Football
Kevin Palmer 9y

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe wins top LMA award over Jose Mourinho

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe beat Chelsea's Jose Mourinho to the top prize at the prestigious League Managers' Association annual dinner.

Howe was named as LMA manager of the year after his success in guiding Bournemouth to the Championship title, securing the club's position in the Premier League for the first time. He is the first manager from outside the top flight to take the overall award since Steve Coppell, then of Reading, won in 2006.

The Cherries' boss also fended off competition from Arsene Wenger of Arsenal, Alan Pardew of Crystal Palace, Garry Monk of Swansea and Ronald Koeman of Southampton at an awards ceremony in London.

In comments reported on Bournemouth's website, Brendan Rodgers, who presented the award to Howe, said: "He's done a fine job, a remarkable job, and done it with style and humility."

Mourinho was given the consolation prize of the LMA Premier League manager of the year award, as he missed out on the top spot for a third time after guiding Chelsea to the biggest prize in the English game.

He also failed to land the prestigious LMA award in the previous two years when he guided Chelsea to the Premier League title, with David Moyes winning the prize in 2005 for his work at Everton and Steve Coppell claiming the honour a year later after his success as Reading boss.

Mourinho was tipped by many to be the outstanding candidate for this season's LMA prize, with Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini among those who confirmed he had voted for his Chelsea rival.

However, Palace boss Pardew told ESPN FC last week that he was not convinced Mourinho deserved to be hailed as a runaway winner of the LMA award, as he suggested his job was a little easier than some of his rivals.

"Jose has won the Premier League title so he is obviously a candidate, but he has the best players and that means he will always have a very good chance of looking like Manager of the Year," argued the Palace boss.

"Garry Monk has done a great job at Swansea and the same goes for Ronald Koeman has done well at Southampton. Eddie Howe has done great at Bournemouth and you need to consider at the resources managers work with when you pick the best of this season.

"This is not an easy job and I look at what Brendan Rodgers is going through at Liverpool a year after he was named Manager of the Year and it reminds us all how quickly this game can come back and sting you."

Mourinho was not present to accept the award as he was taking part in Chelsea's own end of year awards in a different part of London on Tuesday.

Howe was also named Championship manager of the year after leading Bournemouth to promotion. The League One award went to Steve Cotterill after Bristol City's title-winning season.

The only divisional award not to go to the boss of the title-winning side was the League Two gong, which went to Wycombe's Gareth Ainsworth despite his side losing the playoff final to Southend on penalties.

Bradford City's Phil Parkinson was named FA Cup manager of the year after his side beat Chelsea and Sunderland en route to the quarterfinals of the competition.

Information from Press Association was used in this report.

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