I know he probably wasn’t completely innocent in his departure, but I want to praise him anyway. This lad took over when we were feeling very, very down. We didn’t trust the owners, we’d just been relegated, none of our players looked great. People round here were falling out of love with football. He made us fall back in love with Barnsley FC; he felt like one of the fans. Gave everything and brought the best out of a lot of players. VI is special, I think we’ll all agree on that - but he would never have had this chance without DS. Struber added some more building blocks and gave us a great ending to last season, but it was Stendel who got the fans back onboard and set the course for the next few years. I’d like to think he remembers those nights in the Garrison fondly and would be happy for the fans if we do well. Ultimately, If we do go all the way this season, there’s more than one manager I’m thanking. I wish him well wherever he goes.
Val spoke well of Stendel when he was appointed. The only negative about this season is not actually feeling a part of it willing the team on at Oakwell. Val seems to realise this though with his little messages to the fans. Must admit I'm wondering how many more managers are in the pipeline when we lose Val, surely there isn't an infinite number!?
What a guy Stendel was! Him, Struber and Val have all playeda huge part in turning this club around. If we did achieve something special this season I hope they all come over for the party when we're allowed back to Oakwell!
Stendel did an outstanding job to get us straight back up, had some very good players for League 1 but also quite a few unknowns and we went straight up with a remarkable number of points. He was then shafted by severe mismanagement of the summer window, where his defence was dismantled. I think Struber did a great job with far more backing than Stendel had, but at the start of this season, he traded on how the previous coach was treated when talking about the club, when in reality he was trying to keep his reputation in tact for Red Bull. Ismael seems to be the most tactically astute of the three, and has players bought into his methods. Hopefully the club can work with him to make sure he's here for another year or two.
The last three managers have all done exactly what was expected and more. Great people. And if we do finish 6th, then Daydream Believers 2 needs to start with Stendel.
Agreed, what a great guy he was, and still is. He changed the way that a football club management team got close to the fans, and I believe the football benefited from that. It was of course very sad that he left, and only he and a few others know the true story about why he left, but it was a great spell while he was in charge.
For all the arguing that we all do, the last few years have certainly been three of the best! From the highs of the promotion to the championship, the 21 word statement, the arrival of Gerhard, the miracle of Griffin Park, the awful start to this season and the meteoric rise under Valerien. Never dull being a reds fan
Loved Stendel and he did a phenomenal job getting us promoted - although if he'd have fallen short there would have been questions asked based on the squad we had. I think it was the way we got promoted that really resonated and impressed the most. I'm not sure though that the trust for the owners was as low as you describe when he took over. There were question marks over hiring Morais, and what their intentions were in buying us in the first place (the same question that gets asked now), but I don't think it was a trust issue. That came after promotion and not before it, with the sale of Pinnock, Moore and Lindsay and the recruitment strategy that followed. And ultimately the 21 word statement. The fact we only let Bradshaw go that Summer was quite a positive signal of intent for me, so I was confident we were going to give it a real go in League One.
They were right to sack Stendel on results alone. He wasn't getting results. People forget that Struber arrived before the transfer window opened and only brought in Ritzcracker and Sollbauer when it did. Are we saying that we stayed up because of Sollbauer alone? No we aren't. so Struber must have been getting a better tune out of the same players. Struber lost the plot in the summer when the board wouldn't get rid of Mowatt and Woodrow to bring in his striker. Instead of getting on with it he sulked. I was glad when he left, Woodrow signed a new deal and Val came in and hopefully the rest will be history.
Got slated on a site because I said didn't have to be an English manager who knew the league. Best person for the job is all that counts - we've appointed from overseas for our last three managers and all have been fantastic for the club. Felt down after we get relegated after that 2016 season - seemed likena like a waste but Stendel was exactly what the club needed at the time.
That wasn't my view, owners had barely been here, made a bad appointment with Morais but l felt we would be going in a different direction compared to previous ownership. Optimistic and prepared to be patient was my view as I've preached on here for the past few seasons.