CONOR Hourihane believes some of Barnsley players being motivated to advance their careers at Oakwell or other clubs could help them have a positive end of the season.
Hourihane is understood to have impressed everyone behind the scenes with the discipline and the atmosphere he has brought to the club, but is yet to win in five games since taking over on an interim basis from the sacked Darrell Clarke last month.
The Reds are talking to several other potential candidates for the role, both overseas and UK-based, but Hourihane is still thought to be an option – if not the leading one as chairman Neerav Parekh said in an interview last month.
There is also uncertainty surrounding which players will remain next season.
Young goalkeeper Kieren Flavell is understood to be being monitored by Premier League clubs. The 21-year-old, who has recently broken into the Reds first team, is out of contract in the summer. Flavell, who has been with the Oakwell club since the age of eight, has played the last five Reds games due to injuries to Joe Gauci and Jackson Smith. The six foot five stopper has generally impressed with some big saves as well as his kicking ability.
If he were to leave at the end of his contract, Barnsley would not receive a transfer fee but would be due compensation due to his age.
The Reds are hoping to tie him down to a new deal soon and he has previously spoken of his desire to be the long-term number one at Oakwell.
Other youngsters thought to be in talks over a new deal include Jonathan Bland and Connor Barratt – who have both played for the first team recently – as well as Aaron Atkinson who has been injured for most of the season but is highly-rated.
The Reds are expected to lose some of their first team starters in the summer with chairman Parekh saying they would have to sell to offset significant financial losses. The likes of Adam Phillips, Luca Connell and Davis Keillor-Dunn could be of interest to other clubs but are all tied down on long-term deals.
As well as Flavell, other players out of contract in the summer include Josh Benson, Conor McCarthy, Stephen Humphrys, Jonathan Lewis and Donovan Pines. The club has an option to trigger a year extension on the deals of Humphrys and Pines.
Asked what is motivating his squad, Hourihane told the Chronicle: “It has to come from within themselves.
“It’s professional pride but there is always someone watching – ether it’s someone at this club that they are trying to impress or somebody else.
“Flav is all of a sudden getting attention off the back of five games.
“Lads are out of contract, lads are playing for their futures and lads want to stay at the football club. There is loads to play for.
“A lot of things happen in football in terms of the turnaround of players and changes here, there and everywhere in off-seasons. There are a few players out of contract and the manager situation to sort out. There will be changes in the summer, no doubt.”
Specifically on Flavell, Hourihane said: “He’s come through the academy and wants to be here. No doubt he’s got people in background looking around, that’s how football works. He needs to concentrate on his football.
“I have given him an opportunity and he’s given me back everything that he’s got. He’s got an opportunity to keep playing until the end of the season.
“I wish him the best of luck because he deserves all the attention he’s getting.”
The Reds are 13th in League One, 14 points below the top six places with their mathematical chance of promotion likely to end this weekend.
They have not won in their last seven matches – losing five and drawing two – which is the longest winless run at third tier level since they lost eight in a row under Lee Johnson in 2015.
Their last 16 games since the first week of 2025 have brought three wins, three draws and ten defeats.
They have five games left, starting at home to promotion-chasing Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
Hourihane has said they ‘need to look deeper than results’.
On his time in charge, he told the Chronicle: “I have obviously loved it.
“I love the day to day work and the matchdays. It’s brought that huge fire that I knew I had even more so. We’re still looking for positive results but we’re doing some really good work every single day in terms of building, laying foundations, moving the club forward in a decent direction. I have definitely still got my appetite for it and fingers crossed for a long future.”
After hosting Bolton, the Reds visit another top six hopeful Leyton Orient on Good Friday before hosting mid-table Peterborough United on Easter Monday. They then finish their home season against Shrewsbury Town – who could be relegated by then – on April 26 before completing their campaign at Reading, who are sixth, on May 3.
