Henk Dijkhuizen |

The votes proved that there was only one manager worthy of our first annual ‘Manager of the Season’ award. All staff were asked to name their top three managers. Each first pick received three points, second place received two points and one point was awarded for the third pick. The results are below…

Winner – PHILIP COCU (PSV) 15 points

Great players, do not make great managers right? In only his second full year as coach, former international midfielder Philip Cocu guided PSV to their 22nd Eredivisie championship title. As an inexperienced manager, Cocu has led a team with an average age of 23, to an emphatic league victory winning by gigantic 17 points over bitter rivals Ajax.

Next season perhaps sees Cocu’s biggest challenge, a Champions League campaign and trying to retain the Eredivisie shield without some important cogs in this season’s wheel. Memphis Depay has already departed, whilst big money moves for Georginio Wijnaldum and Jetro Willems are surely round the corner. Cocu will have a large amount of money to spend, but former international team-mates Frank de Boer and Giovanni van Bronckhorst will be building squads themselves for a title fight.

2nd – EDWIN VAN DE LOOI (FC Groningen) 8 points

The 43-year-old from Huissen, clinched his trophy for the Pride of the North defeating PEC Zwolle in the KNVB Beker final earlier this month, the first time in the clubs history. A eighth place finish was a great achievement after losing many big names last summer, and another punt at the Europa League next season is to look forward too.

3rd – RON JANS (PEC Zwolle) 3 points

The beginning of the season was a great start for Jans and Zwolle, defeating Ajax in the Johan Cruyiff Schaal. A KNVB Beker final defeat was not to be shamed of, and finishing in the top six, the highest in their history is an unbelievable turnaround from the little team that couldn’t a few years back.