FLW’s Barnsley fan analyst weighs in on the likely return of former manager Daniel Stendel. Barnsley FC have had a miserable end to the season, with a run of poor form combined with play-off disappointment.
The Tykes finished in a respectable sixth place in League One, allowing them to compete in the play-offs, but a poor run of form saw manager Neill Collins ousted with one game remaining in the regular season.
Since then, the South Yorkshire side has been led by interim manager Martin Devaney, who oversaw a crushing defeat to Bolton Wanderers in the play-off semi-finals.
With numerous candidates vying for Collins’ permanent position in the dugout, former manager and club hero Daniel Stendel has been said to be interested in returning to Oakwell next season, and FLW’s fan pundit Andy Symcox has offered his opinions.
Barnsley FC fan pundit supports Daniel Stendel’s homecoming.
Following indications that Stendel had spoken with the Barnsley hierarchy about a possible comeback, Symcox discussed a possible reunion with Stendel.
He stated, “I’d welcome him back with open arms because he holds a very special place in Barnsley’s recent history for me.”
“He was able to unite a fanbase not only behind him, but also behind the team on the field and the squad.
He added: “When we got to the Championship before, he had a good number of players sold from under him, with Ethan Pinnock, Liam Lindsay and Kieffer Moore all going without his blessing. It was very difficult for him.
“However, looking past that, he spent a lot of time around Barnsley itself and would regularly spend a lot of time with Barnsley fans in bars, speaking to them, getting to know what made them tick.
“For me, with that included, plus all the footballing achievements too, he was a great, great manager and I think we would be fortunate to have him again.”
Stendel return would be ideal for Barnsley
It goes without saying that if Stendel does return to Barnsley as per the reports, he certainly won’t have any issues about getting the seal of approval from fans, as Symcox’s glowing personal opinions show.
However, what makes him an attractive candidate is his expertise navigating a difficult league and achieving promotion.
Stendel led Barnsley to second place and promotion from League One, where they competed with Portsmouth, Sunderland, Coventry City, Peterborough United, and Luton Town. This time, he’d have to play relegated Championship sides Birmingham City, Rotherham United, and Huddersfield Town, as well as resurgent Blackpool and Peterborough. While it can be argued that the teams Barnsley will face next season are not nearly as daunting as the 2018/19 season, the possibility of a ‘banana skin’ moment remains, and the stability that Stendel could potentially bring would be ideal, allowing Barnsley to lay the groundwork for a promotion push. It may be some time before Barnsley fans and the rest of the EFL learn of the Tykes’ future management selection, but one thing is certain: if the German returns, they will be the team to watch out for next season at the top of League One.
Leave a Reply