Ex Hearts boss buzzing to make former club return as move pushes him towards ultimate manager aim
The ex Jambo has made a return to the UK after six years
Former Hearts boss Daniel Stendel is fulfilling his dream to return to English football as he takes the reins at Barnsley for the second time in his career.
During his first spell, the 52-year old led the Tykes to promotion out of EFL League One, something he will once again be tasked with next season. After leaving Oakwell in 2019, he would make the move to Tynecastle later that year, when he took charge of Hearts during the campaign they were controversially relegated as the season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, the German gaffer has a short spell with Nancy in France before returning to his homeland in 2022 with the Hannover 96 B team. After multiple disputes with club hierarchy members at the Bundesliga 2 side, when Barnsley come a calling again, Stendel said it was a no-brainer. The Yorkshire outfit finished 15th in the third tier last season.
Stendel makes UK football return
In his first interview with the club since returning to Oakwell, Stendel said: “I flew to Manchester and I came to the stadium in the town yesterday, and a I remember a lot of experiences from the past. Now I hope I have really, really good experiences in the next few years. I think after I left, every time I follow the club, I’ve kept an eye on the development in the club.
“I think three years ago I watched a game live in the stadium. I was still in contact with some guys from the Barnsley Football Club, but now, for the first time, I think it's the right time to come back. Because when you ask a lot of friends of mine in Germany, they’ll tell you my biggest target is to one time come back to England and now I have the chance to go back to Barnsley, it's the right time for me.”
Building relationship with fans instrumental for new Barnsley boss
Despite failing to keep Hearts in the top flight during his season in Gorgie, the circumstances in which Stendel took over were far from ideal. He had taken over the side when they were rock bottom of the league and strained financially, however from March onwards during the COVID season, he waived his wages - an honourable decision which earned him the respect of the support.
Now returning to Oakwell, he’s hoping to rekindle the relationship between the pitch and the stands. He continued: “The thing I remember most from my first spell was that I liked the support, not only in the home games, but also away games from the Barnsley fans, and it was a great time for me. I hope the fans can stay patient. We will be introducing a lot of new things. Obviously we’d like success from the first game, but we’ll need time. But yes, I'm happy to be here, and I'm really looking forward to a good time together.”
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