Published on Thursday 23 February 2012 02:57
Sacked Huddersfield manager Lee Clark has been shortlisted for the 2012 Football League Award for Outstanding Managerial Achievement.
Clark, who was fired by the npower League One club last week, presided over the longest unbeaten run in the side’s history, seeing them go 43 regular season league matches without a loss to set a new Football League record.
The 39-year-old former Newcastle, Sunderland and Fulham player took over as Huddersfield manager in December 2008 and left with the Terriers fourth in the League One table.
However, Clark’s achievements were not deemed to be enough for Huddersfield chairman Dean Hoyle, who defended his decision to sack him earlier this week by saying he had lost faith in his ability to secure automatic promotion.
Despite this, Clark – who has now been replaced by former Leeds manager Simon Grayson – has been shortlisted alongside Brighton manager Gus Poyet and Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman for the award, which is voted for by Football Manager website users.
In a statement, the Football League supported Clark’s inclusion on the shortlist following his success during 2011.
It said: “The Outstanding Managerial Achievement Award recognises exceptional individual achievement over the last calendar year.
“Lee Clark led Huddersfield Town to a run of 43 unbeaten consecutive League games during this period – a new Football League record. For this reason he was voted for by fans, before he left Huddersfield, as a fitting candidate for this award.”
The Football League Awards 2012 will be held in London on 11 March. Clark yesterday insisted speculation linking him with other clubs had nothing to do with his sacking. Although he had to distance himself from rumours linking him with positions at Leicester and Leeds in the past, Clark feels that should not have influenced Hoyle’s decision to sack him.
“I wouldn’t like to think so. Surely it’s a compliment,” he said. “All these clubs that came in for striker Jordan Rhodes. Does that mean because they are linked to our outstanding players, we are going to move them on because we get disappointed by them getting linked?
“It’s the same with the manager. If I was doing a poor job, nobody would have been interested in me.”
Clark expressed his shock at the decision to end his tenure at Huddersfield and has urged Hoyle to carry out his dismissal in the correct manner.
“I would just like it sorted out in the right and proper manner. I worked extremely hard for the football club,” he said.
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