February 2015
"He has extensive knowledge of the players throughout the divisions, has done a lot of scouting, of course he's had a good career as well. He's a technically good coach. He's got that change of tempo in his voice in training sessions, he can demand that Scottish aggression if you like, that's on the verge of being over the top, but it demands that players raise the tempo"

- Lee Johnson heaps praise on his new assistant Tommy Wright, Oakwell, 25 February 2015




It was an introduction like no other. In just a few short sentences, Barnsley's new Head Coach provided his own personal insight on his friend and colleague. As a preface, many Reds supporters would be left drooling with excitement, whilst the current crop of players learned that there's more than one new face that they will have to please.

Career

Thomas Elliott (Tommy) Wright, also referred to jokingly as Tommy Johnson, by Barnsley's new head coach, was spotted by Leeds United's senior Scottish scout as a 16 year old, moving to Elland Road in 1982, breaking in to the senior squad alongside the likes of John Sheridan, Denis Irwin, Scott Sellars and Neil Aspin under manager Eddie Gray.

In a playing career that spanned 18 years, the goal scoring winger racked up 455 senior appearances, finding the net on 86 occasions, working under the likes of Joe Royle and David Pleat. It was a journey through a number of destinations including Oldham Athletic, Leicester City, Middlebrough, Bradford City, St. Johnstone and Livingstone, before retirement finally beckoned after a stint at Doncaster Rovers.

Wright was working with the Under 16s at the Latics in 2006 when his old Leeds United colleague John Sheridan asked him to step up as his assistant.

"I always said that if I went into management I would take him with me," Sheridan told the club website. "Tommy has a terrific record at bringing young players through this club and, like myself, is very excited about the future."

And when Sheridan joined Chesterfield in June 2009, it was to his trusty sidekick he turned once more to support him in mounting a promotion challenge. A success they achieved together in 2010/11 as Champions of League 2.

Wright had a brief spell as caretaker boss of the Spireites, before leaving in April 2013 and returning to Oldham as assistant manager, nearly five years after leaving the League One club.

“I knew Lee Johnson, as he played under us at Chesterfield on loan there. I saw him at a reserve game and we had a chat. A few days ago he asked if I would be interested. I was desperate to get back in on the coaching side, so I didn’t have any second thoughts.”

What makes him tick?

Naturally time will tell. However, we found an audio file on SoundCloud from just under two years ago. In this interview with the Chesterfield Post, Wright comes across as being refreshingly honest and a very likeable character. There's certainly no hint of a 'HillCroft' (Guardiola Complex) ego at work here.

It's certainly recommended listening for all those Oakwell Anoraks out there.


 

On a final note

Could Tommy Wright have inadvertently been singing the praises of Lee Johnson in return when he made the following remarks?

"I think, over the last four or five years, I've really studied, I've worked extremely hard - obviously you have to get your coaching badges - but in other ways such as watching DVDs and reading books. 

"The best coaches now are probably the best educated coaches, not necessarily the best as players in their careers but they are the best educated."


What do you think readers? Has the new duo on the block inspired your confidence in the future at our beloved Barnsley Football Club? We would love to hear your opinions. Get in touch with us on Twitter or Facebook, or leave your comments on this post below.
If you think you are the ultimate Barnsley fan then listen up because your dedication to the team could be rewarded with amazing prizes… Simply join Titan Bet’s ‘Ultimate Fan’ competition and upload a video, picture or text which shows your love for Barnsley FC.



The Rules:

The Titan Bet Ultimate Fan competition has been set-up to as a way for football lovers across the UK to show how much they know about their team. Utilising three forms of media - video, images and text - football fans must submit a short piece outlining their passion for anything related to their team.

Submissions are encouraged to be as entertaining, impassioned and engaging as possible. The theme for each video, image or text must be related to the entrant's football team, but the way in which they show their love is up to them. A marriage proposal wearing the team's shirt, a song dedicated to the manager or a poem outlining the club's qualities: anything entrants can think of to show their love is fair game.

