Tykes job more attractive than Saints for Ross
GEORGI HRISTOV famously sparked outrage among the ladies of Barnsley when he called them fat, ugly beer-swillers.
The former Macedonia international starred at Oakwell when the football club was at its peak even if the lassies weren’t.
But it still ended well despite his slur on the local talent. A dozen women staged a beauty contest which he was asked to judge – and he ended up dating the girl he crowned Miss Barnsley.
Still, Hristov didn’t paint a pretty picture of the south Yorkshire town with his comments but right now it’s an attractive proposition for Jack Ross.
Hristov was a £1.5million signing from Partizan Belgrade at the start of Barnsley’s one and only season in England’s top flight 20 years ago.
They put up a decent fight for survival and while boss Danny Wilson couldn’t keep them up and they haven’t returned since, it was a sign of their potential.
And the opportunity for Ross to swap St Mirren for the Tykes is a no-brainer despite being well on his way to leading the Buddies back to the top flight.
Barnsley might currently be struggling in the English Championship but still attract crowds three times bigger than the average attendance in Paisley.
The highly-rated 41-year-old will boost his own salary – that’s high on the priority list for anyone with a young family.
But most importantly what would Ross gain from staying? Danny Lennon won the League Cup at St Mirren, kept them in the top flight and was sacked just three years later.
Billy Reid rejected the chance to succeed Paulo Sousa at Swansea in 2010 and must have regretted it when he left Hamilton three years later.
Ross is seen by some as a natural successor to Derek McInnes if he moves on from Aberdeen but what does a sustained period of success at Pittodrie get you?
Prior to being offered the chance to manage Rangers, McInnes was courted by Sunderland who are currently below Barnsley in the table.
Robbie Neilson was riding high in second place in the Premiership with Hearts when the best he could get was MK Dons in League One.
Neil Lennon beat Barcelona with Celtic and had to settle for a basket case in Bolton so Barnsley is a decent chance when compared to those two.
Ross is an impressive young boss and the way
If he can pull off a similar rescue act at Barnsley he will be even hotter property
he has transformed St Mirren has been incredible but even he must realise the chance to swap the Championship for the English one is huge.
And even if it doesn’t work out he will still have boosted his bank balance and can return north with his reputation intact.
Liam Lindsay left Partick Thistle for Barnsley in the summer and was linked with a big-money move to Brighton in January.
The Tykes are third bottom of the English Championship after Paul Heckingbottom’s move to Leeds which has opened the door for Ross.
But with only 10 points separating the bottom eight clubs all is not lost. If he can pull off a similar rescue act at Barnsley as he did with St Mirren he’ll be even hotter property.