SWANS: Matos named Championship manager of the month after seven points from nine

Vitor Matos has been named Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month for August.

The Swansea City head coach took the award after what the club says was seven points from a possible nine, built on two away wins.

The month opened at Stoke, where Swansea came from behind to win 2-1 through a debut goal from Joseph Opoku and a strike from substitute Adam Idah, their first opening day victory in six years.

A goalless draw with Sheffield United at the Swansea.com Stadium followed.

Then came Pride Park, where Opoku scored inside 90 seconds and Swansea won 3-0, Derby finishing the afternoon without an effort on target.

Matos was nominated alongside QPR’s Julien Stephan, Nathan Jones of Charlton and Cesar Peixoto of Wolves.

The head coach said the award was not really his.

“It is very nice to receive this award, but it is not just an award for me, it is an award for everyone in our staff and our squad,” he said.

“We have had a good start to the season and, although we know there is a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead, that is down to the efforts of everyone involved in our first-team and football operation.”

He added: “The amount of love and care they show to the players is so important, and so I want to say thank you to every single one of them and dedicate this award to them.”

The form carried into September. A win over Watford took Swansea top of the table, and they arrived at St Mary’s on Tuesday with the best defensive record in the English Football League, one goal conceded in five games and four clean sheets.

Southampton ended that in half an hour, winning 3-1 to finish the unbeaten start and knock the Swans off the top, with Zan Vipotnik’s penalty on his 100th appearance the only reply.

Matos is second in the table going into Saturday, when Burnley visit the Swansea.com Stadium at 3pm.

The award covers August alone, and on that month’s evidence the panel had little to argue with.