Dale Tonge said Barnsley’s coaching staff were ‘always confident’ the final two deals of the transfer window would get done and believes the Reds have put together an ‘exciting’ squad.
Striker Patrick Schmidt and left-back Clark Oduor arrived yesterday evening, taking the total of new arrivals to 12.
Tonge, head coach Daniel Stendel’s assistant, told the Chronicle: “I was always confident the deals would get done. They were done quite early then it was just making sure everything was done from the medical point of view. Everything else was quite smooth.
“Our squad is exciting. You look at the first game of the season (a 1-0 win over Fulham), with six debutants, and if you can’t get excited about a group of players who have bonded so quickly I don’t know what you can get excited about. The pre-season was massive. I think the players really bought into the two away trips and they were really together as a group.”
Striker Schmidt was brought in from Admira Wacker in the Austrian top flight. He said: “He’s a good player. The recruitment team have been watching him for quite a while and the time is right to bring him in. He still has some work to do but he can add something. He’s different to what we have.
“He’s very movement-based and when he gets the chances, he will hopefully start scoring. Our style of play is different to what he’s used to but he’s a very intelligent kid so we’re hopefully he will be up to speed in a few weeks.”
Oduor has made one first team appearance in the FA Cup for Leeds United. Tonge said: “He has massive potential and technically he will be right at the top of this group in terms of ability. I watched a lot of Leeds 23s last year. He’s a very very good talent and I am sure the fans will take a liking to him. We feel he will take an opportunity if he is given it but there is a lot more development to come from him physically and tactically.”
Barnsley attempted to bring in Croatian Sandro Kulenovic from Legia Warsaw, who is understood to see his future in the Bundesliga. Tonge said: “We made a bid for the player but he decided not to come for whatever reasons.”
Tonge said that Barnsley were not concerned by the lack of a tall ‘target man’ following Kieffer Moore’s sale to Wigan Athletic. He added: “We have got players who can play that position who could do that job, maybe not at the stature of Kieffer. You look at Mallik Wilks who is six foot three and not too dissimilar if we feel that is something we need.”
Barnsley can still sign free agents but Tonge said ‘I think our squad is quite set.’ The Reds could loan out or sell players to leagues below the Championship. He said: “We have had quite a lot of interest for some of the younger players and now the window has closed it might be something we may address.”
