Saturday 1 November 2014 22:07, UK
Birmingham City Ladies boss David Parker insists being shortlisted for the Manager of the Year at the FA Women's Football Awards later is testament to the perseverance of everyone at the club.
Parker has been nominated for the Manager of the Year award alongside Liverpool Ladies boss Matt Beard and former Reading manager Jayne Ludlow, who is now in charge of Wales.
Birmingham's third-place finish in FA WSL 1 follows on from reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League earlier in the season, making them Europe's 11th best side, England's highest ranked team.
And Parker paid tribute to his players, insisting his nomination is recognition of what his side have achieved this year.
Birmingham reached the semi-finals of last season's UEFA Women's Champions League, which coupled a third place finish in FA WSL 1
"It’s a great honour to be nominated by your peers for such an award and one I am really grateful for," Parker told Sky Sports.
"However these awards, although being individual, require the whole group – the players and the staff – working hard and the dedicating themselves to our goals.
"That is what we always preach at this football club. An individual nomination for me here is still, and always will be, about the group being recognised for what we have achieved as a team this season."
In addition to Beard’s nomination for Manager of the Year, Liverpool Ladies have been shortlisted for the Club of the Year, while duo Natasha Dowie and Katie Zelem are up for individual honours.
Liverpool won the title last month for the second year in succession with a dramatic final day win and skipper Gemma Bonner admits she is still coming to terms with how the league was won.
“We went through every emotion possible on the day,” Bonner said. “But getting the news that we’d won the title was unbelievable and I think the fact we did it back-to-back is even better.
"I'm still in shock as to the manner in which we won it if I'm totally honest, but now we must build on the last two seasons and try to have another successful campaign in 2015."
