Reds’ coaches quit as Watford eye Struber

FIRST-TEAM COACHES Max Senft and Matt Rose are leaving Championship Barnsley for “personal reasons” as head coach Gerhard Struber has been linked with a move to Watford.

Senft is a key lieutenant of Struber’s having also worked alongside him at previous club Wolfsberger.

Former Arsenal and England Under-21 player Rose was also a Struber appointment.

To lose both is a blow to a club which spoke this week about not wanting to break up the squad as they have in recent seasons. If Struber were to be lured away too it would be hugely demoralising.

The Austrian masterminded the Red’s remarkable escape from relegation, taking them from seven points adrift at the bottom of the table at the season’s restart to 21st.

He was nominated as July‘s Championship manager of the month, along with winner Marcelo Bielsa of Leeds United, and has reportedly caught the eye of the Hornets.

Struber returned home at the end of the season for a well-earned rest promising to consider his future despite being under contract.

Barnsley’s own future should become clearer today, when Wigan Athletic appeal against a 12-point deduction for entering administration. Victory would spare the Latics from relegation and drop Barnsley into the bottom three, although Sheffield Wednesday’s outstanding misconduct case could yet see them relegated.

The Owls’ defence against misconduct charges over how and when they sold Hillsborough to club owner Dejphon Chansiri was heard last month, but there

IN DEMAND: is still no indication of when the verdict might be.

Struber only arrived at Oakwell in November having impressed with Wolfsberger in the Europa League.

Watford surprisingly sacked former Wednesday and Middlesbrough captain Nigel Pearson two matches before the end of the season, but it failed to save them from relegation. Pearson was their 12th manager in nine years.