Ranieri wins Manager of the Month

Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri’s courage and competence under enormous pressure have been recognised with the Barclaycard Manager of the Month award for March.

The Blues won all three of their Premiership matches last month and also progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

That represents a tremendous achievement for the likeable Italian despite suggestions he will be ousted as manager in the summer come what may and news of talks between chief executive Peter Kenyon and England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.