Dear Mr Rowing ...... Higgy really WANTS it.

...... so seeing as you are fecked whoever you appoint, why not take a chance ? There are not many others inspiring positivity at present and the one's who are don't seem to be in the frame.

Give him a bell.

 

I'd go with that. If he really wants it then he'll bust a gut to succeed. He'll be a positive influence and get folks back on board.We might not stay up - but I think this is extremely doubtful whoever we appoint - but what he learns and the positivity he will bring in the meantime will be good for next season. I can see this really working longer term.

 

Couldn't agree more. Brilliant footballer and always has a good word to say about Barnsley.
At present coaching Sunderland. Give him a chance to show what he can do, Its not as much of a gamble as the last appointment.

 

Read his tweets to gauge just how keen he is. At least fans would be behind him from day 1, rather than split as seems the case with all other candidates. Danny-esque, best case ....... Hendrie-esque worst case, and that is not as terrible as some would make out.

 

Is he up for the Player/Manager position?

 

What about the classic Hignett/Barmby combo? You can tell them apart nowadays!

Higgie's too nice a fella to be a manager, sadly.

 

Wasn't King Danny too "nice" to be a manager ? I'd have worried about Higgy if he'd had been promoted straight from player to boss ... he was too much one of the lads and would have found it hard to manage his teammates. But now ? 10 years away .... he doesn't know this shower at all and will be keen to make his mark. As I say, he "wants" it ..... and we are a bit short of candidates with that criteria.

 

If the powers that be

Decide not to go down the route of appointing an experienced manager (either because none want the job under the current circumstances, or if they think the quality applying for the post isn't of a high enough standard), then they may choose to look to appoint an ex-player. Perhaps they're looking at Newcastle United in 1992 & Rotherham United in 1997. Both clubs were in a downward spiral and both turned to a hero from yesteryear, with little or no managerial experience (Kevin Keegan & Ronnie Moore respectively). It worked very well in those cases. Unfortunately, appointing ex-players rarely succeeds, as Leeds United & Sheffield Wednesday can testify. Both clubs have used that policy on a regular basis and, apart from the odd occasion, it's failed.
If someone like Redfearn, Hignett, or Moore (for example) are appointed, I'll back them 100% and hope they're as good a manager as they were players. But the appointment would smack of desperation from Messrs Cryne, Rowing & Taylor, in my opinion.

 

JWBigLil...........agreed.

Hignett has zero management experience.

I had heard that Hignett & Andy Cole had applied as a "duo" but this is simply rumour, like everything else.

 

Re: If the powers that be

Fair enough mate, balanced opinion. In the original poll I voted for Owen Coyle; failing that I would have been happy with SOD. I have only started backing Higgy as it seems the original candidates are out of reach and seeing his comments on Twitter has given me a bit of a feel-good kinda feeling ! Fully agree it rarely works out and in Barnsley's case Danny proved it to be a once-in-a-hundred-years event. But if it was to work out I think Higgy has the charisma and personality to carry it off - and no shortage of footballing brains there too !

 

If Higgy is appointed

Then I'll be behind him 100%. As I would with Neil Redfearn or Darren Moore.

 

The comment made by the club

About 're-engaging with the fans' could well come back and bite them on the bum were they to bring in someone like Blackwell. Higgy could be a get out clause for them.

 

Re: The comment made by the club

 

I'm slightly puzzled by the positive reaction to Hignett compared with the largely negative one to Redfearn. If we were going down the ex-player/legend route then Redfearn would give us more experience (not that I think this is the right way forward for us with either of them).

I'd be much happier to see either of them brought in as assistants to whoever comes in (provided the new man want's them) as they may then become credible candidates when we go through this again (and recent history suggests, sadly, this will be sooner rather than later).

 

Re: The comment made by the club

 

..and more; as you'll see on your next visit. I'm ballaxed now though

 

I wonder whether

He's had an interview?

 

I think cos with Redders, he has had a couple of cracks at management and sadly they have not been successes. With Higgy it would be a clean slate, no baggage. Both much loved but Higgy probably more ideal should we gamble on an ex-legend.