Who should be named Irish League Manager of the Year? Two former Premiership bosses give their opinions

While Linfield talisman Joel Cooper seems the almost certain choice to win Player of the Year for his role in the Blues’ historic Premiership triumph – they’ve became the first to seal Gibson Cup glory before the split – Manager of the Year is an intriguing category which could leave you going in different directions.

The current frontrunners are David Healy, who has just secured his sixth league title in record speed, and Rodney McAree for guiding Dungannon Swifts to their first top-half Premiership finish in 15 years while Irish Cup glory could also await.

If Portadown were to join the Swifts in Section A of the split in their first season back in Northern Ireland’s top-flight then Niall Currie will rightfully have support while Cliftonville’s Jim Magilton could yet continue weaving his magic by securing a second consecutive Irish Cup, which would add to BetMcLean Cup glory earlier this month.

Many of these conversations revolve around pre-season expectations of clubs compared to eventual outcomes and former Carrick Rangers chief Stuart King believes McAree would be the rightful recipient.

"Rod definitely is (Manager of the Year),” said King. “It has been the first time in six years that a team has broken into the top-six and there could be another this weekend in Portadown.

"For Rod to get Dungannon into the top-six, the semi-final of an Irish Cup, that's remarkable and they aren't finished yet.

"David Healy is unbelievable and what he has done at Linfield is outstanding, but I think Rodney deserves Manager of the Year for how much he has improved the club.

"It's on the stature of the clubs...Linfield is one of the biggest clubs in Ireland and with the greatest of respects Dungannon aren't one of the biggest clubs in the Irish League.

"He has done so well with the resource and what he has at that football club.

"When we were fighting for seventh last season, Dungannon won all five games in the split and we had to win four to get seventh.

"He has carried it on from then and they've been outstanding. I have done quite a few of their games (as BBC analyst) and they've been phenomenal.

"They are really good on the ball and also have real pace and threat up top.

"The guys in the middle of the park, Gael Bigirimana is so good and controls games of football. All of them have been really good and Rod has taken that club on massively."

Former Dungannon boss Darren Murphy has unique insight into the two main contenders having previously worked with McAree at the Swifts and also Healy during his time in the backroom staff at Windsor Park.

While Linfield have won more league matches (23), scored more goals (58), conceded the fewest (23), picked up most points both home (39) and away (34) and kept the most clean sheets (16), Dungannon have arguably been the most improved.

At this stage last season, Dungannon sat on 31 points, had only won eight matches and kept just three clean sheets, whereas this term they’ve compiled 50 points, picked up 15 victories and can boast 12 shutouts.

"It's a very difficult one that all comes down to opinions,” said Murphy. “Personally, I think all 12 are Managers of the Year because it's a very difficult job whether you are at the top or the bottom.

"If Jim Magilton wins an Irish Cup, even though he has finished outside the top-six, he would have won two trophies.

"If Rodney McAree wins the Irish Cup and finishes in the top-six, a lot will say it's him and then David Healy has done something nobody has done before in winning a league title before the split.

"Every one of them would be in the conversation...it's very difficult in who you would say hands down wins it.

"Healy is the one who has achieved at the minute but if both Rodney and Jim progress to the final and one of them wins it then they'll be in the conversation, no question.

"We have to wait and see how the season finishes, but make no mistake, the achievement by Rodney to break the mould of that top-six is magnificent.

"I don't think they've been outside the top-six all season which is remarkable. It probably means more to Rodney because this is his club since he was a boy."

Not only are Healy and McAree managers, but their DNA runs right throughout their respective clubs with both keeping a keen eye on matters from the academy right through to the first team.

"David knows every player in the academy right through,” added Murphy. “He spends time at U16, U18 and U20 matches...he's at the forefront of everything that is good about Linfield.

"That's important to have someone like that who spends time seeing what is happening around the club.

"There have been many players that have came through the academy to play for the first team and then move across the water.

"David deserves a lot of credit for that and Rodney does the exact same at Dungannon.

"He spends a lot of time around the youth set-up and Dungannon are a club that have progressed players to play across the water too.

"Those two men are very similar in the ways they work and both are having great seasons.

"Sometimes people say 'you get out what you put in' and those two men are putting in the time and getting deserved plaudits."