Barnsley FC chief Michael Duff on why 'courage' in football takes on many different guises

It is not just about a centre-half putting his head in where it hurts for instance - as he often did in his playing days - to help get a big result.

Or a player holding their nerve to convert a decisive late penalty.

It is a lot more nuanced, according to the Barnsley head coach.

It can be about a member of his squad veering away from the crowd and having the guts to speak out on his own and deliver an honestly-held opinion, which is something he will always encourage.

Duff promotes an open and adult culture among his squad at Oakwell.

His side have had a pretty good time of it of late. Certainly prior to Saturday’s home reverse to Jay Stansfield-inspired Exeter City.

In keeping with that credos of honesty, the Reds chief pulled no punches afterwards, labelling the Reds’ display as ‘lifeless and limp with no hunger, energy or quality.’

He’ll have been expecting his players to be similarly honest among themselves. Not just the big voices.

Duff said: "We are trying to produce a learning environment where people do ask questions and are prepared to be brave and speak up.

"You talk about courage. But courage is not always coming off the pitch with a bandage on your head or a crunching tackle. Courage is putting your hand up and thinking: 'well I think we should do this'. Those people's voices are just as important as the alpha male eccentric and the loud dominant one.

"Just because you’re dominant doesn’t mean you’re saying the right thing. The person who is the quietest in the room may have the most valid thing to say. That’s courage.”

Barnsley’s reaction to league defeats has been positive so far this season and reflects well upon the group which Duff has assembled.

After losses to Plymouth, Derby and Wycombe, Reds players showed character in their next league game as they must at Bolton this weekend.

An EFL Trophy derby comes before that at Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday night where there is not just local pride at stake. A win for Barnsley would move them above Rovers in the northern section of Group E and guarantee a top-two place.

It will give the fringe players a chance to hand Duff some food for thought as well, while Rovers also have a chance to atone after being fortunate to get a draw in the weekend game with Leyton Orient.

While Duff had his say after the Exeter defeat, he will equally be keen for players to work things out for themselves amongst each other.

That recently happened at Fleetwood where there was a candid dressing-room discussion at the interval after a below-par first-half.

Tempers were raised and Duff was happy to let them have the floor. They were feeling much happier at the end after digging out a late win.

Duff said: “The players are not stupid. Normally, when I walk in, I give them three or four minutes on their own. It is not for me listening, but sometimes, especially away from home, there's not many places to go.

"When we are at home, we go into the office and talk about what we are going to do. Quite often, I say to them 'What do you think?' They tell you exactly what you are going to say anyway. They aren't stupid.

"Sometimes, it is tweaking what you have to tweak or finding out whether that is a technical or a tactical detail.

“But generally, they know if they are at it or not and know where they are getting success or where they are getting hurt. Sometimes, they need a little bit of help and a motivational hit, good or bad.”

Speak to Duff and you will quickly ascertain his desire for standards to be high every day and in every training session and his abhorrence of any sloppiness. For him, bad habits will always lead to bad results.

That said, training will have been undeniably affected last Friday by a significant human element.

Luke Thomas, who has started the season so impressively, broke his leg and damaged ankle ligaments.

Seeing a player, a mate, ‘screaming in agony’ in the words of Duff, does have an understandable effect.

Duff insisted that was not an excuse for Saturday’s result, but did admit that it could have been a contributing factor to a lack of team energy.

Psychologically, players will now be coming to terms with what happened. A good group must get over it together and police themselves in training to a degree.

Duff continued: “It never is, but the easiest part of the week should be a Saturday at 3pm as you have done all the hard work in the week. It’s the window to your week.

“Obviously, there are the motivating factors with the crowd being in and making it easier as well.

"They (players) have to stay on top of it (daily standards) and it does not just happen. It is not where we want it yet and we want it to grow.

“Once they show signs of it, as a manager and coach, you can almost step back and enjoy watching training then as you don't have to say anything to them as they are picking it up and running with it.”