Some fans think Sheffield Wednesday could be the mystery club with whom Daniel Stendel is accused of “entering negotiations” while still in charge of Barnsley.
Stendel was sacked as manager of the Tykes in early October after a disappointing start to the Championship season.
Nevertheless, the German’s exit came as something of a surprise, having led Barnsley out of League One in style the previous campaign.
And after his appointment as Hearts’ new boss on Saturday, the Oakwell side alleged that, earlier in the season, Stendel: “entered into negotiations with a rival Sky Bet Championship club, to take over their managerial post and recruited other members of contracted Barnsley Football Club staff to follow him.”
The former Barnsley manager Stendel. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)
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The Tykes added: “Never once did Mr. Stendel seek approval or alert members of the club’s board to these discussions.”
Wednesday, Huddersfield Town, Reading and Millwall were the only Championship clubs to have been without a manager at some time or another prior to Stendel’s dismissal.
And the following Twitter users – including a handful of Owls supporters – have been airing their suspicions…
Barnsley say Daniel Stendel ‘entered into negotiations with a rival Championship club’ earlier this season. I wonder… #swfc https://t.co/T5QkV2LAz7
— James Whaling (@jjwhaling) December 9, 2019
Could Daniel Stendel have been talking to us? Or, Huddersfield maybe? #swfc
https://t.co/Snpfos8Tdi— Matt (@footballtyper) December 9, 2019
Must have been Wednesday !! That’s more than -21 coming our way if they report us
— Lee van Gelder (@DutchMcLovin) December 9, 2019
Steady on Alan Wednesday are in enough trouble already ha ha
— John Milman (@milmano1) December 9, 2019
I wouldn’t trust Conway as far as I could throw him, but I really don’t believe he would have made up the tampering story. My money is on Sheffield Wednesday.
— Neil (@neilmeynell) December 9, 2019
If you look at recruiters it was either Wednesday or Huddersfield
— John (@John98789413) December 9, 2019
Any idea of who it was? Can’t be Wednesday in trouble again can it 😂
— Joe Atherton (@joetmatherton) December 9, 2019
Sheffield Wednesday hired the out-of-work Garry Monk as manager around a month before Stendel departed, with Huddersfield, Reading and Millwall later turning to Danny Cowley, Mark Bowen and Gary Rowett, respectively.
Barnsley replaced Stendel with Gerhard Struber at the end of last month.
Wednesday made a similar accusation about Newcastle United’s ultimately successful pursuit of Steve Bruce earlier in the summer.