To successfully enter the competition, ultimate fans need to complete the following process.


  • Join Titan Bet Sports and upload some text, an image or a video.
  • Take part in regular challenges to win additional prizes throughout the competition.
  • Check your progress and size up the competition through the Fan Zone on Titan Bet.


By completing the following steps, entrants will be fully entered in the prize draw and eligible for bundle of prizes worth thousands of pounds.

The Prizes:

Prizes for the Ultimate Fan Competition come in three main categories: technology, cash and football tickets. Depending on the challenges which entrants complete and where their submission ranks, the prizes they can claim will differ. However, for the ultimate fan, a top package with a value worth more than money itself awaits.

Tech Prizes: For the avid sports punter, Titan Bet is giving away a selection of GoPro cameras.

Cash Prizes: One of the best ways to show your love for a team is to bet on them. That is why Titan is giving away thousands of pounds in free wagers.

Football Tickets: For a selection of the top ranking fans, Titan Bet has put together the Ultimate Perks Package. In addition to receiving complimentary gift cards for their team's club shop, Ultimate Perks winners will be given VIP hospitality packages for a selection of matches. When each über fan arrives at the ground they love, most will be ushered down a red carpet of luxury before being wined and dined during the game.

The Ultimate Prize: So what do you get if you are the most passionate supporter in the land? If you can demonstrate that you are a football fanatic, Titan Bet will send you to three of the biggest matches in European football.

The Ultimate Finals Package comprises of tickets for two to three finals in Europe. From the UK's Wembley stadium to the leading venues in Berlin and Warsaw, fans will be treated to some of the best action inside some of Europe's finest grounds. Moreover, to ensure the ultimate fan gets to each game in style, Titan Bet is also providing travel and luxury accommodation for two at each event. So, the ultimate fan has the ultimate experience to remember.

If you're the ultimate fan then make sure you join the competition today.

The Small Print


To check out the full terms and conditions for this promotion, entrants are asked to visit TitanBet.co.uk. For ease of reference, the following conditions will apply throughout the competition.

  • Submissions will be accepted from February 8, 2015, until Sunday May 3, 2015.
  • Winners will be announced on Sunday May 10, 2015.
  • Applicants agree to give publishing rights to their submissions to Titan Bet.
  • All applicants must be aged 18-years-old or older.
  • Videos must be no larger than 1GB in size and last for 60-seconds max.
  • All submissions must be original and not contain any copyrighted material.
  • Foul or explicit submissions will not be accepted.
  • Titan Bet reserves the right to refuse any submission.
  • Prizes cannot be sold, transferred or reassigned.
The cat is finally out of the bag. Following thirteen days since the departure of Danny Wilson, which included seemingly endless hours of  debate, speculation and rumours, Barnsley Football Club have identified their brand new 'Head Coach'.

On The Ponty End extends a huge welcome Lee Johnson to Oakwell and wish him every success in his role at the Reds, in the immediate future and beyond.



Whilst every appointment is likely to stir a range of emotions an opinions amongst supporters, I am convinced that a brighter future awaits us under the stewardship of Johnson. The former Oldham Athletic Manager has developed an enviable reputation as one the games brightest young bosses - in just under two years at 'the other side of the big hill'.

He has been tested often. His successes have shone through.


Managerial Record


In 103 games in charge at Boundary Park, Johnson has won 36, drawn 32 and lost 35 proving a win percentage of 34.95%. His first game in charge was a 3–0 victory against Hartlepool United on 19 March, which lifted Oldham out of the relegation zone, before eventually guiding them to survival.


Recruitment


Following his short introduction to the hotseat at Boundary Park, a total of eighteen players were out of contract before the start of the 2013/14 season. Adding to this, financial constraints have been par for the course, at a time when investment has also gone in to the demolition of the old Broadway Stand to make way for their new North Stand.

