Barnsley FC provide update on Michael Duff, Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink and player bids

BARNSLEY chief executive oficer Khaled El-Ahmad says that the club are down to their list of final five candidates for the vacant Oakwell post - and the club are envisaging an appointment 'no later' than June 13 or around the start of pre-season.
By Leon Wobschall
Published 31st May 2022, 15:01 BST
Khaled El-Ahmad - Barnsley's chief executive. Picture courtesy of Barnsley FC.Khaled El-Ahmad - Barnsley's chief executive. Picture courtesy of Barnsley FC.
Khaled El-Ahmad - Barnsley's chief executive. Picture courtesy of Barnsley FC.

Two of the contenders are Cheltenham manager Michael Duff, who previously played with Reds under-23 coach Martin Devaney at Whaddon Road and Burton Albion chief Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Chesterfield chief Paul Cook is not a contender.

El-Ahmad said: "I think we are down to the final five candidates. The process has been going on for some time as we wanted to make sure we did our due diligence.

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"We want the person to be in place no later than June 13 or in and around when pre-season starts.

"He is a person we have spoken to. I have spoken to Jimmy and we are still speaking to Jimmy and Duff.

"I have not spoken to Paul Cook."

Meanwhile, El-Ahmad has confirmed that the club hierarchy have knocked back bids for some of their leading players and stressed that the board's injection of around £1m in equity into the club will buy some time regarding not accepting cut-price offers.

He added: "We have received some official bids, but not that we have accepted. The market usually speaks for itself. Players do well and they usually get an opportunity. If players do not do well, usually the opportunity is not there.

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"With the very positive injection of capital from the owners, which we have appreciated, it gives us a bit of time. But it is a balance. We want the manager and players in by pre-season, but there's always going to be room for players coming in, in the last day of the transfer and somebody leaving on the last day.

On the injection of cash, new chairman Neerav Parekh commented: "It will be used for everything typically that everything in the club is used for. Paying wages, recruiting players over the summer and just the general running costs of the club.

"There is a financial hit. No doubt about that and no way to sugar-coat that. But if there is a further need for capital, the board will make the call and see if we need to put it in.

"I also do not want to hide away from the fact that we are going to sell players (eventually) to bridge the shortfall."

Related topics:Michael DuffPaul CookOakwell