources that perhaps others were not, he put them to the very best of use.

Goal.com Premier League Manager of the Year: Roy Hodgson

There were an incredible number of contenders for the award. It wasn't so much picking a winner that proved difficult as it was picking five to make the list, bearing in mind Guus 'half-season' Hiddink was extraordinary, Gianfranco Zola made a genuinely tough job look easy and others such as Rafa Benitez and Martin O'Neill certainly had their high moments.

Sulmaan Ahmad, Goal.com

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