An in-depth look at the managers Barnsley should target to replace Michael Duff.

Chris Wilder

Tactically, Chris Wilder would be the perfect fit for Barnsley. In fact, early last season Duff said watching Chris Wilder's Middlesbrough was 'the perfect training session'.

Wilder, quite famously, utilises overlapping centre-backs a role in which Liam Kitching would fit almost perfectly. At Sheffield United, Wilder often overloaded one side of the pitch and then switched the play with a long diagonal ball to the other side. Last season, Barnsley frequently did similar with Liam Kitching playing diagonals to Jordan Williams.

As well as overlapping centre-backs, a deep-lying playmaker was a keep part of Widler's successful system at Brammal Lane. Barnsley are equipped with one of the best deep-lying playmakers in League One in Luca Connell and this Barnsley squad will fit well into a Chris Wilder system.

Here is Barnsley's current squad into Wilder's 3-5-1-1 system:

The squad will likely be very different after the summer transfer window but keeping hold of Luca Connell and Liam Kitching is key as they would fit perfectly into a Chris Wilder system.

Daniel Stendel

When managing Barnsley, Daniel Stendel frequently set up in a 442 but one of Barnsley's main strengths is their central midfielders with Luca Connell, Adam Phillips and Herbie Kane being some of the best midfielders the League has to offer as well as Jon Russell, Matty Wolfe and Josh Benson. So with that in mind, Barnsley should utilise a formation with 3 central midfielders.

In the past, Stendel has played a 4-2-3-1 formation at AS Nacy. Here is how Barnsley would fit into that shape. Obviously, there will be a number of incoming and outgoings but this squad is made solely of players that are at Barnsley at the moment.

Similarly, Stendel could utilise a 4-3-3 formation. In which he would gain the benefit of passing triangles which would help his passing style of play.

The way Stendel will line up will likely be different to the way Duff did - meaning the transition will be a lot less seamless and players will have to be signed for the system, especially due to Barnsley's current lack of wingers.

One thing that Barnsley know they will be getting from Stendel is a high press and high-energy approach to the game which will lend well to Barnsley's young squad. The style of play Barnsley had under Stendel in 2018/19 was some of the most beautiful football the town had seen since 1997. Stendel knows how to get promoted from League One and did so with this very club.

Barnsley fans and Stendel had a great bond and he understood and embodied everything the town and club is about. His reception when appearing on the pitch at half time last season told you everything you needed to know about Barnsley and Daniel Stendel. He would be very welcome to return to Barnsley.

The German currently manages Hannover's second team so may take some luring away.

Nathan Jones

Nathan Jones supervised Luton for the majority of their meteoric rise in which Barnsley are looking to emulate. As with Wilder, Nathan Jones' system is quite similar to Michael Duff's leading to a reasonably seamless transition.

Jones mainly deployed a 3-5-2 formation for Luton - the exact same as Barnsley last season.

Nathan Jones' Luton were well-organised defensively as was Barnsley last season under Duff. He also employed a high press which would suit this young Barnsley side down to a tee. Similarly, he could deploy a 5-2-1-2 formation.

Gerhard Struber

Another former Barnsley manager - Struber is now unemployed after leaving New York Red Bulls by mutual consent and again, is a great tactical fit.

Here's how Barnsley would fit into Struber's 4-4-2 diamond formation:

One of the key aspects of Struber's tactical system is the midfield diamond he deploys and this would play into Barnsley's strengths of great midfielders. Luca Connell almost perfectly fits the role of the defensive midfield role for Struber as does the two number 8's of Herbie Kane and Adam Phillips. As for Luke Thomas, he is the perfect player for Struber.

Struber's press starts with the 2 strikers and then backed up by the number 10. Luke Thomas would be deployed in this position and Michael Duff frequently praised Luke Thomas' pressing. As is the case with all managers on this list - Struber's high-pressure system would suit this young and energetic Barnsley team very well.

Struber often encourages the two strikers to drift out wide due to the narrow formation - which would suit Devante Cole in particular.

Culturally, we have already seen that Gerhard Struber and Barnsley are a great fit. However, after leaving New York Red Bulls, Struber stated "It was extremely difficult for me to live here, completely without my family." Obviously, England is nearer to his native Austria than America but will likely result in him being away from his family once again.