Ismaël joined Barnsley from Austrian side LASK in October and has taken them from 21st in the Championship to the play-offsOne of the most remarkable managerial achievements of the season has unfolded at Barnsley. Valérien Ismaël has guided the youngest side in the Sky Bet Championship — whose most recent starting XI cost only £5 million to assemble — from 21st when he arrived in October to a play-off place. Ismaël’s team play high-octane, quick-pressing football, and only Thomas Tuchel’s half-time tactical and personnel changes at Oakwell kept Chelsea in the FA Cup after their fifth-round meeting. The MP for Barnsley Central, Dan Jarvis, sent Ismaël a letter congratulating him on being a real tonic to the town during the Covid pandemic. “Many have suffered greatly here but the fantastic performance of the team has provided light in the dark,” Jarvis wrote.

Source: The Times May 07, 2021 15:56 UTC