Management is for me, insists Conor Hourihane and why winless League One start at Barnsley FC has not put him off at all
HALFWAY through his 10-game interim tenure at Barnsley, Conor Hourihane already knows that frontline management is for him.
Even if results, on the pitch, have not gone his way so far. He is still awaiting his first three points and winning feeling.
That said, Hourihane has had ‘wins’ elsewhere, in terms of changing the training-ground culture, for sure and setting standards and laying foundations.
He hopes that work is allowed to continue beyond this season and the ‘fire in his belly’ to succeed is there, despite some modest results.
Hourihane, who received a call from managerial mentor Steve Cooper last weekend, said: “I have learned so much, you do so every single day and week.
"You reflect on your work on where you could do better and there's day-to-day decisions that might pop up that you might be prepared for better (now). There’s so much; in-game tactical changes or the day's schedule.
"It’s been amazing for me and the last five games will throw things up. It's been brilliant in terms of my development and I have loved it and I’ll love the last five games as well."
Hourihane says that young keeper Kieren Flavell deserves all the attention he has been getting following speculation linking him with several higher-level clubs.
The academy product, 21, has impressed after stepping in for injured duo Jackson Smith and Joe Gauci.
Several clubs, including Sheffield United and Fulham have been alerted to the fact that he is out of contract in June.
Hourihane added: "I’ve have given him an opportunity and he’s taken it and giving me back everything that he’s got and from now until the end of the season, he’s got a great opportunity to keep playing and I wish him the best of luck as he’s grasped the opportunity and deserves all the attention he’s getting."