Barnsley must not head down already trodden path in search for Neill Collins successor: View | OneFootball

Barnsley are hoping to be in the League One play-offs next month but will be doing it without the man they have had at the helm for the entire season - Neill Collins.

Collins was hired last summer after Michael Duff left to join Swansea City, arriving from American side Tampa Bay Rowdies.

But he proved to be very unpopular with the fanbase, with many supporters criticising his style of play.

Ultimately, the criticism he received combined with their recent poor form (two wins in their last 11 games) led to his dismissal earlier this week, with Martin Devaney taking interim charge in the meantime.

Plenty of rumours have circulated as to who will be Collins’ replacement, but it appears that Barnsley may be going down the route of hiring a European manager once again. However, this may not be what they need.

Barnsley linked with Dominik Thalhammer

The main man that has been linked with the managerial vacancy at Oakwell has been Dominik Thalhammer.

According to Alan Nixon, the Austrian flew to England on Monday in the hopes of taking charge of their final game of the season against Northampton Town, but he has been unable to get his work permit.

Thalhammer’s most successful managerial stint has been in his home country with LASK, where he accumulated a 50.8% win percentage. He has been out of work since leaving Belgian side Oostende last June.

The Tykes are no strangers to European managers, however, recent ones have failed. Poya Asbaghi and Markus Schopp were the managers that were Duff’s predecessors, but both failed and it led to Barnsley’s relegation to League One in 2022.

Valerien Ismael and Gerhard Struber have shown that going abroad can work, however recent appointments suggest otherwise.

Barnsley should go for an experienced EFL manager

Due to their recent record with European managers, Barnsley should make sure they get a manager who is experienced in English football and the EFL.

Barnsley are in a position where they could be in the play-offs, and could then make a return to the Championship.

So having a manager who knows how to navigate the play-offs and get them over the line would be highly beneficial.

Looking into the domestic market has proven to be a success for them too.

Duff took them to the play-off final last season, where they lost to Sheffield Wednesday, and he also played entertaining football which the fans liked.

Asbaghi and Schopp’s appointments in particular show it is a massive risk going abroad. Both managers had never managed in England before, and it showed in the end.

Schopp was sacked in November 2021 having gone winless in 13 games, losing his last seven in a row. Asbaghi was his replacement and did not fare any better - winning just five of his 36 games and being dismissed once relegation was confirmed in April 2022.

So getting a new manager who has experience in England could prove highly beneficial for the team, and hopefully, they can go one better than last season and secure a return to the second tier.