We had a poor start so the play offs are a good achievment. We still have a slight chance of automatic. Some onhere should take a long look at themselves.
I have no complaints if we lose in the playoffs. I was expecting a boring, mid table finish with off the field ***** continuing from last year. The fact we are where we are on and off the pitch is a real breath of fresh air after last year and the main thing for me is the feeling that we are getting our club back and being at oakwell is an enjoyable experience again.
I think a few fans got a bit carried away with what our chances of top 2 would be, after the Wednesday game. We were always least likely of the top 4 to get autos.
In my mind we’ve way over achieved I just worry if we fall short losing Duff and a few of the more saleable assets
Duff is my worry. He’s going to be on the radar of a few clubs but Bristol is the one I really fear with it being close to his family home,
We’re Duffs 3rd club in 25 years of professional football. I suspect he’ll stick around until he’s taken us as far as he thinks we can, UNLESS Burnley or a genuinely big club come in for him but I think that’s some time in the future. All this talk of Huddersfield and Bristol City. C’mon lads play the game.
It's Barnsley FC. One thing we've learned over the years is that anyone decent we get, on the playing or coaching side, the vultures always circle and they're off. I can't imagine it will be any different with Duff, especially with his family 150 miles away in Cheltenham.
I don't get this 150 miles away stuff. Football employment is transient; do all employees move their family every time they move clubs? This day and age, 150 miles is nothing, especially as he has a local appartment too.
Would have to be the right move in football terms too though. No point moving closer to family if you are going to be out of work in 6 months.
I'd be surprised as a manager if Duff didn't have the confidence that he could succeed *anywhere*. I'm sure he would consider the clubs situation, budget, etc - but owners have been known to lie and an indifferent start (like ours this year) at the wrong club and he could be out of work before he had chance to turn it around.
I guess it's not so much the drive, as he's probably only doing it twice a week. It's the time away from family that I imagine is the hard part. Especially when you have kids. It comes with the territory, we know that. But it can't be easy.
I imagine most managers do. The ego and confidence they had as players, stays with them as managers. Will be interesting to see how he responds to adversity. So far it's pretty much all been roses. Took Cheltenham with little expectation. Took Barnsley when we were rock bottom. At some point he's gonna find himself in a job where the expectation is there.