CHECKOUT: Big disappointment: Barnsley management target will not make Oakwell transfer.
Dominik Thalhammer, Barnsley’s managerial target, has expressed his sadness at the breakdown of his intended transfer to Oakwell.
Barnsley decided to cut ways with Neill Collins with just one game remaining in the League One season.
The Tykes had been on a downward spiral and opted to entrust Martin Devaney with managing duties in the absence of a permanent chief. He eventually steered them to a draw on the penultimate day, which was enough to secure their playoff position.
A new manager has being sought before the play-offs, however it was reported earlier this week that a deal for Austrian manager Dominik Thalhammer had failed.
After being denied a work visa, the 53-year-old has now spoken out.
Thalhammer confirmed to The Yorkshire Post that he will not join Barnsley. He voiced his view that the transfer was a’very excellent match’ for him, as well as his unhappiness with the ‘disaster’.
He said:
For me, it would have been an excellent fit. Of course, it’s a major letdown. I can’t alter it.
“They said the exception panel would have been a formality. “For me, it’s randomness.”
The quest continues.
With Thalhammer ineligible for a work visa, Barnsley must shift their focus elsewhere.
This incident calls into question the Tykes hierarchy’s decision-making processes. Yes, they may have had the Austrian lined up as a quick replacement for Collins, which would have been essential at this late point of the season.
However, making such a late call raised the danger that anything like this might come back to harm them. Even with an objective in mind, appointments are not always straightforward to achieve, particularly when looking for a foreign manager in today’s football atmosphere.
This ignorance has garnered a lot of criticism from Barnsley fans, and rightfully so.
When the team should be completely focused on its play-off games, their failed managerial search is a major distraction. It puts caretaker manager Devaney and the playing team in a difficult situation, and the uncertainty does not help the supporters either.
Time will tell how the situation plays out. However, Thalhammer will not be announced as Barnsley’s next manager.
