The nominees are IN – and now it’s your time to have your say on who takes out Coach of the Month honours for December in the Liberty A-League!
Australian Professional Leagues (APL) have partnered with Football Coaches Australia (FCA) for the second season running, to produce four monthly nominees for fans of the Liberty A-League to pick from as Coach of the Month.
Wellington Phoenix head coach Paul Temple picked up Coach of the Month honours in both the October/November and December voting – but there’ll be a new name joining him as a monthly winner as four fresh faces compete for January honours.
This month’s nominees are…
Eligible coaches are nominated monthly by the FCA panel, consisting of:
- Catherine Cannuli
- Sarah West
- John Kosmina
- Ian Greener
- Gary Cole
Each member of the FCA panel votes for three coaches each month, granting three votes to their pick for Coach of the Month, two for their second-choice and one for their third choice.
The FCA panel will also vote for Isuzu UTE A-League Coach of the Month on the same voting schedule.
January voting, top four – FCA
- Kat Smith, Western United
- Emily Husband, Central Coast Mariners
- Dario Vidosic, Melbourne City
- Robbie Hooker, Western Sydney Wanderers
Cast your vote for Liberty A-League Coach of the Month below, or via A-Leagues Facebook and Twitter.
Kat Smith – Western United
January record
- Games played: 4
- Wins: 3
- Draws: 0
- Defeats: 1
- Goals scored: 8
- Goals conceded: 3
Western United have flown into top spot under Kat Smith’s watch, helped by three wins in January including statement results against Victorian rivals Melbourne Victory (4-1) and Melbourne City (3-1).
Smith took over at Western in November with her new side sitting in eighth on the table but by January 30 last season’s Grand Finalists had risen into second place on the table; suddenly, Smith has turned the Green & Black into finals – and Premiership – contenders as they sit atop the summit.
Emily Husband – Central Coast Mariners
January record
- Games played: 5
- Wins: 3
- Draws: 1
- Defeats: 1
- Goals scored: 7
- Goals conceded: 4
The Mariners enjoyed a stellar January, winning three of five games and losing just once. Two consecutive wins in the middle of January included a 2-1 triumph over Sydney FC in which goalkeeper Sarah Langman was sent off, leading to defender Ashley Irwin putting on the gloves for the final stages of a game decided by Mariners striker Wurigumula’s last-gasp penalty.
Dario Vidosic – Melbourne City
January record
- Games played: 4
- Wins: 2
- Draws: 0
- Defeats: 2
- Goals scored: 8
- Goals conceded: 5
Dario Vidosic’s Melbourne City began January with a thumping 5-0 win over Adelaide United. A 1-0 loss to Western Sydney stopped the momentum before a mixed bag to end the month, beating Wellington 2-1 and losing 3-1 to Kat Smith’s Western United.
Robbie Hooker – Western Sydney Wanderers
January record
- Games played: 4
- Wins: 3
- Draws: 0
- Defeats: 1
- Goals scored: 6
- Goals conceded: 4
The Wanderers notched an impressive 2-0 win over Perth Glory on the road to kick off January, and consolidated that result with a 1-0 win over league-leaders Melbourne City. Robbie Hooker’s side made it four wins from four with a 2-1 win over Central Coast but ended January with a surprise 3-1 loss to Brisbane Roar at home.
