WOL article via their big brother The Times
I like to chuck in a joke at the end of these articles, but this time I didn't have to :facepalm:
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Neil Warnock was officially the best managerial appointment of the season...but Paul Clement and Mike Flynn weren't far behind
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/f...erial-13058206
Swansea City, Cardiff City and Newport County certainly got it right in the end with their managerial appointments
There were an incredible 51 managerial changes in the Premier League and Football League during the course of the 2016-17 campaign, five of which came in south Wales.
Swansea City replaced Francesco Guidolin with American boss Bob Bradley who was then sacked after an ill-fated 11-game stint at the Liberty Stadium, with Paul Clement eventually coming to the club's rescue in January, eventually seeing his new club secure safety in the Premier League with a game to spare.
Like Swansea, Newport County also had three managers during the course of the season, with Warren Feeney and Graham Westley both departing Rodney Parade before Mike Flynn - who has since been named as the Exiles' new boss - helped the club to secure their Football League status in dramatic fashion on the final day of the campaign.
Cardiff City also enjoyed remarkable success following the appointment of Neil Warnock as manager after Paul Trollope has been sacked after a 2-0 defeat at Burton.
And while the Swans and the Exiles achieved safety under their third managers of the season, data from The Times confirms that Warnock was officially the best managerial appointment made during the course of the season in terms of the number of places made up.
The Bluebirds were 23rd in the Championship with just eight points from their opening 11 league matches when the club decided to axe Trollope and hire Warnock.
The Yorkshireman led the club to safety and even saw his side secure a top half finish by thrashing promotion-chasing Huddersfield Town 3-0 at the John Smith's Stadium on the final day of the campaign.
Cardiff more than doubled their points-per-game tally from 0.72 to 1.54 under Warnock and jumped up from 23rd place to 12th, the biggest improvement made by a manager who was appointed during the 2016-17 campaign.
Swansea averaged a paltry total of 0.57 points-per-game under Guidolin, a tally that Bradley marginally improved to 0.64 points-per-game.
But Clement - who has seen his side collect 26 of the 54 points on offer in the league during his tenure - has overseen his side increase their points-per-game tally to 1.44, more than what Bradley and Guidolin managed combined.
And as far as Newport are concerned, Flynn saw his side claim a truly sensational 1.83 points-per-game during his 12-game reign that saw the Exiles clinch survival on the last day.
Newport averaged only 0.6 points-per-game under Feeney and just 0.83 points-per-match under Westley who was sacked in March.
TOP THREE IMPROVEMENTS BY LEAGUE POSITION
1. Cardiff City (Championship) 23rd to 12th
Paul Trollope - 0.72 points per game (projected finish 23rd, relegated)
Neil Warnock - 1.54 points per game (finished 12th)
2. Derby County (Championship) 20th to 7th
Nigel Pearson - 0.9 points per game (projected finish 23rd, relegated)
Steve McClaren - 1.61 points per game (projected finish 9th)
Gary Rowett - 1.66 points per game (finished 7th)
= 3. MK Dons (League One) 19th to 12th
Karl Robinson - 1.06 points per game (projected finish 22nd, relegated)
Robbie Neilson- 1.53 points per game (finished 12th)
= 3. Oldham (League One) 24th to 17th
Stephen Robinson - 0.79 points per game (projected finish 24th, relegated)
John Sheridan - 1.54 points per game (finished 17th)
TOP THREE DROPS IN LEAGUE POSITION
1. Birmingham City (Championship) 7th to 19th
Gary Rowett- 1.62 points per game (projected finish 8th)
Gianfranco Zola - 0.59 points per game (projected finish 23rd, relegated)
Harry Redknapp - 2 points per game (finished 19th)
2. Barnet (League Two) 8th to 15th
Martin Allen - 1.42 points per game (projected finish 8th)
Kevin Nugent - 0.64 points per game (projected finish 18th)
Rossi Eames – 1.5 points per game (finished 15th)
3. Grimsby (League Two) 8th to 14th
Paul Hurst - 1.43 points per game (projected finish 13th)
Marcus Bignot - 1.31 points per game (projected finish 15th)
Russell Slade - 1 point per game (finished 14th)
