Nuno and Antonio earns August Barclays Premier League award
Nuno and Antonio earns August Barclays Premier League award
Nuno and Antonio earns August Barclays Premier League award
Nuno Espirito Santo has been named the August 2021 Barclays Manager of the Month after a dream start as Tottenham Hotspur head coach.
In his first month at Spurs, Nuno was the only manager or head coach to win his first three matches of 2021/22 as he led Spurs to the top of the table with three consecutive wins and no goals conceded.
“It’s a privilege, I’m very thankful,” Nuno said. “Behind the scenes, with all the work that everybody in the club does, helping the coaching staff and trying to provide the right environment for the players to compete, because this is how we want to work together, push each other, help each other, so it’s a privilege to be here.
“I always say that it’s down to the hard work of the players. The players have worked really hard in pre-season and that gave us the ability to compete well in the beginning of the season.
“In the league they’re tough matches and always very competitive, but the credit is for the players because they are the ones who delivered the results and the performances.”
The Portuguese’s hat-trick of 1-0 victories included an opening-weekend success against champions Manchester City and a win at his former club Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he earned the Manager of the Month prize three times.
Speaking of his home debut for Spurs in front of a capacity crowd against Man City, Nuno said: “It was a fantastic atmosphere that day, especially after the situation with the pandemic that there were no fans. In our beautiful stadium to have all those fans was huge for us.”
Nuno Espirito Santo with his backroom staff and the Barclays Manager of the Month award
The 47-year-old topped a four-man shortlist, beating Rafael Benitez, David Moyes and Thomas Tuchel after votes from the public were combined with those of a panel of football experts.
Nuno, who made it three wins out of three with a triumph against Watford, will look to maintain his 100 per cent winning start to the season on Saturday when Spurs visit Crystal Palace.
West Ham striker earns August prize after scoring four goals to become their record PL scorer
Michail Antonio’s record-breaking month for West Ham United has been recognised with August’s Player of the Month award.
It has been a stunning start to the 2021/22 campaign for Antonio, who scored four times and provided three assists in just three matches.
His two goals in the 4-1 win over Leicester City meant he overtook Paolo Di Canio to become the club’s all-time top Premier League scorer, before he scored his 50th in the competition versus Crystal Palace.
‘Everyone wants to make history’
“I saw that I was quite close to becoming the record-holder and I’ve been going for it,” said Antonio. “Now I’m looking to go as far as possible so no one can catch me.
“Every now and then I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I’m West Ham’s record goalscorer’, because when I signed here I couldn’t even imagine being that.
“Everyone wants to make history at every club they go to. I’ve managed to do it a few times here. I love it, and every time I do it I write it down in my notebook at home.”
This time 10 years ago Antonio was playing as a winger for League One side Colchester United, having only left non-league Tooting & Mitcham United a two years previously, and he has spent most of his career, including much of his time at West Ham, on the wing or at wing-back.
He is now relishing the extra ammunition to score goals as the main striker, and has always been confident in his abilities to lead the line.
“I’ve always been someone who works hard, who is quite strong and physical, and even when I was on the wing I always got a couple of goals,” he said
Now I’ve got the opportunity where people are trying to supply me with goals. I’m getting more opportunities, and I’m taking them.”
It is the second time Antonio has claimed the EA SPORTS Player of the Month prize, first doing so in July 2020.
The West Ham forward topped a six-man shortlist that also included Marcos Alonso, Said Benrahma, Eric Dier, Demarai Gray and Mason Greenwood.
