DARRELL Clarke was expecting to take a holiday overseas with his family and consider his next challenge this summer, after almost keeping Cheltenham Town in League One against all the odds then suffering relegation heartbreak on the last day.
But that was all put to one side once he entered the race for Barnsley’s vacant head coach position and, just two weeks after the Reds lost in the League One play-offs, the former Bristol Rovers, Walsall and Port Vale boss was in the Oakwell hotseat.
“The holidays were cancelled,” said Clarke who has managed more than 600 games and achieved five promotions in his career so far.
“It’s been very busy. But I am privileged to manage this football club. I will give it everything.
“There won’t be a minute of my day when I am not thinking about what we need to do to keep improving.
“I don’t say that lightly.
“I have just been working hard to build relationships with everyone and getting my identity onto the squad and the club.”
Barnsley’s aim this season is promotion from League One, but that does not faze Clarke who has dealt with similar pressure throughout his coaching career.
“I have been at Bristol Rovers in non-league, the expectations were sky high.
“Bristol Rovers in League Two, the expectations were sky high. It’s the same with Barnsley in League One.
“That’s understandable. The club has spent most of its history in the Championship and that’s where we’ve got to get to.
“I haven’t shirked that since I’ve been in the building. I am not going to blag myself time. I want to get us promoted this season.
“That’s the target for me and the players.
“But there is a lot of work, detail, togetherness and spirit needed to build a promotion team. I know what it takes.”
Clarke has worked his way up through the divisions from his first manager’s job with non-league Salisbury.
He sees taking the Reds back into the Championship as the next step for him.
“That’s what I get out of bed for. It’s a really good opportunity for myself. I will give everything for it. I am a believer in my work and the way I do things. If you have done it at one level you can do it at another level unless they change the shape of the ball and goals. It’s still the same ingredients, just with better players which is even better.”
Clarke has taken over after two successive League One play-off defeats.
Most of the players in the squad were around for the semi-final loss to Bolton Wanderers in May while many were involved in the Wembley final defeat to Sheffield Wednesday a year earlier.
“We have to put that to bed. We can use it as a motivational tool for the players who are still here. But it’s more about them growing and, if they do that, the club grows.
“The more players I get improving, the more chance we have to get out of the league.”
Clarke has been reluctant to say too much about his style of play but the Reds are thought to be adopting a more energetic, pressing and direct approach than under Neill Collins. He said: “I know plenty about the strengths and weaknesses of the squad.
“I like to be adaptable.
“I can flip to a 4-4-2. It’s important to have game-changers on the bench to change the dynamics of the game. I don’t want to go like for like with changes when you’re chasing a game. I have a decent record as manager of coming from behind to win when I’ve changed things.”
