The end of an enthralling Women's Super League season is upon us, meaning awards season is also here.
Four managers have been nominated for the Barclays WSL Manger of the Year gong, with Chelsea's Emma Hayes, Manchester United's Marc Skinner, Arsenal's Jonas Eidevall and Aston Villa's Carla Ward making the final cut.
But what about Willie Kirk who has taken Leicester from no hopers to the brink of survival? Or Matt Beard who has steered newly-promoted Liverpool way clear of the relegation dogfight and beaten the likes of Chelsea and Man City?
Our women's football writers have their say on who their manager of the season is below.
Hannah Pinnock - Carla Ward
There’s arguably three or four managers worthy of this prize. For me, it’s between Leicester boss Willie Kirk and Villa's Carla Ward.
However, given Leicester are yet to clinch safety having missed a glaring opportunity against West Ham on Sunday, Ward cannot be overlooked for this one. What she’s produced at Villa this season has been incredibly enjoyable to watch and a pleasure to report on.
The team made history this term by reaching the Women’s FA Cup semi-finals and were agonisingly close to clinching a place in the final ahead of Chelsea. Not only that, they’ve caused some huge upsets against the heavyweights and have proved on a number of occasions they can go toe-to-toe with the elite.
Rachel Daly, Kirsty Hanson and Kenza Dali are among the players that have produced on the pitch, but much of their success begins off it. Shrewd recruitment in the summer, and again in January, has paid off massively and they’ve secured a deserved fifth-place finish.
There’s been a sense of harmony among the Villa squad this season and, from the outside looking in, it seems everyone is pulling in the same direction. It’s no surprise the club took up the option to extend Ward’s contract in January.
Jack Lacey-Hatton - Jonas Eidevall
I have already written on why Arsenal's season still has to be regarded as hugely positive despite finishing third in the league, so will try not to repeat myself, but Jonas Eidevall narrowly gets the nod for me.
To win the Conti Cup and secure another crack at the Champions League next season, when Arsenal basically weren't able to select their first-choice XI after the second game of the WSL season, is nothing short of remarkable. Eidevall has always found solutions to the Gunners' seemingly never-ending injury problems and recruited smartly in January.
The Swede has shown this season that he can work with a depleted squad and still have them in the mix for trophies. Don't forget they were only seconds away from a penalty shootout that could have taken them to the Champions League final.
He has also got the best out of the likes of Caitlin Foord, Katie McCabe and Stina Blackstenius when the squad was stretched to the bare bones in recent months. I will add that you can't help but admire Emma Hayes and listening to her speak in her post-Arsenal press conference was nothing short of inspirational. A great person, as well as a great manager, she too would be a worthy winner.
Beth Lindop - Willie Kirk
The fact that both the title race and relegation battle will go to the final day speaks of what an enthralling Women’s Super League campaign we have enjoyed so far, but it makes crowning the top flight’s Manager of the Season that little bit tougher.
If trophies are your thing, it’s impossible to look past Emma Hayes, who has guided Chelsea to the precipice of a fourth straight WSL title and already sealed a third successive FA Cup win. But my vote goes to someone whose name didn’t even feature among the official Barclays WSL nominees - Leicester City boss Willie Kirk.
It is, admittedly, a bit of a gamble as the Foxes could still be relegated. However, the fact their fate is in their own hands heading into the final day despite them having failed to pick up a single point until January 15, is verging on miraculous.
When Kirk took over from Lydia Bedford back in November, Leicester’s relegation seemed like a foregone conclusion. But the Scot remained defiant. Even after Leicester were beaten 8-0 by Chelsea in December, Kirk backed his players to retain the club’s top flight status.
"I think it's something like an 86 per cent chance of being relegated,” he told the media at the time, “and that will make it all the sweeter when we prove people wrong come the end of the season.”
At that point, Leicester were seven points adrift of Reading, who now find themselves to be the unlucky custodians of the league’s sole relegation spot. A combination of astute January recruitment - the loan signing of Bayern Munich goalkeeper Janina Leitzig in particular has proved something of a masterstroke - and a distinct playing identity has been a catalyst for the Foxes’ steady revival.
Louise Wilkes - Emma Hayes
‘In Emma we trust’ couldn’t be more true as the Blues Manager sets up for another double this campaign, which they will get with just one more win away to Reading on Saturday. For me, Emma Hayes deserves it.
Season-opening result aside (when beaten by Liverpool ) Chelsea have been a force to be reckoned with once again, and that wouldn’t be the case without the culture Hayes has instilled. Not only does she get the Blues' results on the pitch, but she also is a role model and unapologetically points out football's shortcomings.
Hayes openly discusses women’s health concerns, as we saw her endometriosis struggle this year. And yet, none of this steals her gaze from winning. Chelsea haven't always been at their best, but they get the job done. That ruthless mentality, robustness and pure win-at-all-costs desire stems from her. What a gift she is to women’s football.
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