Championship Manager of the Month Candidates: August 2023

The Championship’s first managerial prize of the season already has a distinctly fresh feel to it.

Charlton Athletic’s Nathan Jones, Swansea City’s Vitor Matos, Wolves boss Cesar Peixoto and QPR head coach Julien Stephan have all been shortlisted for August’s Manager of the Month award after sharp, assured starts to the campaign.

Charlton Athletic

Jones has set the early pace. Charlton opened with three wins from three, a perfect return that sent them straight to the top of the table and underlined the impact of his methods. No easing into the season, no tentative steps – Charlton hit the ground running.

Swansea City

In South Wales, Matos has wasted no time stamping his authority on Swansea. Seven points from their opening three matches, including victories over Stoke City and Derby County, have given the new man a strong platform. An unbeaten August under a new head coach is never a bad way to calm any early doubts.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves, under Peixoto in his first season in charge, have matched that seven-point haul from their first three fixtures. The objective is clear: an immediate return to the Premier League. Their start suggests they intend to stay in that promotion conversation from the outset.

Queens Park Rangers

QPR complete the quartet. Under Stephan, Rangers pieced together an unbeaten August, highlighted by impressive away wins at Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers. Quietly, they have built momentum, picking up results that tend to matter when the season stretches into its brutal winter months.

Only one of these strong starts will be officially recognised when the season’s first Manager of the Month is announced on Friday, 11 September. The others will have to let their teams do the talking on the pitch.