Battle of the Bosses Awards: Best quote, worst excuse and the man who must leave

Updated 22/05/2017 at 15:09 GMT

In his final Battle of the Bosses, Graham Ruthven salutes the Premier League’s greats and not-so-greats of 2016-17. It’s awards season!

Jurgen Klopp

Image credit: Eurosport

Best appointment

Before his appointment at Swansea City, Paul Clement was the footballing equivalent of Chiwetel Ejiofor - you’ve seen him everywhere, but can never remember his name. As Carlo Ancelotti’s side-kick, Clement won trophies at Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, appearing in more title celebrations than David May.

But by being lured from his place on the Bayern Munich bench to the south of Wales, Clement has proved himself as a manager on his own. Swansea looked doomed under Bob Bradley, sitting rock bottom of the Premier League with no escape route in sight. Rather than talk tactics, the topic of conversation at the club was over Bradley’s use of ‘PK’ over ‘penalty kick.’ Clement saved them, securing their top flight status with a game to spare. More than just Ancelotti and a few Derby fans know his name now.

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Paul Clement, Manager of Swansea City shows appreciation to the fans after the Premier League match between Sunderland and Swansea City

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Worst appointment

David Moyes has the look of a man who has seen some stuff. Look into his eyes for long enough and you’ll gain an insight into what life has been like for the Scot over the past few years. First, he turned Manchester United, the most powerful club in English football, into a team that put more crosses into the box than the British public on election day. Then there was Real Sociedad, where he attempted to speak the lingo like a tourist in Union Jack shorts trying to order a pint of lager and some nachos at a resort bar.

Then Sunderland, a club that needed someone to dream big in order to lift them up the Premier League table. Instead, they got someone who resigned himself to a relegation battle after just two games. What’s the opposite of a man with the golden touch? Because whatever it is, Moyes is that man.

Sunderland's Scottish manager David Moyes gestures from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge in London on May 21, 2017.

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Rookie award

Very little was expected of Craig Shakespeare when he replaced Claudio Ranieri in February. He was expected to join Les Reed, Chris Ramsey and all the other forgettables who suffered relegation from the Premier League after being thrown into the limelight. Instead, Shakespeare turned around Leicester City's season.

Under his charge, the Foxes went on a six game winning run, moving themselves away from the drop zone and making it to the quarter finals of the Champions League. It might not have been a sensational title triumph, but Shakespeare did exactly what was asked of him and more.

Craig Shakespeare

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Best tactical move

Even Chelsea fans had forgotten that Victor Moses was still a Chelsea player as the 2016/17 season kicked off. It was assumed he would be loaned out again, to Middlesbrough, or Sunderland or Deportivo Maldonado, but instead Antonio Conte turned a player who was a few weeks away from having his Cobham security pass revoked into the most effective wing back in England.

Worst tactical move

When Manchester United signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic it was questioned whether the Swedish striker would be able to make an impression on the Premier League at the age of 35. 17 goals in 28 appearances later, it’s fair to say he indeed made an impact. But at what cost did that come for United?

With Ibrahimovic as the frontman, United tended to play to his strengths rather than their strengths as a team as a whole. They became predictable and it wasn’t until the Swede suffered a season-ending injury that Jose Mourinho learned how to unleash his side’s counter attacking potential. Ibrahimovic was a good fit as a character and personality at Old Trafford, but stylistically he hindered United.

Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates at the end of the match with Jose Mourinho

Image credit: Reuters

Best quote

Step forward, David Moyes...

(The bottom of the table) is where they’ve been every other year for the past four years, so why would it suddenly change?

Moyes posed this question just two games into his tenure as Sunderland boss. By that sentiment, the club’s owners could have appointed anyone at all, because what’s the point in even trying to avoid relegation? At least he could rest easy that having made such a blunder so early in the season he couldn’t possibly say anything even more ill-advised to the media. And if anyone disagrees with that they’ll be getting a “wee slap.”

Worst excuse

I know nobody wants to hear it but I am brave enough to say it - the pitch was really dry today. We gave it all the water we had but after 15 minutes it was really dry again with the wind.

Yep, that's Jurgen Klopp bemoaning the pitch after a particularly disappointing Liverpool performance against Southampton, which at the time left their top four hopes in the balance.

The German went on to blame the sky for being too blue, and the kits for being too rough on his players’ sensitive skin. Because Premier League stars shouldn’t be expected to perform in anything that hasn’t been washed in Aloe Vera. What is this, the 70s?

Jurgen Klopp manager / head coach of Liverpool and Adam Lallana of Liverpool celebrate at full time during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Middlesbrough at Anfield on May 21, 2017 in Liverpool, England.

Image credit: Getty Images

Must do better award

Remember when Pep Guardiola was going to revolutionise English football in the same way Arsene Wenger did in the 1990s? When Manchester was going to be the European capital of football? When Manchester City were going to stroll the Premier League, underlining Guardiola’s credentials as the greatest of his generation? Yeah, about that.

By his own admission, Guardiola would have been sacked for his performance this season had he been at a “big club.” Of course, part of his remit is to turn City into a big club (whatever that is), and there is a lot to be addressed before he can succeed in that sense, but there is no denying that more was expected of him in his first season. Exceptional knitwear can only get you so far.

Time to move on award

Arsene Wenger is Arsenal. Arsenal is Arsene Wenger. It’s almost impossible to separate the two from each other, but that’s what needs to happen this summer. The Frenchman is an Arsenal legend, moulding the club in his own image over two decades in North London, but for the sake of both parties it’s time he bid farewell.

This Saturday’s FA Cup final should be Wenger’s last hurrah. It’s the perfect jumping off point, especially if Arsenal actually overcome Chelsea to win the trophy. Instead, it’s likely to prove to Wenger that this season was just a blip, signing a new four-year deal to consign the Gunners to yet more tragic tedium. And so the cycle repeats.

Manager of the season

Antonio Conte has everything going for him. He has a lush head of hair, the natural dress sense that comes with being Italian, and now he’s a Premier League champion at the first attempt. It was so easy he’ll be phoning home to regale the tale of how he conquered England without even trying.

“I’m telling you, I won the title playing Victor Moses as a wing back,” he’ll laugh down the line. “And they let Claudio Ranieri win it last year!” This Chelsea team might be Jose Mourinho’s, largely assembled by the Portuguese, but this season was Conte’s triumph.