Operating in this environment, Johnson has proven to be a shrewd operator. Often emulating some of the better qualities Keith Hill had in fixing broken toys and getting a bargain. There are many examples, but most Reds fans cannot fail to have seen the performances of Genséric Kusunga and George Elokobi in our recent encounters with OAFC.


Media Scrutiny


After the whole sorry 'Ched Evans' saga at Oldham Athletic, few people who could have exited this drama with any credit. Lee Johnson was one individual who did.

Against a back drop of threats against staff, sponsors threatening to pull their support and with the media remained camped outside Boundary Park, politicians also took a stance, including the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Opposition Leader. 70,000 people signed an online petition. It was a period of intense scrutiny, more than that experienced by some of highest profile Premier League Managers. Johnson calmly and respectfully took it in his stride.





Reputation


As one of the few gaffers in the football league with an active Twitter account, Lee Johnson will have to get used to the banter and direct feedback he will get from the Barnsley faithful. But it's also clear from this community how highly he is regarded.







Preparation


Whilst most players would take international breaks as a chance to enjoy relaxation on the beach, Johnson would travel across the continent, observing training sessions at some of Europe's top clubs.

Perhaps one of the most famous tales relates to his interview at Oldham (arranged for him by an admiring Kenny Dalglish), where an eager Johnson arrived armed with reports on the club's last three matches. All had been attended unannounced and undercover. This level of detail had obviously inflated his credentials with the Latics board and signalled the death knell to the hopes of other 'established' candidates.

Johnson is ready. No doubt he will have observed his new charges many times before. At Glanford Park, the planning for Saturday against Gillingham will have already been in motion. The new Reds boss will have done his homework.  While the mathematics still support a push for the play-offs, that will be the immediate goal.

As fans, let's get behind this appointment. In Lee Johnson we trust. We would love to hear your views. Get in touch with us on Twitter or Facebook, or leave your comments on this post below.
There's been a fantastic response over the last few days to our recent post, Why Barnsley FC are not set up for success, by Michael Roache. Whether you agree with any or all of his points, it has certainly been an article that has resonated with a number of supporters, especially in the comments they have left on the site and other feedback within the twittersphere.

Stepping into debate is John Meara, a regular reader and friend of OnThePontyEnd. If you're listening Mr Cryne, Mr Mansford et al, here's John's view on the eight essential qualities he feels that any owner / custodian of Barnsley Football Club should bring to the role.





1. BE REALISTIC

There can only be one winner of any competition, but to hold our own in the Championship like we used to would be a fantastic achievement. More likely, holding our own in Division 1 has to be the short term priority. Sell this aim to the fans.


2. BE HONEST


Being realistic means being honest with the fanbase. If the aim is consolidation in Division 1 then say so. Being honest also means not selling your best player the day after the deadline for season ticket renewals (Craig Hignett).


3. BE COMPETITIVE


In order to build pride in the Club the team has to be competitive. This does not mean winning every game but it does mean getting 1.5 points per game over the course of a season.


BE A DEVELOPING CLUB


In my experience, players like Ronnie Glavin or Neil Redfearn only come round every 15 years or so. Stop wasting money on ageing professionals and spend the money on developing the talent which is out there. Recruit locally. Accept that this strategy will mean selling good prospects from time to time. Celebrate their success.


BE ENTERTAINING


Clubs want season ticket sales. This means playing well at home and winning most of your home games.


BE INNOVATIVE


Aim to sell most tickets at home and price matches accordingly. Create an atmosphere.


BE LOYAL


Employing a new manager every 12 months does not work. Find the right person to deliver the strategy and stick by them.


BE GOOD COMMUNICATORS


Sell this vision. Employ people who can effectively represent the Club in the community. Give meaningful press conferences - not the same old cliches.


