Sky Sports pundit Jobi McAnuff makes Barnsley claim following club’s relegation

Sky Sports pundit Jobi McAnuff has admitted that the 2022/23 campaign could prove to be pivotal for Barnsley as they look to bounce back from what has been a season to forget in the Championship.

The Tykes were relegated to League One last Friday after suffering a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Huddersfield Town.

In the aftermath of this major setback, Poya Asbaghi was relieved of his duties by the club’s hierarchy on Sunday.

Barnsley are now on the lookout for a new manager with Under-23’s boss Martin Devaney set to oversee the club’s final three league fixtures of the season.

The Yorkshire-based outfit previously secured an immediate return to the second-tier after they were relegated in 2018 as Daniel Stendel led them to a second-place finish in League One.

Whether Barnsley will be able to replicate this particular feat next season may depend largely on who they opt to draft in as Asbaghi’s successor.

Ahead of the club’s clash with Blackpool tonight, McAnuff has shared an honest assessment on the current situation at Barnsley.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Sky Sports EFL Podcast, McAnuff said: “Listen, it’s [the third-tier] a tough, tough league we have seen that already this year and I certainly don’t think that they’re going down thinking that they’re automatically going to bounce back up.

“And I think it could be quite a pivotal time for Barnsley, I’ve got to be honest.

“If they don’t get things right off the pitch, we have seen how tough it can be to get back up.

“The size of some of the football clubs in League One is incredible, there are some that are not even anywhere near the play-offs, you know coming into these last two or three games.

“So, it’s going to be tough.”

The Verdict

It is hard to disagree