Daniel Stendel back to Barnsley? Fresh update emerges | OneFootball

Daniel Stendel previously guided Barnsley to promotion in 2019

Barnsley made the decision to part ways with Conor Hourihane following the conclusion of the League One campaign.

The former midfielder was appointed as the permanent manager 12 months ago, but a disappointing season led to his departure via mutual consent.

The Tykes finished 15th in the table, having been unable to sustain a push for promotion, coming 16 points behind sixth place Stevenage.

The Yorkshire outfit are now searching for a new head coach who can help bridge the gap to the top clubs, with Barnsley setting their sights on a return to the Championship.

The team reached the play-offs as recently as 2024, but their loss to Bolton Wanderers in the semi-finals ended their hopes of a swift return to the second tier.

It could now be a busy summer ahead at Oakwell Stadium, with a new manager potentially in line to rebuild the first team squad.

Barnsley close in on Daniel Stendel return

It has been reported by German outlet Bild that Barnsley are closing on an agreement to bring Daniel Stendel back to the club.

The 52-year-old previously worked with the Tykes from 2018 to 2019, taking charge ahead of the start of the season.

He led the team to promotion from League One with a second place finish in the table, with his side earning 91 points.

However, the German coach departed in October 2019 after a winless run of 10 games, but his exit received a lot of criticism from supporters as he had become a popular figure at Oakwell.

It’s believed that an agreement has been struck with Hannover to bring him back to the club.

Stendel is currently working with 2. Bundesliga side as their U23 coach, but is set for a return to English football with his former side.

Barnsley will be hoping he can repeat the feat of guiding the team to promotion to the Championship.

It’s understood that Stendel has fallen out with key personnel behind the scenes at Hannover, including their impending new head coach Timo Struckmeier, which has opened the door for his return to the Tykes.

Hannover are currently competing for promotion back to the Bundesliga, with the team currently occupying a play-off place with just two games to go.

Meanwhile, Barnsley finished the season with a 3-1 loss to Stockport County last weekend, which proved to be Hourihane’s final fixture in charge.

Daniel Stendel return is a positive step for Barnsley

Stendel was a popular figure at Barnsley for his role in guiding the club back to the Championship at the first attempt.

Fans will be happy to see him back in the dugout, and will be hoping that he can achieve the same level of success as his first stint.

He has since worked for the likes of Hearts, Nancy and Hannover’s underage side since his exit, holding his current position since July 2022.

His experience working with younger players could prove quite useful at Barnsley, where he will have honed his ability to develop underage talent, which could be quite helpful in bridging the gap to the top teams in League One.