What do you think readers? Do you agree with John or would you add further qualities to this list?We would love to hear your views. Get in touch with us on Twitter or Facebook, or leave your comments on this post below.
I think that the sentiments of many Barnsley fans, who learned the fate of Danny Wilson on Thursday, were perfectly echoed by a question from Radio Sheffield’s Andy Giddings, to Oakwell Chief Executive Ben Mansford, in his interview following the departure.

“I suppose though, if you had a long term plan… this is, what, February? It only started really in the summer though… I mean has he [Danny Wilson] been given enough time to build that long term plan?”

To which Ben Mansford gave the short reply “Well we feel it has Andy, yeah”.

This blog post does not aim to debate this individual sacking based on performances, but aims to argue that Barnsley’s complete business strategy does not set the club up for success.




Those that know me will be aware that for the first time in six years, I have actually been unable to comment on the on-pitch proceedings at Oakwell given my move to the U.S.A. right before the start of the season. But regardless of the fact that I haven’t been able to get to Oakwell, I can say that ironically, this sacking has been coming since long before Wilson was ever appointed, and could be traced back to Mark Robins’ departure in 2011, or even further back than then.

As was stated earlier in this post, the whole thing boils down to business strategy.

I choose the point of Mark Robins’ departure as the inception point for a particular reason. It was the point at which, probably for the first time, the club’s leadership expressed the need to ‘run the club as a business'. I am not here to debate whether this is or isn’t the right thing, as since I’m a ’94 baby, I know nothing else but the money-driven premier league era which forever consigned the working class professional footballer to the history books. But what I am here to debate, is that if this is the way in which the board at the time (and consequently the current one) wished to proceed, then they have done so in the wrong manner.

A business strategy in layman’s terms is the means by which a business sets out to achieve its end objectives, and a typical high level strategy statement will go something like this: “We want to grow into a £x million revenue company by 2018, by selling to an x% bigger market share, growing organically by x% a year”. Business strategy exists in both the long and short term, and my main concern with Barnsley FC, is that it doesn’t, and never has had a long term business strategy in mind, and at most, the board thinks in 6 month to possibly 2 year periods at a time, and in the majority of cases, even the 2 year plan is not seen through, as told by the numerous managerial and playing staff departures. Don’t get me wrong, I do think that since the inception point I referred to, there have been the beginnings of an improved and more forward thinking strategy, but the execution has been severely lacking, and some of the goals have become somewhat convoluted, particularly since the appointment of Ben Mansford, and our relegation to League 1.

Our strategy, which was reflected in the appointment of successful Rochdale manager Keith Hill, was to develop youth, bring in players who had somewhat lost their way, and develop them alongside some more seasoned professionals, all in the name of making the club self-sufficient without the need for our benefactor Patrick Cryne.

Off the back of what had just been achieved at Rochdale, Hill was evidently the right man for the job. For the first half of the season the strategy was going swimmingly, but of course the turning point came, when quicker than a flash the arguably three best players were all gone in an instant. Whilst much has already been said on the Ricardo Vaz Te deal, the details are not so much as important as the overriding principle which should have followed regardless of whether he stayed or was sold - the manager needed backing. Keith had been trusted to implement a strategy, and did so with aplomb within his remit. One of the basic business mistakes was to pull the carpet from under Hill within an instant. Of course the end goal was to break even and be profitable within the longer term, but to expect that within one season, whilst also expecting the team to perform on the pitch is completely ludicrous, even in BUSINESS terms.

You don’t have to be Richard Branson or Alan Sugar to know that businesses are not expected to turn a profit and be successful instantly, and  in fact such characters will often be the first to tell you about how much investment they had to put in before they ever saw a return. Investing for the long term is in the very nature of business, and is basically why there are such things as venture capital and business finance firms. In short, the strategy in the long term, was only ever going to work if the right decision was made in the short term - the decision being to back the manager financially.

