Why Barnsley's FC decision to re-appoint Daniel Stendel is not based on sentiment - Leon Wobschall
SOMETIMES, there are names which you are just drawn to.
Which brings us to Barnsley and Daniel Stendel.
The last couple of seasons have been unhappy ones at Oakwell. Their fanbase deserves a lift and needs something to invest in.
Memories of Stendel’s previous time in the third tier at the club afford them that. But his appointment shouldn’t be viewed as sentimental, that said. Sentiment can be costly in modern-day football.
When you break it down, it is relatively straightforward to see why the German was deemed worthy of another go and why the decision was made.
Barnsley couldn’t afford a punt and this isn’t one in fairness. No-one can say if it will categorically work or not, but the reasoning behind it is sound enough.
It is hard to say with any degree of certainty that there are better options out there in Barnsley’s current situation as well.
Style wise, Stendel offers a gegenpressing reboot at a level of the game in England where successful teams - especially those without fortunes to spend like Barnsley—rely primarily on physicality and high intensity.
No-one could accuse the Reds of not having an identity under him, first time around.
Developing emerging young players and handing them the stage to impress and evolve - with the cream of the crop being sold on at profit - is something that he is shown his proficiency at.
Others slightly older, such as Alex Mowatt, Jacob Brown, Adam Davies and Cauley Woodrow, all kicked on their careers under him in his first spell at Oakwell.
In that 2018-19 promotion season, five Barnsley players were named in the League One Team of the Year.
Heading into their final game of the campaign at Bristol Rovers, there was the tantalising prospect that Barnsley could clinch their first title since 1954-55. It came to pass, but to get there was an achievement in itself.
Stendel only arrived the previous July. Now he will arrive much earlier ahead of a season.
Alongside the level, Stendel also knows the terrain and the town. He isn’t coming in blind. At 52, he also has a fair degree of experience.
His connection with Barnsley and its people is a personal one - famously popping into a town centre pub for a farewell drink with supporters when he left the club in the autumn of 2019. It was not a cheesy stunt.
His command of the English language is much better too. In his early days at Oakwell, he was invariably flanked by coach Christopher Stern, who acted as an interpreter.
The trick will be the support Stendel gets from above. The squad he inherited in the summer of 2018 is stronger than the current one and in need of key work.
It’s understood there have been extensive discussions about all various aspects of the club for several weeks, including recruitment and budgets.
Stendel has done his homework on the squad and is comfortable with the situation he is entering into.
Time will tell how it all works out, second time around. It's surely worth a go, though. What’s to lose?