Clarke Oduor endured a challenging 2020/21 season at Oakwell but is back in favour under Markus Schopp as Barnsley look to backup their remarkable run to the play-off semi-finals.

The Kenyan revealed how he did not let his time out of the side affect him too negatively when speaking to the Yorkshire Post.

He said: "You have just got to be ready and stay positive. I cannot have that mindset of ‘oh, I am not going to get on’.

"The manager now has told me that he is confident in me and likes the way I play and my ability and to just go out there and perform, there is no pressure."

Oduor scored a last gasp winner away to Brentford on the final day of the 2019/20 season which kept Barnsley up at the expense of Charlton Athletic. Therefore, despite Valerien Ismael replacing Gerhard Struber at the helm, it was a surprise to see the 22-year-old play so little a part in the following campaign.

Oduor was a specialist left back in 2019/20 but has mainly operated as a winger so far this term under Markus Schopp, it will be interesting to see how he develops his game in more advanced areas and in that demonstrate how he is still improving as a player even with the lack of game time he received.

The Verdict

It is great to see Oduor back in the Tykes team on a regular basis, the way he glides down the flank is a wonderful sight in the Championship and his speed of movement with and without the ball is sure to cause problems for plenty of second tier backlines this season.

Schopp's men have the difficult task of Scott Parker's Bournemouth on Saturday at The Vitality Stadium. Many Tykes supporters may be content with another season of consolidation in just their third campaign back in the Championship, however the ambitious Austrian coach will be intent on upsetting the odds once again.

Clarke Oduor is one to watch this term and boasts a ceiling of a much higher level than the second tier.