Xisco Muñoz has attributed the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month award for March to the unsung heroes supporting him at the training ground base in London Colney and his motivated players – but insists the award does not signal the end of the hard work.
The Spaniard beat off competition from Daniel Farke, Valerien Ismaël and Paul Warne to land the award on the strength of five straight wins, 12 goals for and only two against. It was a run of form that propelled the Hornets into the second automatic promotion spot.
“I am very happy to win this trophy,” said the Spaniard. “It's for everyone at the training ground because everyone gives their best for the team. I have some big professionals working behind me and I say thank you to the players. I am lucky because we have good persons in the dressing room and have very good professionals.”
Muñoz has won 14 of his 20 games in charge since he arrived just before Christmas and slowly evolved the team's formation and style of play while also injecting a sense of fun.
“We needed to change something,” he said. “The players have given us their best and try to give one step more. We have tried to enjoy all the situations, even the bad ones. We enjoy our work and give our maximum. That's important for the group, the players, the staff and the club. Relationships are so important at the training ground. If we are together, we have more power. It's amazing when you feel everyone has the same goal and same objective.”
Underneath that beaming smile of the 40-year-old from Manacor lies a steely determination to win, one forged during a decorated playing career that peaked with a La Liga and UEFA Cup double with Valencia in 2004.
“I always try to win,” he said. “Even when I play with my daughter or my son, I try to win. This is my character. You need to always give the best. Sometimes you win, sometimes you draw, sometimes you lose, but you always give your best, with a good spirit and a high intensity.”
They are Muñoz's coaching touchstones, which he formulated while working under Rafa Benítez and Claudio Ranieri at Valencia.
“I have a big admiration for them,” said Muñoz. “Rafa is a big reference in the world of football. Claudio Ranieri also. They have done very good things, they have big power for work and communicate well with the players. Rafa and Claudio were consistent in their whole career and never lose their ambition. I spoke with Rafa two months ago and have big admiration for him. Rafa sent me two or three different things. He had very good results here in England. He's a reference for me and I have a big admiration for him. He was the best coach I had.”
The garlanded Benítez swapped the Champions League for the Championship and won the title in the second tier of English football nearly four years ago. Muñoz is hoping to replicate his mentor and navigate an automatic passage out of this most difficult of leagues, but won't be drawn into looking too far ahead.
“We have an important game on Friday,” he said. “We dream about this situation [promotion], but we must go with the same idea of game by game and giving our best. We'll give our best and we'll see what happens. We must continue going about our work with the same humility and in the same way.”
