Daniel Stendel Returns: Immediate Reaction

It’s been bubbling, but I never wanted to believe it until I saw that bike. Daniel Stendel is back at Barnsley Football Club.

He’s signed a two year deal, with the option for a further year.

There’s a lot more to talk about, and signals of intent needed from the board, but I have to say, there’s a real feel good factor around the fanbase this evening, and it’s great to see.

Daniel Stendel is Back at Barnsley

I’m thrilled at the news, my initial reaction is one of joy, bringing back the optimism for next season that was missing.

I’m not saying we’ll win the league, or anything stupid, but I do believe in us, as it stands today. That Conor Hourihane interview after the Doncaster game feels a long time ago now.

Of course, the proof is in the pudding. This squad is much worse than the hand Stendel was dealt during his first stint, and there’s a real question mark over just how much we can afford to back him.

But I’ll leave the deep talking points for another day, today is a day to be happy and excited for what comes next.

A Change of Playing Style

What I’m looking forward to most, is watching a Barnsley team put 100% in again.

For the past few years, we’ve brought managers in, who all had their style of play, some bad, some good, some indifferent.

Daniel Stendel’s Barnsley set the bar, for me at least anyway. Over the past few appointments, I’ve urged coaches to be more like Stendel.

They’ve tried and failed to replicate the style and feel of a Daniel Stendel team. Now we have the man himself to come back and do it.

It won’t always work, and it’ll need buy in from the players. But if we get it right, exciting football will make a return. Genuine hard work and graft will be in abundance. We’ll score plenty, be great to watch at home, and get fans off their seats. All while having a solid looking back line.

That sounds like granting a wish, so let’s be honest, things will take time. But there’s a proven record of doing it in the past, we want a Stendel team, and we’ve got the man back to give us one.

Club Statement Says the Right Things, Now Let’s Deliver on Them

Obviously this was one of the easiest club statements to write, they knew the happiness and excitement this appointment would bring. But they nailed it.

The right words were used, connection with the fans, style of play, bringing an identity back, being proud of the team.

It’s easy to put it down on paper. The hard part is delivery.

We’ve got the man to do what we need. The fans are going to back him. We’ve got a handful of really talented players to build with. Now we need backing from the board to make our dream a reality.

I shouldn’t have hope for this happening, it’s Barnsley Football Club after all. But there’s one thing that I’m clinging onto.

When Stendel turned us down a couple of years back, I think it was when we appointed Neill Collins, he turned us down because of the transfer policy and expectations.

At that time, we were selling a lot of our best players, and keeping hold of some instead of cashing in, so there was little in terms of a budget to work with.

I hope, and I think, something must have changed since then, for Stendel to accept the job this time. He has to have received some kind of assurances that he’ll get what he wants, to a certain extent, otherwise I don’t think he’s uproot from his homeland and come back.

I remember Conor Hourihane’s interview about budgets, yes, I do. But just becuase one manager is trusted with something, doesn’t mean another will get the same.

Now, I’m not for a second saying we’ll have the biggest budget in the league next season. But it wouldn’t surprise me if we were higher in the ‘budget table’ next season, than we were this season, and the reason for that is because the board want to give more to Stendel.

The Second Coming of the Messiah, or Another Tarnished Reputation?

There’s a lot at stake here, make no mistake about it.

I think if Stendel isn’t backed, and we struggle, there will be huge protests against the board, and we’ll see fans truly revolt against them.

Do that, and it will be two tarnished reputations in 12 months, after the failed Hourihane experiment.

There is the opposite. Let’s dare to dream, a backed Daniel Stendel can bring success to Barnsley once more. Our struggles in League One could be over this time next season, or we could at least be closer to escaping the division.

I’m happy today, and I will focus on that. But this appointment, and the next 12 months at our football club, feel absolutely massive.