Barnsley FC head coach Markus Schopp on Callum Brittain's candid admission

The Reds head into Saturday's game at Reading on the back of a dispiriting nine-match winless sequence, intensifying the pressure on the beleaguered Austrian.

In their last game before the international break at home to Millwall, defender Callum Brittain referenced a difficult opening to the campaign and said that he believed that the side were 'disconnected' and were too static and needed to change their approach.

Brittain commented: "We know we’ve got the quality, we know we’ve got players that can produce, so we just need to really start playing together and form more of a relationship on the pitch.

“I feel like it’s a bit disconnected at the moment, a bit static when we’re in possession. Players don’t want the ball enough, we don’t want to score enough."

On the honest words of Britain, Schopp said: "If you don't have the results, everybody is unhappy. I am the first to be unhappy and the players, fans and everyone wants results and we all know how important it is to get a good result to get confidence up.

"We have done a lot of patterns this week. But when we have made a step forward in the past, something happens - somebody gets injured or is out for Covid reasons.

"It is always easier to step ahead with good results when players feel they can improve in the way they want to play. Every week, something happens and it is tough.

"But I have always said that these are not excuses, but situations we are facing right now. We have to find the solutions."

Meanwhile, Schopp says that Mads Andersen and Carlton Morris are getting closer to first-team selection, but offered no updates on the timescale regarding Obbi Oulare's availability at first-team level

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Schopp, who will also be without Aapo Halme and Josh Benson for Saturday's game, added: "The good thing is that are getting closer. Getting them closer is one thing, getting them fit is another.

"Andersen participated today for the first time in our tactical session, but it was not intense and we will rise his intensity in the next couple of weeks. He is getting closer, the same with Carlton. He is not with the team right now.

"If there is any big step, I will let you know. It will be taken from me."