City boss Mark Robins has been nominated for Manager of the Month award...
Coventry City boss Mark Robins has been nominated for the npower League One Manager of the Month award for December.
Also, former loanee striker David McGoldrick has been nominated for the League One Player of the Month award after his five goals in December for the Sky Blues.
Football League sponsors npower are proud to reveal the nominations for both the npower League 1 Manager and Player of the Month Awards for December. The winners will be announced on Friday 11th January 2013, with the final decision being made by two separate Football League judging panels.
The Manager of the Month award is decided by former Charlton Athletic manager Alan Curbishley, Football League Chief Operating Officer Andy Williamson, League Managers Association Deputy CEO Olaf Dixon and npower Sponsorship Manager Emma Collins. The Player of the Month panel sees Emma Collins joined by Wolves legend Don Goodman, BBC Sport’s Mark Clemmit and The Football League’s Head of Communications, John Nagle.
The nominations for the npower League 1 Manager of the Month Award for December are:
Eddie Howe (AFC Bournemouth)
Eddie Howe’s return to the Bournemouth has proved nothing short of a revelation for The Cherries. Transformed from potential relegation candidates to promotion chasers in the space of a few months, December proved to be another hugely successful session. Four league wins out of four fired the south coast outfit into the npower League 1 play-off positions and on this sort of form they look likely to stay there.
Mark Robins (Coventry City)
With four wins and a draw from five December league fixtures, Mark Robins ensured a very merry Christmas for the Sky Blues’ supporters. 13 points from a possible 15 is impressive enough but with three victories coming away from home, including two against promotion hopefuls Doncaster Rovers and Milton Keynes Dons, City fans have every reason to look forward to 2013.
Uwe Rosler (Brentford)
Another side who finished December unbeaten were Uwe Rosler’s Brentford. Three wins and a draw from their four league fixtures saw the Bees finish the year in 4th place, but just two points off league leaders Tranmere Rovers. With the top of the table so tight in npower League 1, Rosler’s men have found form at a great time.
The nominations for the npower League 1 Player of the Month Award for December are:
Tommy Elphick (AFC Bournemouth) – central defender
Led Bournemouth superbly as stand-in captain in a perfect month. His intelligent positioning, mobility along the back line and passion for throwing his body into a tackle was pivotal to a defence which recorded three clean sheets and conceded just a single goal in December.
David McGoldrick (Coventry City) – striker*
Five goals in four matches for the on-loan forward as he continued a remarkable season. The focal point of the Sky Blues’ attack, his positional play and calmness in front of goal were evident as he scored twice against both Walsall and in the 4-1 win at promotion rivals Doncaster Rovers.
*N.B. David McGoldrick has now joined Ipswich Town on loan from Nottingham Forest. His performances for Coventry City in December are those that are acknowledged.
Luke Murphy (Crewe Alexandra) – midfielder
The 23-year-old youth product dominated matches in December with a captain’s role as his box-to-box energy and array of passing set up goals for others and helped Crewe Alexandra to climb the table. Outstanding in the 3-1 win at Preston North End, in which he also scored with a neat finish.
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