Gerhard Struber's Barnsley coaching staff breaking up as Max Senft and Matt Rose leave Oakwell

Senft is a key lieutenant of Struber's, having also worked alongside his fellow Austrian at previous club Wolfsberger. His tactical and analytical work is well regarded.

Rose was also a Struber appointment, the former Arsenal and England Under-21 player having got to know him through his work across various countries with the Gunners' European Academy network.

To lose both is a blow to a club which spoke this week about not wanting to break up the first-team squad as they have in recent seasons. If Struber were to be lured away too it would be hugely demoralising.

The Austrian masterminded the Red's remarkable escape from relegation, taking the team from seven points adrift at the bottom of the table to 21st.

As a result, Struber has been nominated as Championship manager of the month for July, along with Leeds United's Marcelo Bielsa, and has reportedly caught the eye of the Hornets, who will be playing in the same division next season after losing their own battle against relegation.

Struber returned to his homeland at the end of the season for a well-earned rest. He had been saying for some time he would consider his future whilst there, but he is under contract for next season.

The Oakwell club's own future should become clearer on Friday, when Wigan Athletic appeal against the 12-point deduction for entering administration. Victory for the Latics would spare them from relegation and drop Barnsley into the bottom three, although Sheffield Wednesday's outstanding misconduct case could yet see them relegated instead.

A 12-point deduction for going into administration is standard in the Championship, but Wigan are arguing force majeure as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Barnsley, who have been strongly critical of the Football League's regulation have been permitted to put their own case to the hearing.

The Owls' defence against charges of misconduct relating to how and when they sold Hillsborough to club owner Dejphon Chansiri was heard last month, but there is still no indication of when the verdict might be. It carries a potential points deduction of up to 21. They avoided relegation by eight points. Derby County also have a case outstanding.

Despite the uncertainty, Barnsley chief executive Dane Murphy has told The Yorkshire Post of his determination to keep Sturber and the core of his young squad.

“Of course, he is going to garner a ton of interest,” said Murphy this week. “But he is our manager and is on a multi-year contract and we look forward to what he can do with this group next year in the Championship.

“To not keep this group together would be unjust. With Gerhard as our leader and with our staff, we need to see where this group can really go.”

Struber only arrived at Oakwell in November having impressed with Wolfsbergerin the Europa League.

Watford surprisingly sacked former Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough captain Nigel Pearson two matches before the end of the season, but it failed to save them from relegation. Pearson was Watford's 12th manager in nine years.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor