What has already been a decorated season for Chelsea FC in 2014-15 was garnished even more on Thursday night as the club took home an awards double, with José Mourinho being named Barclays Premier League Manager of the Year while midfielder Eden Hazard was named Barclays Premier League Player of the Year.
Mourinho, who was unable to earn a Premier League Manager of the Month award at any point in the campaign, was ultimately recognized as the league’s best manager after navigating the Blues to the Premier League crown and adding in a Capital One Cup triumph along the way. The Special One beat out the likes of Gary Monk and Ronald Koeman to secure the honour, and he spoke to Sky Sports following his award.
“It is, as you like to say in England, the icing on the cake, but the cake is more important than the icing.
“The cake is the Premier League, the cake is the objective of the manager, of the technical staff, of the squad, of the club, of the millions of supporters, and I work for the cake, I don’t work for this.
“If, at the top of the cake, I am the manager of the season, obviously I am very happy with that.”
Among the managers that were named Manager of the Month throughout the season were Monk, Koeman, Sam Allardyce, Alan Pardew, Manuel Pelligrini, Tony Pulis, Arsène Wenger and Nigel Pearson.
Mourinho guided his Chelsea side to an incredibly strong start, making it through the first 14 games of their league campaign unbeaten before finally falling for the first time at Newcastle on Dec. 6. Likewise, the Portuguese led the Blues to an equally strong finish, as they marched 16 games unbeaten following a New Years Day loss at White Hart Lane to secure the league title with three games to spare before finally falling at West Brom last week.
Hazard, a fleet-footed attacking winger, was vital for CFC throughout the season, orchestrating with his masterful dribbling ability and pace to create 92 chances while being fouled more than any other player in the Premiership thanks to his excellent ball control and low centre of gravity. The electrifying Belgian had a direct hand in 22 goals in league play this season, scoring 14 and assisting on eight more. Hazard also completed a staggering 170 take-ons and added 82 key passes, per Squawka, which further illustrates his influence in the title-winning side.
The 24-year-old, who inked a new deal with Chelsea in February to keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2020, has already won both the PFA and FWA Player of the Year honours for his outstanding performance over the course of the campaign.