Let’s not forget that this was Keith Hill we were talking about, a man who wouldn’t have taken the kid in the candy store approach, but someone who would have made solid investments to deliver his long term and short term goals. Although in the catastrophic 12 months at the end of Keith Hill’s tenure, his tactics, team selections and media pieces became increasingly wild  beyond the point being tolerable from an already eccentric character, I think it is safe to say that they were purely driven by increasing desperation at the situation which was well out of his hands - a situation that had only worsened in the summer, as evidenced by the kinds of player brought in, despite the fact that the club made a small profit in no time at all.

As Keith Hill’s departure was confirmed, the long term strategy was temporarily put on hold, and rightly so, the club went to crisis management mode. I don’t need to tell anyone that fixing a small chip in a car windshield is much easier and far more cost effective than replacing the entire thing once it’s broken beyond repair (Autoglass already did that). Well the same applies to business. In not backing Keith at the right moment, the club created a far more difficult and expensive situation than a wage hike for Ricardo Vaz Te, or investment in a proper replacement would have ever cost. Luckily, the crisis management worked, and between David Flitcroft’s miracle work and Patrick Cryne agreeing to give some maneuvering room in the budget, the club survived.

Whilst you can excuse any business, in our case our football club, from going into crisis management mode, the key thing at the end of the crisis is to return to the strategy that was originally put in place, whilst learning from our mistakes and tweaking it to suit our current environment. The John Stones money was prime for implementing said strategy. The investments could go into developing our own players, and naturally some of this had to go into the academy. Instead, the money was wasted on team buses, and giving contracts to players who were of rotation quality at best, only for the majority of them to be out in the cold for the majority of the season. Despite promises of the likes of Reuben Noble-Lazarus and Danny Rose getting around 30-40 games apiece, they failed to muster even 20 between them.

From what had started as a fantastic, sensible, and at first successful strategy under Keith Hill - all that was remaining was words, and the strategy was tossed further and further aside as the season elapsed. Our academy graduates were not being developed, and as time went by, even our ‘broken toys’ were thrown well and truly out of the pram in favour of ‘experience’, and thus we had returned full circle to the situation which led to Mark Robins’ departure in the first place, where players who didn’t give a rat’s ass about Barnsley were paid ludicrous sums to ‘play’ football.

Summer came by, and the messages of rebuilding and looking toward a long term strategy, using our own players and developing others in return for a profit, could not have been more encouraging. Signings such as Conor Hourihane and Sam Winnall reminded me a great deal of the signings of Craig Davies and Scott Golbourne in the past. Players who’d done something of note at a lower level, and had plenty to offer in terms of potential. These types of player, combined with the likes of our academy graduates and a couple of classic ‘broken toys’ could have certainly brought success. That is not to say instantaneous success, but a decent start to a long term plan.

Here is the kicker in what was being said over summer, and in what is being said now in the aftermath of Wilson’s departure. All of this was expected as part of a long term plan, yet we were expected to go back to the Championship as soon as possible, which given numerous interviews from players and former staff alike stating that the play-offs were still within reach, was likely expected as being within this year.

As I premised this post, whilst I cannot comment on anything after the Coventry away game in terms of on-pitch performance, all I can ask is how was the manager expected to play a berth of youngsters, whilst still aiming to get promoted? That said, if the aim of developing OUR OWN talent was part of the manager’s remit, then why have we discarded the likes of Noble-Lazarus and Rose on free transfer deals without giving them so much as a sniff, whilst bringing in other clubs’ youngsters who we won’t see past this season?

As evidenced by the sheer number of players used this season, and the fact that the playing budget is allegedly one of the highest in the division, the strategy has become completely convoluted, and the lack of cohesion is why Danny Wilson left the football club, whether by his own fault or not. As I’ve said, the aim was to get promoted by trying to develop our own players and deliver return on investment.

