Before this Friday’s play-off match against Bolton Wanderers, more negative information has surfaced regarding the club’s preferred choice. Barnsley is still in search of a long-term replacement for Neill Collins in the Oakwell dugout.
Less than two weeks before the play-offs began, the management took the painful decision to remove Collins from his position after a 3-2 loss away to Blackpool more than a week ago. On the last day of the season, Martin Devaney took over as manager of the Tykes and led the team to a 1-1 tie with Northampton Town, securing a place in the top six.
After defeating Derby County 2-1 at home in February, Barnsley looked like they might place in the top two. However, they finished the season in sixth place, sixteen points behind the Rams, who went on to secure the final automatic promotion spot behind champions Portsmouth.
The South Yorkshire team now has to play Bolton Wanderers over the course of the upcoming week in order to compete for a spot at Wembley, where, should they advance through to the semi-final, they would face either Oxford United or Peterborough United.
As of right now, Devaney is still in command of the team ahead of this Friday’s matchup at home against Ian Evatt’s Trotters, but behind the scenes, efforts are underway to identify a new manager who may take the team to new heights.
Dominik Thalhammer, who most recently served as KV Oostende’s head coach before the team was demoted to the Belgian second division last season, is one person who has been linked to the position in the previous week. According to journalist Alan Nixon, Barnsley had determined the The Austrian coach is their first choice to replace Collins.
On his exclusive Patreon page, Nixon has provided an update on the club’s efforts to sign the 53-year-old, stating that a deal is no longer possible since Thalhammer is having trouble securing a work permit to oversee the English team.
Author’s Perspective
It appears that Barnsley has run out of time to name a manager in time for this weekend’s pivotal semi-final matchup with Bolton Wanderers. Devaney is probably going to stay in command until at least the first leg, and maybe even the second, depending on how Friday’s match at Oakwell goes.
Right now, the Tykes appear to be in disarray. Given that the squad was in danger of finishing below the top 10, the board felt compelled to remove Collins from his position.
