It Takes An Einstein

With Keith Hill taking the reins at Championship side Barnsley, Nobes looks at the prospects for the Yorkshire club and their new boss.

Keith Hill left Rochdale to succeed Mark Robins as manager at Oakwell

The departure of Mark Robins from his post at Barnsley has been one of the more surprising managerial changes of the close season.

After all, the 41-year-old had just guided the Reds to 17th in the Championship standings - their highest position in five years since their return to the second tier.

It was a campaign bereft of the usual battle against the drop, with the Reds ending up 14 points clear of the relegation zone and also collecting their most points at that level since 2000.

They also remained undefeated in derby games against local rivals Sheffield United and Doncaster to finish as the highest placed club in South Yorkshire.

The sale to Wolves of winger Adam Hammill, a played signed by Simon Davey but from whom Robins managed to coax consistent performances as well as goals, helped bring the club half a million pounds.

However, a disagreement between the manager and owner Patrick Cryne - believed to centre around the playing budget - saw Robins put on gardening leave and given a year's notice of his contract. Eventually the manager resigned.

In Robins' defence, he can look back on pride at his 20-month spell at Oakwell and could perhaps feel aggrieved he wasn't given greater resources to further improve the team.

Critics will point to how the football on display could often lack the zest demanded from the terraces - illustrated by declining attendances - but he oversaw a definite progression from the days of battling the drop under Davey.

It's hard not to see how his career prospects wouldn't have been enhanced by his time at the club, and Robins is sure to secure another Football League position in the future.

For the club he leaves behind though, the future direction remains unclear - even with a protracted and sometimes messy search for Robins' successor having come to a close with the appointment of Keith Hill.

The 42-year-old Lancastrian has earned his chance in the Championship after orchestrating a remarkable turnaround in fortunes on the other side of the Pennines at Rochdale.

So often the butt of jokes for their prolonged stay in England's basement division, Dale were fighting the drop to the Conference when Hill took over as manager in 2006.

The transformation in results, as well as playing style, was dramatic. Along with assistant Dave Flitcroft, he presided over a surge up the League Two table brought about with a vibrant and attractive attacking style.

That progress was continued with two appearances in the play offs before, finally, Rochdale ended their long wait for promotion in 2009. Hill had written his name into the club's history books.

Not content at that, Dale defied a summer of upheaval in the transfer market and set about taking League One by surprise. They ended up finishing 9th, just three points off the play offs and equalling the club's best ever League placing.

Hill had once again marked himself out as a rising managerial star, qualities that have attracted Barnsley enough to give him his chance in the Championship - in the hope he can deliver something similar at Oakwell.

No-nonsense and straight-talking, there's something traditionally northern about Hill. During his side's chase against Notts County for the League Two title in 2009, he blasted that, if Dale couldn't catch up with their big-spending rivals, the taxman one day would.

That honesty and determination will go down well with Reds fans as he sets about proving that, while following in Steve Parkin's footsteps in swapping Dale for Barnsley, he won't endure the same fate of relegation that Parkin did in 2002.

Mark Robins made steady progress during his two seasons at Barnsley

His approach to playing the game the right way and to attack should certainly provide comfort to fans who famously serenaded Danny Wilson's promotion team of 1997 with the praise that it was "just like watching Brazil."

The board too, in their search for Robins' successor, also recognised that under the former Rotherham boss the football had become "staid" and "defensive." They're unlikely to see something similar under Hill's tutelage.

The hope is that he will deliver both the excitement and results which the Oakwell hierarchy are in search for, in their attempt to escape, what they themselves, have branded a "rut."

They have simply concluded that something different is required: a different approach, a different kind of manager, a different kind of product.

Indeed, in a refreshingly candid communication with fans via Barnsley's official website, the club even drew on the inspiration of Albert Einstein, citing his definition of insanity - doing the same thing over again and expecting a different outcome - as being part of their thinking.

While it would therefore be wrong to suggest they're insane, the appointment of Hill still represents something of a risk - as admittedly does the hiring of any new manager.

He is an unknown quantity in the Championship and will have to adjust to a new club and new playing level at the same time. Delivering attractive football and Championship results also proved the undoing of Andy Ritchie at Oakwell in 2006.

Hill has experience of adjusting to a new level with Rochdale 12 months ago, however. His subtle change in tactics to a 4-1-4-1 formation that brought the best out of captain and midfield general Gary Jones also demonstrates a shrewd mind.

His capturing of young defender Craig Dawson from Non League Radcliffe Borough is also typical of his promoting of youth and eye for a bargain. Dawson is now in the Premier League at West Bromwich Albion.

The nurturing of talent like Will Buckley, Glenn Murray, and David Perkins during his time at Dale also helped bring in valuable money to the Spotland coffers. They are qualities that should come in use as he works with modest second tier resources in South Yorkshire.

