Jose Morais is happy for his players to organise their own meetings and disagrees that it suggests the squad is not united behind him.
National newspapers have suggested this week that the Reds squad held tactics meetings as they were not happy with Morais, who has won one of his seven matches in charge and none of his last five.
The head coach said: "The players did have a meeting, and I am very happy that they are having these meetings because it means that they care. Probably it wasn't really discussing tactics. We all have meetings. I also have meetings without them knowing.I read the article saying that the players fear something, which is interesting because I am here to transform that fear into something really positive and strong. That is what I am good at.
"Obviously we need to change things. When we have differences and we discuss them, it is not a split, it is when we can make things better. There are always disagreements but the quality people find in disagreements a way to do better things together. I love open communication and my door is always open. The players are always willing to listen to me. I am meeting with them every day."
Asked if he felt the players were 100 per cent in support of him, Morais told the Chronicle: "I don't know if I should care about the players supporting me, they just need to understand what we are doing and the reason why we want to do things. It's not about me or any one player, it's about the club and the fans."
Left-back Daniel Pinillos has been present for the players' meetings. He said: "It's normal, when things are not going in the way that you want, to speak about what you need to do better. It wasn't to talk about the manager, it was to speak about the games and what we need to do to win. We believe in the manager."He is a good guy and we are very happy with him."
Barnsley are 21st in the Championship, level on points with 22nd-placed Birmingham City but above the three-team relegation zone on goal difference.The Reds – who have won just two of their last 24 matches and have equalled a club record of 11 without a home win – are due to host seventh-placed Bristol City tomorrow then visit mid-table Nottingham Forest on Monday. Barnsley could move as many as six points clear of the bottom three over the Easter period, which sees every Championship club play twice, or fall six points adrift and potentially sink to the bottom of the table.
The Portuguese manager insists there have been improvements during his six weeks at Oakwell. He said: "The fans have been seeing more things from the team. We were quite unlucky in the latest games, in small things. They have not been performances that should give you no points.
"But we have been giving the opponent the advantage which puts us behind the game. We have been conceding goals which have been a punch to our intentions. We need to stay in the game until we can decide the game. I am not happy with the record of the team. I am not happy with the results.
"Not to have one point for every game is not good enough, but they are good enough to do better. I still feel as confident as when I first arrived here. I am here to make miracles happen and I am working every day for the miracle to happen because I believe in miracles."
After overseeing seven matches in his first month in the role, Morais has had 13 days without games due to the two-week international break. Star striker Oliver McBurnie has been on international duty, as have Stevie Mallan, top-scorer Tom Bradshaw and Ryan Hedges who have all started once each under Morais.But he has been able to train regularly with the rest of the squad and believes that will be vital in the fight against relegation.
"It was fantastic, in my opinion. It gave us the opportunity to be together more and grow as a group. I believe the players are taking my messages and understanding what I am asking of them. For some reason, we are here together and we want to accomplish something remarkable together."
Long-serving winger Adam Hammill has been left out of Morais' last six matchday squads. The head coach said: "From Adam Hammill, I am seeing better things today than I saw before and I hope that I can see even more.
"I am a guy who creates harmony. The same as in my family, I will not get rid of one of my kids who I care about just because I make a decision he doesn't like. He will still be my son and I will not kick him out of the house. It is not about myself and it's not about any one player, because we are trying to build something bigger than that. There is always a chance that Adam could be involved before the end of the season."
After the Easter games, Barnsley host Sheffield United the following Saturday, followed by a long Tuesday trip to Ipswich Town then a home game against Bolton Wanderers on April 14. The Reds complete their season with a trip to former boss Paul Heckingbottom's Leeds on April 21, a final home game against Brentford on April 28, then a last day visit to Derby County on May 6.
