Peterborough United v Barnsley – Poya Asbaghi not yet worried about Reds’ Championship standing

From Poya Asbaghi’s perspective, he is only focusing on the details of the game and nothing else.

All the talk of it being a relegation ‘six-pointer’ and references to the table is background noise to him and something he can do without, in truth.

He said: “Of course, we know how crucial every game is. But if we lose the game against Peterborough, you (journalists) will sit here and say the same thing to me and say you have to win the next game. If we lose that, you will say the same for the next game.

“Our only focus is on the next game and playing good enough to win it as we know the situation we are in. But we don’t look at the table and say: ‘If we don’t win this game, this will happen.’ That’s not my job.

“Everyone (else) can look at the table and explain it to the players. So why should I? They will hear it any way from family, friends and fans. My job is to tell them how they can win the next game and not focus too much on the table.”

In a fraught season for Barnsley so far, several players have been suffering with summer signing Obbi Oulare one of those who has yet to find his feet – prompting criticism regarding his fitness.

For his part, Asbaghi is not about to throw any of his players under the bus.

He added: “I don’t like to point out a certain player this early. I have been here for a week.

“I don’t know what players have done so much before I arrived. I don’t know the players personally or football wise as much as I’d like to. I want to get to know them and am getting a clearer picture and for me, it’s a bit early to point out a player and say: ‘We demand this and that.’

“What I will say is we need an environment where everybody gives their all.”