Barnsley have revealed that their head coach Conor Hourihane will leave the club by mutual consent at the end of the current campaign.
There’s already been plenty of speculation as to who could replace Hourihane at the helm of the League One club, with our EFL expert Gab Sutton diving into the Barnsley next manager market to see who could be the ideal fit.
Next Barnsley Manager Odds
| Manager | talkSPORT BET Odds |
|---|---|
| Darren Moore | 6/4 |
| Charlie Daniels | 4/1 |
| Martin Paterson | 4/1 |
| Darren Ferguson | 10/1 |
| Lee Grant | 10/1 |
| Matt Taylor | 14/1 |
| Dean Holden | 14/1 |
| Karl Robinson | 20/1 |
| Mark Kennedy | 25/1 |
| David Artell | 25/1 |
| Odds correct as of 24/04/2026 |
Darren Moore
Why he should get the job
Darren Moore has a respectable CV on paper: promotions with Sheffield Wednesday and Port Vale, both with impressive point-hauls, and a strong push at West Bromwich Albion in one of the toughest second-tier seasons of recent history, 2018-19. He also had Doncaster in League One Play-Off contention.
The former centre-back is an excellent man manager with fantastic people skills, and his preparation for big games is top drawer. Warm connection to the club from his playing days does no harm either.
Why he might not
One or two who have played under him argue he relies too heavily on his man management, and as a coach can be found wanting.
That would explain why, when he’s done well, he’s been helped by having some individual star quality that belongs way above the level, like Harvey Barnes in the Championship, Barry Bannan in League One, or George Byers in League Two.
When he’s worked on a level playing field, he can be found wanting, like at Huddersfield and in his final season at Port Vale.
Darren Ferguson
Why he should get the job
Darren Ferguson has done an excellent job at Peterborough, across four separate stints, and has established a knack of building strong, promotion-chasing sides at League One level, often without a lot of external investment.
Fergie Jr has proven to be a good developer of talent, something Barnsley desperately need in this phase of their trajectory as they look to embrace a selling model.
Meanwhile, with structural concerns around Oakwell, the 54-year-old’s operational expertise could prove valuable.
Why he might not
Ferguson’s last 18 months at Peterborough didn’t go to plan: although he won the EFL Trophy with his long-term employers, they only managed an 18th placed finish last season, and began this one with nine defeats in 13.
It’s also possible that Ferguson would prefer to take on a more operational role at this stage of his career, as opposed to being on the grass.
Lee Grant
Why he should get the job
Lee Grant has coached in an elite environment at Manchester United and, despite his playing history as a goalkeeper, he coached attacking patterns at Ipswich during their promotion from the Championship in 2023-24.
The 43-year-old will have learned a lot from his time at Huddersfield, and could be ready to bring that knowhow to Oakwell – he wasn’t the only one to struggle in that corner of Yorkshire, either.
Why he might not
Doesn’t have the same calibre of CV as Barnsley’s last four successful managerial appointments had: Daniel Stendel, Gerhard Struber, Valerien Ismael and Michael Duff.
The latter got slightly better results than Grant at Huddersfield with, on paper, a significantly inferior squad.
Tony Mowbray
Why he should get the job
A vastly experienced football person, Mowbray has been managing for 24 years, establishing himself as one of the most dependable and reliable managers in the Football League.
The 62-year-old has recovered well from recent health scares, and could be suited to a club that doesn’t have a Sporting Director any longer, and may need an authority figure in the dugout.
Plus, ‘Mogga’ has wonderful people skills, and is great at building connections throughout a football club.
Why he might not
Some would argue that the rebuild at Barnsley requires a younger, more energetic coach in the peak of their powers, and Mowbray wouldn’t necessarily fit that description.
Mowbray in as Director of Football, with an up-and-coming coach working alongside him, could be the way to go for the Reds.
Alan Sheehan
Why he should get the job
I met Alan for a networking coffee in Earlswood a few weeks ago, and he really impressed me with his quiet, understated confidence.
I’ve definitely met managers in similar circumstances and felt like they were trying to convince me of their credentials, whereas when I spoke to Alan it was as if he intrinsically knew his value – and I can remember coming away feeling like he’d gone up in my estimations more than anyone else in coaching that I’d met.
His level of detail is top drawer, and his expertise on set pieces could be a bonus, given that he’s coached them in his career with PSG.
Why he might not
Having said that the above, I do think Sheehan needs a vocal assistant alongside him. He’s quite understated, which is why he gets the ‘great coach, bad manager’ tag, and while he definitely has that air of quiet authority when you speak to him, I can see how he might need someone who bring some different motivational qualities to the equilibrium of his management team.
