Taking over a Barnsley team that, by consensus, has lost the majority of its finest players from the previous season is not for everyone.
To be honest, many managers may have second thoughts. Perhaps it’s a case of right job, wrong time.
Darrell Clarke has had enough experience as a manager to form his own opinions. He will understand that turning around the fortunes of a Reds club that lost its mojo in the final third of last season and reestablishing them as a competitive force at the pointy end of a League One cast that promises to be very strong in 2024-25 will not be easy.
Similarly, Clarke has never been accused of avoiding a challenge in his management career, which is just as well given his new position.
The 46-year-old has had challenges both on and off the pitch at several of his prior clubs.
Like Cheltenham Town, who took control in late September. They scored 0 goals in their first 11 games and had only one point, but they nearly pulled off a miracle by staying in League One.
That helps to explain why he’ll support himself at Oakwell. The sketch isn’t as terrifying.
Clarke stated, “At Bristol Rovers, I had one (training) pitch, and at Cheltenham, there were no hydrotherapy facilities, and the budget was in the bottom six (of the EFL).”
“I’ve had to work in a variety of situations, and I believe this is my first real opportunity. I want to hold that with both hands. I am not going to claim I am going to accomplish this or that, but I will give it my all since it is a club that deserves to be playing higher.”
He will undoubtedly be able to handle expectations, as well as the capacity to garner fans’ respect and deliver a product they will like on the pitch. If it means demonstrating his versatility in terms of tactics and approach, that’s excellent too.
He went on to say, “Go back to Bristol Rovers when we were in the non-league, and try managing them while they are in the non-league with their own support base.
“What I’d say is that as a head coach and manager, I’ve overseen almost 600 games with various clubs.
“But I am a tracksuit boss who wants to get his teams right into it and go after them. At Barnsley, that is what we must do: generate a product that is on the front foot, with good press and a style of play that gets our fans out of their seats.When I arrived at Cheltenham, we hadn’t scored a goal in 11 games, but we suddenly started picking up wins, and the fans began to get into it and enjoy their football. I had to develop new approaches at Cheltenham, as I had at other clubs.
“At Barnsley, we have the opportunity to be able to build that team to be able to get out of that league.”
After coming agonisingly close to executing a miraculous act of relegation escapology at Cheltenham, it’s easy to see why Clarke values mindset in the teams and players he represents.
He stated, “It is a non-negotiable for me.” When working with younger players, it’s important to cultivate a mindset that allows them to quickly learn.Building mental strength is essential, as is the will to know that you will never be defeated and to give your all. I don’t mind if I stretch my teammates off the field because they have worked so hard. That is what we must be about, but it must also be about something else.”
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