OUTGOING Millwall head coach Neil Harris has been nominated for the Championship manager of the month award – and Lions defender Japhet Tanganga in the player category.
Harris will step down after Saturday’s match against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium to end his second spell in charge.
The boss in the opposing dugout, Michael Carrick, has also been nominated, along with Burnley’s Scott Parker.
The other manager in with a chance of picking up the award is Chris Wilder, whose Sheffield United side beat Millwall 1-0 at The Den on Wednesday night.
Millwall won two and drew three of their five games in November to stretch their unbeaten Championship run to nine games. They beat Burnley and Leeds United at home, both 1-0.
Tangnga, 25, sacred the winner against Leeds and the opener in the 1-1 draw at Oxford United on the last day of the month.
Manager of the month nominees
Michael Carrick (Middlesbrough)
Carrick’s attacking side didn’t get it right in every November game, but they were irresistibly entertaining in four wins by scorelines of 4-1, 5-1, 6-2 and 3-1, attacking with pace, fluidity of movement, imagination and a sheer stylish joy.
Neil Harris (Millwall)
Guided his feisty, but highly-disciplined Millwall side to a nine-point haul, conceding just three goals, from five unbeaten games which included two deserved 1-0 wins over promotion-chasing Burnley and Leeds in the space of four days.
Scott Parker (Burnley)
Parker has built a defensive shield at Turf Moor that is almost unbreachable with just one goal conceded in six games which yielded thirteen points. Swapping his wingers over helped to quicken the pace of Burnley’s attacks, too, turning draws into wins.
Chris Wilder (Sheffield United)
An almost perfect month for Wilder’s side that has been rebuilt since relegation. Their understanding and cohesion continue to grow. A haul of sixteen points from six unbeaten games and a 11-3 goals differential saw them take over as Championship leaders.
Player of the month nominees
Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) – attacking midfielder
Five goals and four assists as a key pivot in a Middlesbrough team which scored eighteen goals in his five November games, Azaz showcased his vision and technical ability with both feet, never more so than with an angled curler against Luton.
Vakoun Bayo (Watford) – striker
Bayo’s six goals in as many matches included four in the space of 30 minutes at Sheffield Wednesday and an impudent lifted finish to complete his hat-trick. The goals were just reward for the dedication he brings to the lone striker role.
Borja Sainz (Norwich City) – midfielder
Sainz brings a fiery desire to keep contributing to the Norwich cause, earning a third straight nomination. While his team play is improving, it is his goals which continue to stand out with another five, including a hat-trick against Plymouth.
Japhet Tanganga (Millwall) – central defender
Whether it be with goal-saving blocks or making last-ditch tackles, Tanganga oozes self-assurance in a defence that conceded just three goals in five games. He also scored a deft volley for the winner against Leeds and a powerful header at Oxford.
Winners will be announced on Friday, December 13.
The Sky Bet manager of the month judging panel comprises former Barnsley manager Danny Wilson, Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman, and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies.
The judging panel for the Sky Bet player of the month comprises Don Goodman, EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch and Ivor Davies.
