Monk & Costa Win Barclays Awards for August

Swansea City coach Garry Monk and Chelsea FC striker Diego Costa have won the Barclays award for best manager/ player for the month of August respectively.

Costa, who joined Chelsea from La Liga champions Atletico Madrid in the close season, has suited well into the English league in short time. He has scored four goals in the Stamford Bridge club’s three opening games of the 2014/15 season- at Burnley, at home to Leicester and against Everton at Goodison Park.

He also shares the record for the most shots at goal (9)- 6 of which where on target- with Liverpool’s youngster Raheem Sterling and Swansea’s Ivorian forward Wilfried Bony.

Diego Costa Joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid During the Close Season.
Diego Costa Joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid During the Close Season.

“I’m very happy to win this award. It is important to begin the season well at a new club and I’m pleased with both my start to the season and also the team’s, which is the most important thing,” Costa told Chelsea’s website.

“I hope to continue scoring goals to help out the team and keep making our fantastic supporters happy. I thank my team-mates as they have helped me win this award.”

Swansea have an unbeaten start to the current campaign, beginning with the 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on opening day.

Monk was appointed the Welsh club’s manager on a permanent basis in the summer after succeeding Michael Laudrup last season. It is the first time he has received the award, which he admits he owes to his team’s combined effort.

“It’s about the players, myself, the staff around me day-to-day and the staff in the office working hard,” Monk told the club’s official website. “This is who I dedicate the award to.

“But we still have to improve and there is a lot of work to do. The main thing is that the players are willing to do just that.”

Chelsea and Swansea, both who have had a 100 per cent start to the season meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.