Markus Schopp will be looking to shuffle his pack as the Tykes visit Bolton Wanderers in the first round of the League Cup on Tuesday, the Austrian told the Yorkshire Post this afternoon.
Barnsley began life under Markus Schopp with a 1-1 draw at Cardiff City on Saturday, a crash course in Football League management supplied straight away for the new manager in locking horns with Mick McCarthy. Herbie Kane, Devante Cole, Jack Walton, Obbi Oulare and Aaron Leya Iseka are amongst the names vying to feature in the cup tie.
Schopp said: "It is all about the question of how fit are the guys and we all know how tough the Championship is. We really have to take care about each player, so some players will get a couple of minutes and it is a good thing to get the group bigger."
From Gerhard Struber to Valerien Ismael to Markus Schopp, Barnsley have had a clear identity and a unique way of operating on and off the pitch as they enter their third straight season in the second tier. With a nice blend of squad depth for Schopp to compete on more than one front this season, the Austrian is looking to get a larger proportion of his roster fit and firing with rotation to face Ian Evatt's Bolton.
He continued: "The most important thing for me is to see the progress that all the players are making. Secondly, I want to see more variation in our amount of players and it means every player has a different style and every different style gives us something different."
Oulare and Iseka in particular will be of interest to Tykes fans on Tuesday, as they look to bolster their attacking contingent in the hope they can compete for promotion from the onset this season.
The Verdict
For a club only in their third season since promotion to the Championship, Barnsley's depth of quality is astounding. They have been a class above in the transfer market in recent years and are reaping the rewards now looking to progress in the League Cup and firmly compete towards the top end of the division.
The jury is still out on Schopp's capabilities in English football but taking a point from the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday was a positive start. There will be plenty in action with a point to prove on Tuesday, meaning the Trotters will have to be on their game to live with them.