Barnsley FC's Vimal Yoganathan on bouncing back from Liverpool rejection and learning from Conor Hourihane
Vimal Yoganathan has conceded there have been “a lot of ups and downs” since his arrival at Barnsley.
The cultured midfielder only turned 20 in January but has already passed the 50-appearance mark in Reds colours.
Since his productive loan spell at Oldham Athletic last season, which ended with promotion to League Two, Yoganathan has been a regular in League One.
It has been quite the learning curve for the Wales youth international, but one he has relished.
Ups and downs for Barnsley midfielder
He told Mail Online: “Going forward, we've been strong and scoring goals, but defensively it hasn't been as good. We've got clear instructions about how we want to play - it's about sticking to them and doing what we can for the rest of the season.
“There have been a lot of ups and downs for me too. I've scored a couple, had a red card and been in and out of the team. But it's been a massive learning experience.”
Learning from Conor Hourihane
Yoganathan stands at 6ft 3ins but it is his technical ability rather than his stature that has turned heads.
Reds head coach Conor Hourihane was a classy midfield operator in his playing days and is proving to be ideal to learn from.
Yoganathan said: “It's great to learn off Con because he played in midfield at the highest level. I've really enjoyed playing under him. He's shown a lot of trust in me.
'I'm always listening to details he gives me - positionally and technically - even things like how to receive the ball in certain moments and when to release it. It's helped me develop personally and as a player.”
Being a trailblazer
Fairytales of academy players ascents are often heard but the path to prominence is rarely linear.
Yoganathan had to handle being released by the club he supports - Liverpool - before arriving in South Yorkshire.
After a brief stint at Burnley, the midfielder was tasked with having to cath the eye in EFL exit trials.
He said: “There was the worrying uncertainty of whether I'd find another club. But looking back, it helped build my character. I've been able to bounce back at Barnsley - and hopefully I can keep proving those who released me wrong.”
As well as being an example of rejection not always being the end of the road, Yoganathan is blazing a trail. When he made his Barnsley debut in August 2023, he became the first player of Tamil heritage to play a professional senior game in England.
He said: “I'm not sure what the reason is [for the lack of representation], but I have definitely helped already. Now it's about what more I can do and how I can help even more.
“I just want to play as many games as I can. As a team, it’s about winning the next game, then the next, and seeing where that takes us. You never know what could happen.”