It's hardly surprising either that two of his first signings have been to capture Chesterfield's leading scorer from League Two last year in Craig Davies along with a reunion with Perkins from Colchester.

It's the kind of financial prudence and emphasis on youth that, for a club looking to cut debt and manage its budget more effectively - particularly with a drop in TV revenue from next season - badly needs.

Naturally, such talk begins to raise doubts over the club's standing in an increasingly competitive second tier.

The example of Preston - another club who looked to cut costs with the gamble of a young manager in Darren Ferguson - should serve as a warning. North End will be lining up in League One from August thanks to Ferguson's mismanagement.

No club has spent more years at Championship level than Barnsley, but history is no guarantee of a club's future standing on the English football ladder.

There will be fans too, who rightly point to the success of Burnley and Blackpool - two sides of comparative stature to the Reds - in reaching the Premier League in recent years and ask "if them, why not us?"

In the case of those two Lancashire sides, both defied the financial odds to secure elevation via the play offs - largely thanks to exceptional management from Owen Coyle and Ian Holloway respectively.

Barnsley will be hoping their bold decision to break free of their malaise under Hill has similarly positive consequences. Not that you'd need Einstein to realise that.

Let Me Hear Your Trumpets Ringing Out

Nobes salutes some of the clubs and managers who, despite staying out of the spotlight this season, deserve recognition.

Barnsley boss Mark Robins has overseen a year of progress at Oakwell

They say no news is good news. Find that your club is constantly overlooked and fails to grab the national media's attention, and you can count on that being because things are ticking along just nicely.

No manager being sacked and, although not involved in the race for promotion, there's no relegation battle to be fought either.

It's all too easy to gloss over such clubs and the work of their managers. However, they are often the bosses who consistently do the best jobs without receiving the recognition they merit.

Take Barnsley's Mark Robins, for example. When the Reds turned to the 41-year-old last term, they found themselves struggling at the foot of the table after a poor start to the campaign.

However, the former Rotherham manager soon turned things around and, at one point in the spring, the Oakwell outfit were even on the cusp of the play offs.

A late dip in form eventually saw them finish 18th in a congested mid-table. However, he has built on that first season with a term of solid progression and development.

Saturday's 4-1 defeat to resurgent Leicester left the Tykes in 13th, a full 13 points clear of the bottom three. Also, since a 4-0 loss at QPR on the opening weekend, they haven't dropped lower than 18th all term.

For a club who fought the drop for three successive seasons under his predecessor, Simon Davey, it's clear that Robins has moved the team on to another level.

Not that he's had the greatest resources available to him. Indeed, Barnsley are outperforming sides with higher wage bills who have spent more, and that is testament to the manager.

Coaxing consistently fine performances, as well as goals, from winger Adam Hammill also earned the club £4 million from Woverhampton Wanderers in the January transfer window as they sought to secure his services.

He will undoubtedly be a loss to the Reds for the remainder of the season, but they were quick to replace his goal threat with the signing of Bristol City striker Danny Haynes.

The summer captures of centre half Jason Shackell and Serbian midfielder Goran Lovre have also been astute moves, and Garry O'Connor from Birmingham is a proven forward in the Championship.

Robins, who notably had to overcome financial problems, points deductions, and a temporary home when in charge at Rotherham, is proving himself to be a young manager of increasing capability - who gets the best out of what he has available.

Not that he's the only one. Indeed, across South Yorkshire, Sean O'Driscoll continues to establish Doncaster in the second tier, as well as furthering their reputation as purveyors and protectors of the beautiful game.

It's earned the boss himself admirers - he was strongly linked with the Sheffield United job over Christmas. Perhaps that has proved a distraction, with Rovers losing four of their last five games to drop to 15th.

However, they still remain secure in the middle of the table, which is no mean feat for a side on modest resources with some of the smallest attendances in the Championship.

It is also a sign of the job the Irishman performs at the Keepmoat that pundits were all confident that Rovers wouldn't figure in the fight for survival at the bottom.

Although not advocating the same footballing principles as O'Driscoll, Millwall boss Kenny Jackett also deserves praise for the way his side have adapted to life in the second tier.

Kenny Jackett is ensuring promoted Millwall make a bright return to the Championship

I spoke after their opening day 3-0 win at Bristol City that the Lions were in good hands under Jackett's guidance. A hard-working pragmatist, opposition managers always speak in glowing terms about his team's endeavour and the danger they pose.

While they may not be the prettiest team to watch in the Championship, they also don't have the money of some of their rivals. Fine recent form has even propelled them up to 7th - albeit having played more games than some of the sides around them.

However, successive promotions aren't out of the question should the London side repeat their exploits of 2002 in qualifying for the play offs the season after coming up from the third tier.

It is a tier itself which is home, too, to managers quietly and efficiently going about their business.

