MAEL de Gevigney says Barnsley’s last two head coaches ‘deserved better’ from the players and that this squad: ‘should be in the top six, even the top two.’
The French defender’s two seasons at Oakwell have seen Neill Collins sacked after 45 games and Darrell Clarke after 35 last week.
The Reds are currently tenth, nine points off the play-offs, with nine games to play this season.
De Gevigney told the Chronicle: “It’s not a good sign if you change the manager, it means results are not good enough.
“I am not proud about it and I don’t want to make it a normal thing.
“Neill Collins deserved better from the team and now Darrell Clarke deserved better too.
“But the board has to take some decisions and we have to keep being better to keep the gaffer with us. We can work harder, we can always be better and stick together whatever happens.
“This shouldn’t be our position.
“We should be in the top six, even the top two. We know it’s not good enough.”
The Reds are now working under Conor Hourihane who joined at the start of the season as a player/coach before taking over from Clarke until the end of the campaign.
De Gevigney said: “When you look at his career as a player, you want to listen to him. He came here just after a promotion in League One with Derby and that was our goal this year.
“He’s a good guy. He helped us a lot individually at first and now he’s leading the squad.”
Barnsley now host second-bottom Cambridge. Mael said: “It’s never easy to play a team fighting for their lives.
“Staying in League One for them is a big thing.
“We have to show them the difference in the table and the difference between the clubs. That’s what we’re going to do on Saturday.”
De Gevigney was sent off in the win at Northampton Town last month and missed the victory over Lincoln then defeats to Charlton and Blackpool.
He returned to the side on Saturday for a 2-1 defeat at Mansfield.
“It was good to be back. I missed playing with the lads and I was happy, but not with the result.
“Not long after my ankle injury, I had this red card. I have not been used to staying on the side but it’s a good lesson. I have to control myself to avoid this kind of stuff.”