The two things are completely contradictory strategies. The board was expecting harmony between things which were mutually exclusive. That is to say that, yes there are several ways of getting promoted, one of which is to spend money and go gung-ho trying to get out of the division, as worked for Sheffield Wednesday (albeit not straight away), or try to build something long term with our own youngsters, thus saving a bit of money and becoming profitable in the process. What you can’t expect is to throw some half-hearted mash-up between money and youngsters into the fray, and expect it to produce the instantaneous results that we wanted - whilst turning a profit.

What I’m saying here is that whether we need greater investment or not is almost irrelevant. Yes of course you need the investment to sustain even the youngsters and the more ‘organic’ growth model, which was evidenced by the downfall of Keith Hill - but that is one strategy. If the goal was an instant return, then a far greater level of investment was needed - or at least in different areas of the squad. Of course, you can argue Wilson might have done better with the tools at his disposal, as I’m sure many will. However, the club was not set up to succeed in the first place.

I am not claiming to have all the answers here. And actually in terms of business, football is incredibly demanding, given that in one business cycle (a season), failure can start a big downward spiral, given that if you get relegated, the fall in revenue makes what you’re trying to achieve even harder. However, what I am saying is that the club needed to choose a clear and achievable strategy, and go for either the long game or short game (of which success is guaranteed by either choice), and then stick to it.  Even if the long term strategy is taken, the short term decisions support the longer term goal.

And so when we came to Thursday, when Ben Mansford said in his interview that Danny Wilson had gone for ‘business reasons’, I was absolutely flabbergasted, regardless of my largely irrelevant opinion on how much his tactics, team selections and performances had influenced his departure. The ‘business reasons’ stated are clear in the club statement for all to see, stating how we have a large budget, fan base, and whatever else. Whilst that is all perfectly well and good - did Danny go because he had failed to deliver what was looking like an instant push for promotion, or because he’d failed to put into place the seeds for a long term plan? If the answer was both, then what manager can deliver said outcomes?

Even more astounding is that, whilst Mr Mansford rather admirably said that the board doesn’t speak to potential managers whilst the incumbent is in office, the board seems to have failed to even drawn up a shortlist, or be clear and vocal about the success criteria and STRATEGY that the manager will have to follow, and the qualities that would be needed to deliver such.

Do not be fooled. This kind of thing does not need to be kept under wraps. If the board has a long term strategy, then they would know exactly the kind of manager they would be looking for, and should be vocal in those requirements, without naming names. What the majority of this boils down to is that I feel this board does not have either the ability nor bravery to set their stall out on a strategy and see it through. Regardless of the fact that my personal opinion thinks that we should go for the long term sustainable option, because I grew sick of careless journeymen ruining our football club long ago; the board needs to choose one of the two strategies (clearly the one they feel that is most attainable) and stick to it. I honestly think that Barnsley fans would buy into either the expensive route or the sustainable route, but this strategy needs to be clearly communicated, and be the centre of everything Barnsley FC does. At that point, I think that the club will have the supporter backing it needs, even in hard times, and will be set up for success.

As a last musing, one thing I think that Ben Mansford needs to be particularly careful of is his use of the word ‘business’ and it’s related terms such as ‘return on investment’. These things have to be lived by in the strategy. And if delivering return on investment is a key outcome, then this has to be upheld by all, including himself. His largely unknown remit will ultimately come down being able to bring revenues and profits to the club, but if he is unable to follow a strategy for longer than seven months, then he may find his own stock and ‘return on investment’ will be questioned.

As Chief Executive, Ben Mansford's job is to define a realistic strategy, but also to act unrelentingly to ensure that it is implemented correctly.

I will actually sanction a sacking if a realistic strategy is not followed, but since that has not happened at Oakwell in a long time, I struggle to see where any manager would have done better, as the stat that says we make a manageral change on an almost annual basis clearly shows.

I hope that this blog has brought a bit of perspective to the whole situation, and would love to gain your opinions in the comments below, or via my Twitter @MichaelRoach55. Please give this post a share, and let me know what you think.

Sending my regards from a blisteringly cold Chicago - thanks for reading!