Markus Schopp praises 'awesome' Barnsley fans who booed him, but rails against players' mistakes

As soon as Barnsley went 1-0 down to Lys Mousset's 52nd-minute goal - quickly followed by another - the home supporters were calling for coach Schopp to be sacked.

The negativity and gallows humour was relentless for 25 minutes but as soon as Devante Cole scored his first goal of the season, they got right behind their team, and saw them drag a 3-0 deficit back to a 3-2 they could take some pride but no points from.

That could still be decisive, with Schopp losing six consecutive matches and still searching for a first win in 12.

Rather than show any bitterness towards the supporters, though, the Austrian was full of praise for them.

"The reaction was awesome," he declared. "We never lost the support of our fans.

"I wanted to go over (and applaud them at full-time) but they were clapping the players and I didn't want to disturb this.

"I saw unbelievable passion after 3-0 to support us in a way that's not normal."

But there was no getting away from the fact the fans want him out. Even at full-time they began chanting for his head again.

"It's never easy," said Schopp. "I know I'm responsible for the situation. I try to find solutions, even for this one.

"We had to totally change our solution because Jordan Williams couldn't play (picking up a training ground injury the previous day, as did Romal Palmer). This is not the first time, but it's not an excuse. This is what I have to do, and I have to handle it."

There was also no hiding from the fact Barnsley's situation was of their own making in a dreadful spell at the start of the second half where they allowed Mousset to score twice and Ben Osborn once.

"The reaction was positive but totally unnecessary in the way it came about," said Schopp.

"When we lost this game it hurt. It's how we are losing most of the games and I totally understand the fans. It's a tough situation for all off us and I had the feeling all the lads are trying everything but we get punished with so many mistakes.

"We got the ball in the box, we had set pieces and to be honest they were a disaster.

"In a game like today where you know it's even because they (Sheffield United) were not in a good situation, set pieces can change everything.

"This was definitely something that wasn't good enough. It's not the first time, it's unnecessary.

"It could be easy to make a switch but in certain positions we don't have any other options.

"The plan is not the problem, it's mistake, mistake, mistake, mistake. Sometimes young players have to make the progress and if they don't make it, it will be the end."

He meant of them, but it could be for him.