WATCH: Barnsley primed to act swiftly in replacing axed Jose Morais

Morais’s ill-fated 79-day tenure at the club ended shortly after the final whistle of yesterday’s calamitous 4-1 Championship reverse at Derby County, with the Portuguese paying the price for the club’s relegation to League One.

Barnsley will be joined in the third tier by Burton Albion, who also went down after a late 2-1 reverse at Preston North End,.

Bolton Wanderers had staged a great escape by beating Nottingham Forest 3-2, courtesy of two goals in the final three minutes, to retain their Championship status dramatically.

Morais leaves Barnsley with a record of just three wins from 16 Championship matches in charge following on from a total of six victories in 30 league games for his predecessor Paul Heckingbottom.

Morais’s assistant Dimas Teixeira and fitness coach Joao Cunhã have also left the club in the wake of relegation.

On the axing of Morais, who signed an 18-month deal when he joined the club in mid-February, Ganaye said: “You can put it that he has been sacked.

“His contract was written in a way that, in case of relegation, we would terminate the contract. So we have respected the contract.

“It is too soon to talk about whether he was the right appointment or the right time and right place.

“We have a few weeks ahead of us, but the sooner we can get someone in the better.

“We want someone who can win games. I do not know what nationality he is going to be, I do not mind.

“We need to appoint the right man and sign the right players to take us back to the Championship.”

Despite a desperate afternoon for Barnsley, Ganaye has vowed that the club will come back stronger for the bitter experiences of 2017-18 next season.

He insists that the Oakwell hierarchy remain fully committed to the Reds despite demotion to the third tier and sees no reason why the club cannot target an instant return to the Championship, especially if they can manage to retain their leading players.

Ganaye added: “The owners came with a long-term project. Short-term everybody would prefer to be in the Championship. It is not the case, but it will not change the long-term objective.

“We will have to do it from League One, it is a big challenge, but we will do it.

“It is a sad day. We have been working hard in the last few weeks on two scenarios: for League One and the Championship. It is going to be League One and we will come back stronger.

“I think we have the base to get us back there. Some players have been big revelations this season. We need to make sure we keep our best players.

“I think there is a good core. Obviously we are going to need to recruit.

“The team is not a shambles. Most of the players are under contract. We have to rebuild with players going in and out.

“If we do everything we have to do during the summer we will come back to the Championship. It will be another tough season, but if we work hard enough we will do it.

“We have not been good enough as a club. I am very disappointed. I expected a different outcome, but sometimes in life you need to accept complications. The most important thing is to carry on and work hard.”

Ganaye has stressed that he is willing to take his share of the collective responsibility for the Reds’ relegation campaign and has praised the club’s supporters for their backing in difficult times.

“When you are the head of the organisation you need to take responsibility and I accept that. My responsibility is that I will make sure we will roll up our sleeves and come back stronger,” Ganaye continued.

“We have had incredible support, not only at Derby but all season. They have stuck behind us in all the difficult parts of the season.

“(Yesterday) we played, but the most important thing is what happens next and I am sure they will be behind the club and we are going to come back stronger.”