Take Exeter City's Paul Tisdale, a manager who has rejected offers from other clubs to remain in Devon.

The Grecians are one of the smallest clubs in League One, but Tisdale has stayed loyal to them to help further his managerial education while competing against most illustrious opponents.

After a last gasp escape from relegation on the final day last season, City have held a place in mid table since August.

Not only that, but he guided them through to the regional final of the JPT this season - the run ending with an aggregate defeat to Brentford over two legs to deny them an appearance at Wembley.

They also continue to play the brand of fluid passing football which the manager has implemented since their days in the Conference. It's the mix of style and substance on a limited budget that so often eludes other bosses.

Keith Hill is not one of them though. The Rochdale supremo wrote his name into the Lancashire outfit's history books when promotion last term ended more than 35 years spent in the basement division.

However, after a poor sequence of results at the end of last season, allied with a difficult time in the summer transfer market, Dale fans were concerned their stay in League One would be a brief one.

They currently sit in 9th though, and continue to adhere to playing the game the right way.

The boss has also shown great character and nerve to turn around a worrying slide down the table from the dizzy heights of 4th to just above the drop zone in 18th. Even if Dale do end up in the bottom half, they have been one of the season's surprise packages.

As have Milton Keynes Dons. Indeed, naming the then 29-year-old Karl Robinson as manager last summer was a surprise in itself.

The youngest manager in the Football League was also taking over at a tricky time in the short history of the club. Paul Ince brought an end to his second spell at stadium:mk last season citing budget cuts and differing ambitions for his departure.

It appeared as though the ambitious Dons, who reached the play offs in 2009, would now have to scale back their dreams. However, Robinson has them competing once again for the top six.

To be doing so in his first job, as well as outperforming Ince despite less money to work with, is an achievement which should not be overlooked. You may not like the Dons, but the manager deserves some kudos.

The experienced Paul Sturrock is giving a masterclass in crisis management at Southend

While they profit under the leadership of a rookie, it's an experienced pro who is once again proving his worth in League Two at Southend United.

The Shrimpers went close to going out of business during the summer after relegation from League One, and a transfer embargo was only lifted days before they kicked off their season against fellow financially-troubled Stockport.

However, unlike the currently flailing Hatters, United boss Paul Sturrock used his many years in the game, as well as his various contacts, to fashion together a team that, while quickly assembled, currently sit just three points off the top seven.

It's no mean feat to bring a large collection of players in all at the same time and gel them into an effective and winning unit in a matter of months.

While promotion via the play offs may well prove beyond them this term, the Scot, who has previously guided both Plymouth and Swindon out of League Two, will be a good bet to lead the side from the Essex coast up next season.

Down on the South Coast, another boss who consistently does his job well - without receiving the recognition he deserves - is Torquay United's Paul Buckle.

During their time in the Conference he guided the Gulls to Wembley on three occasions - including winning the play off final in 2009 to return to the Football League.

Last season, he established them back in League Two and the Devonians have kicked on from there, comfortably sitting in mid table and earlier in the campaign went nearly 1000 minutes without conceding a goal.

It's not just their league form which should be praised though, but their recent record in the FA Cup also tells the tale of a manager who treats the competition with respect - not afraid to progress at the cost of not playing in the league.

They've reached the third round in three of the last four seasons, twice making the fourth round, and claimed the scalps of Blackpool and Coventry along the way.

Buckle has also earned praise for the way he conducts himself, including the dignified manner in which he dealt with their disappointing FA Cup exit amid the antics of Crawley last month. No surprise bigger clubs are already sniffing around the 40-year-old.

It's a mystery why John Coleman continues to be overlooked for positions though. There is arguably no manager in the Football League who so regularly gets his side to punch above their weight than the Accrington Stanley boss.

No club in the Football League attracts smaller crowds or works with an inferior budget than the Lancashire outfit. However, they are well on their way to securing a sixth successive year in League Two.

Coleman is the architect behind it and, although he can sometimes let his passion overtake him, it is impossible not to admire his achievements and longevity at the Crown Ground.

Basement division rivals Lincoln were rumoured to be interested in the Liverpudlian earlier in the campaign, but he eventually signed a new deal to remain with Stanley.

While it would be a wrench to leave the club after 12 years though, it is remarkable that more clubs haven't tested his loyalty by giving him the chance to prove what he can do at a bigger club with greater resources.

If only he could afford a bigger trumpet.

Robins' Reds Test

Full time manager, part time firefighter, Mark Robins has endured a testing start to management during his tenure at Rotherham United.

Now the newly appointed Barnsley boss must lift his new club off the foot of the Championship.

Whilst the 39-year-old's move across South Yorkshire is a short one, it represents a significant step-up for the former Manchester United striker.

It's probably a good job he's used to managing in a crisis.

