Bobby Hassell says the environment within Barnsley FC’s academy has improved in his two and a half years as manager and he is delighted by the strong end to the season the youth teams are enjoying.
The under 23s made it 11 games unbeaten with a 2-0 win at home to Bristol City while the under 18s’ 3-1 victory against Millwall was their sixth success in eight. Hassell, who played 299 games in a decade at Oakwell, became academy manager in 2016.
He said: “When I first took over, there was no synergy between the academy and the first team and it was an ‘us against them’ attitude. I think it is aligned much better now and I am over the moon with the environment we have created. It’s back to what I would call a ‘Barnsley culture’ where everyone is working hard and working together. That’s what I was asked to implement when I took over.”
Hassell has enjoyed working with first team head coach Daniel Stendel who has regularly used the likes of Jacob Brown, Ben Williams, Victor Adeboyejo and Jack Walton this season. “Any academy is only as good as the first team manager. You can put all the planning in place but, if the manager doesn’t want to play kids, you have no chance. That was a requirement of the new manager and I was involved in the recruitment process for him. Daniel wants to play young players.
"We were close to selling Jacob Brown to another League One club last summer. Luckily Daniel came in and really liked him. He got in the team, he’s got a new contract and it’s all worked out really well. We had five academy players in the first team squad at Walsall last month. It’s our job to produce players who are ready for the first team. There are about ten players from 14 to 17 who are good enough for the Championship at least.”
More experience has come into the academy coaching roles. Under 18s coach Adam Murray managed Mansfield Town in League Two while new under 16s boss Sam Collins was a caretaker manager of Hartlepool United when they were in the Football League then was in charge of York City earlier this season. Hassell says one of the other keys to the improvement has been making the players more mentally strong.
He said: “We were a soft touch when I first started this role. Barnsley had always been renowned for having tough academy teams with never say die attitudes but, when I came back to the club, all the players would roll over and get beaten 4-0 or 5-0. “We have made them more resilient which is a big part of developing a player.
"The teams have got stronger, the coaches have improved and the coaching messages have improved. We have a new playing style all the way through the club for this season and it took three or four months to adapt to but now you are really seeing the benefits of it. Result are last, performances are most important and they have been really consistent all season.”
Martin Devaney, the under 23s coach, added: “It is and it isn’t about results. “As a coach you always want to win games – it breeds confidence, it makes training easier and it breeds that winning mentality that you need in this industry. For me, it is important. I’m really happy with the results we have had recently and it’s the highest tally a Barnsley under 23s side has had.
“We’re always trying to make the environment better and make players better. We just want to produce quality players who the gaffer can use in his squad.”
