Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will compete against Hibs boss David Gray and Falkirk’s gaffer John McGlynn for the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year for season 2024/25…
League Cup Winner
The award’s votes come from fellow manager’s and that is the reason it’s so highly regarded within the game. Brendan must be the obvious front-runner having already won the League Cup back in December, beating theRangers in a penalty shoot-out after the match finished 3-3 after extra time.
Scottish Premiership winner
And just last Saturday Rodgers added the Scottish Premiership title with an emphatic 5-0 in over Dundee United at Tannadice. The Celtic manager takes his team to Ibrox this weekend 17 points clear and looking to get a 3-2 advantage in the Glasgow Derby for the season.
Impressive in Champions League
Rodgers had an impressive campaign in the Champions League as his side adapted perfectly the new format, achieving the pre-set target of reaching the play-offs. Celtic performed brilliantly in Munich and were so unlucky not to take the tie to extra-time against the mighty Bayern, who certainly got the fright of their lives.
Scottish Cup Finalist
Two weeks ago Rodgers maintained his remarkable 100% win record at Hampden Park with a 5-0 Scottish Cup semi-final against St Johnstone. That sets up Celtic’s place in the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen on Saturday 24 May and that is where Rodgers can secure another Treble with a victory over Jimmy Thelin’s side.
Jimmy Thelin’s early promise
Thelin started the season brilliantly at the new Aberdeen manager, even collecting a rare point at Celtic Park. However when his side faced Brendan Rodgers’ side in the League Cup final the Dons bubble was well and truly burst as Celtic hammered Aberdeen 6-0.
That set off a dreadful run for Thelin that has only really improved in the last few months and it clearly cost him a place in the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year for this year.
David Gray has stabilised Hibs brilliantly
In contrast to Aberdeen Hibs started the season terribly but the Easter Road board kept faith in David Gray and have been suitably rewarded by the great progress that has been made ever since. Gray’s Hibs side exited the Scottish Cup at Celtic Park but are still in the mix for a European spot with a third place finish having secured a top six place which looked highly unlikely earlier in the campaign.
John McGlynn on verge of back-to back promotions
John McGlynn is a fine coach and it looked like his Falkirk side, who lost at Celtic Park in the League Cup, might run away with the Championship title. A late challenge from David Martindale’s Livingston has put a rather worrying question mark against this for McGlynn. Both sides are on 70 points but Farkirk are still top thanks to goal difference. Falkirk won the League One title last season and McGlynn is looking at securing back-to-back titles. We’ll know on Friday night when Falkirk take on Hamilton while Livingston entertain Partick Thistle. A Falkirk win should guarantee the title.
So while Gray and McGlynn are worthy contenders it’s has surely got to be Brendan Rodgers who collects this award? If not what else would he have to do to be named PFA Scotland SPFL Manager of the Year? You tell me.
PFA Scotland SPFL Manager of the Year nominees, with @AshtonBuilding.
𝘼𝙨 𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨…
Brendan Rodgers – @CelticFC
David Gray – @HibernianFC
John McGlynn – @FalkirkFC #PFAScotland #PFASAwards25 pic.twitter.com/4GsVNNkhvJ— PFA Scotland (@PFAScotland) April 30, 2025
Help raise funds for Celtic Youth Academy by playing the Celtic Pools Weekly Lottery and you could win up to £25,000. The lottery is £1 per week. Click on image above to join.
Taking a step back and looking at the big picture without my Celtic glasses on, as difficult as it is to look beyond Rodgers, this is a very very tight race!
All three are very worthy candidates, with realistically Gray the least likely to win.
But if you weigh the whole thing up, it’s difficult to see past Rodgers. That said, I have little doubt that the vote will go to McGlynn. As always, it will kill everyone concerned to be neutral and honest enough to be fair and award the best person the title of Manager of the Year.
We all know and so does he! That’s enough.