He took over at Rotherham when the Millers were facing relegation to League Two. And, despite not being able to prevent them dropping down, he had the club competing for an instant return.

Then came along the financial problems which have dogged the club, docked 10 points for entering administration, their promotion hopes were killed off. The following summer, the club were forced to move from their Millmoor home and take residence at Sheffield's Don Valley athletics stadium.

Furthermore, the Football League ordered them to start the 2008/9 season on -17 points due to their financial situation. A highly credible 14th place finish, where they accrued enough points for a play-off place, was testament to Robins' ability.

Now, with Rotherham sitting top of the League Two table, Robins must help turn around fortunes at Oakwell. Out of the frying pan, indeed.

It's been a poor start to the season for the Reds. Just one point from their first five games did for previous manager Simon Davey. An FA Cup semi final and Championship safety not enough to save the Welshman from the chop.

Robins, who takes his new side to Watford this weekend, inherits a team that have lost all three of their home matches and a defence that has already leaked 11 goals.

Robins has made the move from Rotherham to Barnsley

However, the quality exists in the squad for the situation to be reversed. Robins must coax more consistency and end product from wingers Adam Hammill and Jamal Campbell-Ryce.

He must also look to offer keeper Luke Steele more protection at the back, and help Iain Hume to re-discover his touch in front of goal, hopefully forming a threatening partnership with target-man Andy Gray.

The last time Barnsley turned to a basement division manager to take over the reins, Steve Parkin in 2001, the club ended the season being relegated to League One. Robins must ensure the same doesn't happen.

For a man used to dealing with them, that really would be a crisis.

Nobes.

Tykes call time on Davey

If the delight of football is often in its unpredictability, Simon Davey's departure by mutual consent from Barnsley was anything but surprising.

Rooted to the bottom of the Championship with just a point from their first five matches, the Welshman always appeared to be on borrowed time.

Despite their stunning run to the FA Cup semi finals in 2008, constant battles against relegation have taken their toll on the Oakwell faithful, and the prospect of another was too much to take for owner Patrick Cryne.

Indeed, it seemed the 38-year-old never really won around Tykes fans. There are some managers that fans instantly warm to, even if they don't get results. For Davey, it seemed he had to win games to even begin to win support.

His situation reminds me of the final few weeks of Paul Simpson's reign at Preston. Towards the end of his Deepdale tenure, Simpson's side lost 1-0 at Davey's Reds, missing a late penalty. It was typical of the kind of luck that goes against managers when their time is nearing an end.

Back then, after a promising start to the season, it was Davey who was in the ascendancy, a contract extension soon followed, as did those heady Cup wins over Liverpool and Chelsea.

Championship survival was once again secured, and his stock was so high he was even linked with the assistant manager's job to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Less than two years later, and he is out of a job - that's how quickly football can change.

Similarly for Simpson, after a great start with PNE, he was being touted for a return to former club Manchester City to take on the manager's job at Eastlands. In reality, he's now currently trying to rebuild his reputation in League Two with Shrewsbury.

What also links both however, is that they were both young managers at smaller second tier clubs. Simpson had only previously managed in League Two and the Conference before the move to Deepdale in 2006. Davey had only been the Academy boss in South Yorkshire before stepping up to the top job.

Attempting to get a club with few resources and a small budget competing is a difficult act, and even moreso for a young manager without the experience. Both struggled to adapt tactically, and whilst Davey's recruitments were often better, both failed to get the best out of the players they signed.

Barnsley was rookie Davey's first managerial job

However, while Preston fans may be frustrated by their side's constant play-off failures, and Barnsley supporters disappointed by their team flirting with the drop, are they expecting too much?

If there was some kind of award for overachieving at this level, then North End would probably get it. Crowds at Deepdale averaged around 13,500 last season - but Alan Irvine still managed to guide the club to their fourth play-off finish in nine seasons.

Across the Pennines, Barnsley attracted a similar average crowd to their home matches, and finished 20th. However, these was comfortably dwarfed by the attendances at all three of the clubs who went down - Norwich, Southampton, and Charlton.

It's further evidence of the fantastic job Irvine did last season, but also that Davey, or any Barnsley boss, will always have a tough task on his hands. However, try telling that to a Reds fan.

No club has spent longer in the second tier of the Football League than Barnsley. And why should they be satisfied with merely staying in the division when they attracted better gates than Burnley - who ended up being promoted to the Premier League.

If the Clarets, through a mix of fine management and a team of hard-working and talented players can do it, why not the Tykes? Resources do not have to be a barrier to success if the right recipe on the pitch, if not off it, can be found.

With a solid core of players already in place, that's what they'll be hoping for from Davey's successor.

As for the former manager, his record at Oakwell, as well as the exposure from that Cup run, should ensure he returns to the game sometime soon. However, for all the badges and courses, and the Welshman has them all, management is about much more than qualifications.

Nobes.