Poya Asbaghi says it is ‘normal’ for him to be under pressure after not winning any of his first ten league games as Barnsley head coach, but is only focusing on what he can control.
The Swede was appointed in November and his ten Championship games have brought seven losses as well as three draws while the Reds have scored just four league goals under him, never taking the lead.
Barnsley are eight points adrift of safety at the bottom of the Championship, on their second 12-match winless run of the season while they have lost the last five in the league, not scoring in four in all competitions.
There have been reports in national newspapers that he is set to be replaced by veteran manager and former Reds player Neil Warnock. But the Chronicle understands that, as of Monday, there is no change of manager imminent.
Asbaghi, whose side visit Luton Town tomorrow, said: “It's normal in all football clubs that, when a team is suffering and doesn’t get the results, as a manager you have to be ready for the pressure that is there.
“When I arrived the situation was not so different, we had lost ten out of 11. We started transforming losses to draws, and I was hoping they could be wins but they have been losses recently which is not what we wanted. We have had a lot of Covid cases and a lot of injuries.
“You have to be ready that, when you lose games, the decision-making and the line-ups and the changes will be questioned. If you are not ready for that, you cannot be a coach. You don't feel sorry for yourself or come up with too many excuses. I don't have time for that.
“We are doing good things in training, and the players are responding well. But it is up to us to score more goals to win football games.”
Asked if he had spoken to the board about his future, Asbaghi said: “I speak to the board pretty frequently about our games. But I haven't spoken about my position. My focus is just to prepare for training and games, then what will happen will happen. I can only affect the things I can affect and that’s where my focus is.”
