Bruno Lage has been named the Barclays Manager of the Month for January 2022.
The Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach is having an impressive debut season in the Premier League and led his side to victory in all three of their January matches, earning Lage the accolade for the first time.
"I’m very proud because it was a good month for us," Lage said. "The performance of the team, it was very good and we achieved three wins."
One of Wolves' three January victories was a first in the Premier League at Old Trafford, and Lage picked the 1-0 win at Manchester United as the standout result last month.
"It was an amazing performance because we had that personality to not to be afraid of anything, to play our game, and we played very well," he said.
Wolves followed that up by beating Southampton 3-1 and claiming a 2-1 victory at Brentford.
Go behind the scenes as Bruno gathers every staff member at Compton together to thank them for their contributions and for that #MOTM pic.
— Wolves (@Wolves) February 4, 2022
🏆🎥 pic.twitter.com/vAjg8ohqKp
Flying high
It leaves the West Midlands club just four points outside the top four, but Lage is more focused on their own performances than a push for European football.
"We want to continue to win, to find the right consistency with personality, to play our game," he said.
"And, also, to continue to be, not just the Manager of the Month, but the right man and the right manager to my players, to my chairman and also for the fans.
"So, that’s the goal, every day to be the best man, to be the right man in the place to take Wolves to a better position."
Lage is the first Wolves head coach to claim the award since his countryman Nuno Espirito Santo did so in October 2020.
The 45-year-old won after votes from the public were combined with those of a panel of experts, beating Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Dean Smith.
2021/22 Barclays Manager winners
August: Nuno Espirito Santo (TOT)
September: Mikel Arteta (ARS)
October: Thomas Tuchel (CHE)
November: Pep Guardiola (MCI)
December: Pep Guardiola (MCI)
January: Bruno Lage (WOL)
February: Eddie Howe (NEW)
March: Mikel Arteta (ARS)
Also in this series
Part 1: De Gea wins EA SPORTS Player of the Month award
Part 3: Kovacic volley voted Budweiser Goal of the Month