Premier League Manager of the Year: Ranking the top 5

Manchester City v Liverpool - Premier League
Manchester City v Liverpool - Premier League

#3 Javi Gracia

Huddersfield Town v Watford FC - Premier League
Huddersfield Town v Watford FC - Premier League

The most underrated manager in the Premier League is undoubtedly Javi Gracia, whose Watford side is constantly punching above their weight. Gracia remains one of the most experienced students of the game as he featured in vast number of matches as a player and managed numerous sides before coming to Watford.

Watford are eighth in the Premier League but Gracia's good work has been seen in both in the league and in the FA Cup. Watford are set to play against Manchester City in the finals, after beating Wolves in the semi-finals.

Unorthodox and soft-spoken, Gracia uses an unusual 4-2-2-2 formation which can rattle the opponents' tactics and style of play, as has been evident in numerous matches this season. Gracia is also extremely disciplined as a coach despite his composed demeanour and it shows on the pitch.

There is no doubt that Gracia made his mark in the Premier League this campaign, after an unsuccessful tenure with Rubin Kazan. It remains to be seen whether he can turn Watford into a constant force if he gets the tools necessary to do so in the transfer window.

Quick Links