Championship Managers Shine with August Award Nominations

The Championship has barely cleared its throat and already four managers have planted an early marker.

Charlton Athletic’s Nathan Jones, Swansea City’s Vitor Matos, Wolves head coach Cesar Peixoto and QPR’s Julien Stephan have all been shortlisted for August’s Championship manager of the month award, after near-flawless openings to the new campaign.

Nathan Jones - Charlton Athletic

Jones has wasted no time in south London. Charlton surged to the top of the table with three wins from three, a perfect start that instantly underlined their promotion intent. Three games, three victories, and an early view from the summit.

Vitor Matos - Swansea City

In Wales, Vitor Matos has made a smooth landing at Swansea. His side went unbeaten through August, collecting seven points. Those included eye-catching wins over Stoke City and Derby County, results that hinted at a team quickly buying into a new idea and a new voice.

Cesar Peixoto - Wolves

Cesar Peixoto has done something similar at Wolves. In his first season in charge, he has guided them to seven points from their opening three fixtures as they push for an immediate return to the Premier League. It is a demanding brief at Molineux, but the early numbers are exactly what the club would have hoped for.

Julien Stephan - QPR

QPR, under Julien Stephan, have also found their stride early. They came through August without defeat, stitched together an encouraging run, and picked up impressive away wins at Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers. For a club searching for stability and momentum, those road victories carry extra weight.

One of these four strong starts will be rewarded when the first manager of the month award of the season is announced on Friday, 11 September. The others will know the real prize lies much further down the road.