The EFL Championship rewards coaches who blend tactical clarity with relentless consistency. Promotions, record points totals, and culture shifts all count here.
This top ten looks at managers who truly figured the division out, turning good squads into promotion teams and leaving a lasting blueprint that others try to copy.
10) Chris Wilder
Sheffield United climbed with a clear identity built on overlapping centre backs, intelligent pressing, and direct running from deep. Wilder’s side took second in 2018/19 by being ruthless against the bottom half and brave against the top half. His tactical innovation still gets referenced whenever a Championship team looks to create overloads from the back line.
9) David Wagner
Huddersfield Town’s 2016/17 promotion via the play offs remains one of the great modern shocks. Wagner installed a front foot style with aggressive counter pressing and a tight dressing room culture. Town did not bully teams with goals, they strangled space and won moments, which is often the Championship way.
8) Steve Bruce
Few managers know the grind like Bruce. Promotions with Birmingham City and Hull City came from sturdy defensive structure, set piece threat, and a spine that rarely changed. His teams managed the schedule, nicked results in tight weeks, and understood that control of both boxes wins this league.
7) Eddie Howe
Bournemouth’s title in 2014/15 showcased a proactive, possession based approach that still stands out. Howe trusted technical midfielders, rotated wide runners into central zones, and backed his side to dominate the ball. It proved that you can pass your way up if the spacing and tempo are right.
6) Nuno Espírito Santo
Wolves stormed to the 2017/18 title with a back three, rapid transitions, and elite set piece detail. Nuno’s Wolves were physically imposing without losing fluency. They controlled games with a calm first phase, then struck with aggressive wing backs and forwards who attacked the box early.
5) Vincent Kompany
Burnley’s 2022/23 champions married high pressing with calm build up and relentless width. Kompany refreshed a squad, raised technical levels, and kept standards sky high across a long campaign. The points tally and style reset the club and showed how fast a clear idea can transform a Championship team.
4) Marcelo Bielsa
Leeds United’s 2019/20 champions were defined by intensity, rotations, and structured chaos in the final third. Bielsa simplified roles in possession and demanded huge physical output without the ball. Leeds created more chances than opponents week after week, which is the surest route to the top two.
3) Sean Dyche
Burnley went up twice under Dyche by winning duels, defending the box, and being brutally efficient from crosses and set plays. His sides were consistent across three game weeks, never spiralled after setbacks, and turned Turf Moor into a machine for clean sheets and one goal wins.
2) Daniel Farke
Norwich City took titles in 2018/19 and 2020/21 with a possession model that balanced patience and vertical runs. Farke developed players, trusted academy pathways, and kept a calm rhythm even in difficult winter spells. Two trophies in three seasons is a clear marker of Championship mastery.
1) Neil Warnock
Warnock has multiple promotions on his CV and a repeatable recipe that fits the division. Organisation, set piece threat, direct wide play, and a group that fights for every yard. Titles and top two finishes with QPR, Cardiff City, and Sheffield United prove the point. No one has navigated the unique weekly demands of the Championship more often or more effectively.
Leave a Reply