Dane Murphy has admitted that the Barnsley hierarchy do discuss team selection with Gerhard Struber, but insisted that the head coach has final say.

The Tykes are in the middle of a battle to avoid the drop from the Championship after a difficult first season back in the second tier.

Gerhard Struber's side are currently five points from safety with 10 games remaining.

Barnsley will need to be on their game if they to pick up the required number of points to avoid the drop as the Championship season reaches a nervy climax.

Andy Giddins relaid claims in his interview with Murphy that the Barnsley hierarchy have had a say in Struber's team selection, however this is something that the 33-year-old CEO has denied.

Speaking to the BBC, Murphy said: “The good thing with our set-up is that people are open with their opinions.

“To answer that concisely and constructively, Gerhard (Struber) picks the 18 and the 11 every week.

“We can speak to him about it, anyone can go and talk to him about it, but it’s his decision and he makes that decision.

“We can have the discussion with him but the reason that we brought Gerhard and spent the money that we did to bring Gerhard in is that we had to allow him to do his job.

“He picks the group week in, week out and if we talk to him about certain aspects – that’s fine, he’s open to it – but we have no influence on who’s playing and who’s in the 18 each week and I can honestly tell you that because it’s in his contract that he’s able to pick the 11 and the 18, regardless of anything else.”

“The way football is going it’s more readily-available in contracts. The last two that I’ve done in the USA it was in there.

“I don’t know how rare or common it is in England or Europe, but it’s something that I think with the evolution of more sporting directors and head coaches rather than managers who manage the whole thing, that clause is entered in.”

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The verdict

While Dane Murphy denied claims that Gerhard Struber is told who to select for Barnsley, his comments regarding discussions over the matter are a little bit odd.

The working relationship between a head coach and the board is something that I'm sure is different at every club you go to, but one thing you know is that the coach should be free to do what he wants with the team.

Murphy said that Struber didn't mind discussions over team selection, however you couldn't blame him if he did feel undermined and micro-managed if his decisions were being influenced.

Struber should be making decisions over his team with his fellow coaches - not those in the boardroom.