Barnsley announced yesterday that they have parted company with manager Daniel Stendel, after a run of ten league games without a win.

Stendel took charge at Oakwell at the beginning of last season and was able to guide Barnsley to automatic promotion from League One in his first season in English football, although the team have struggled since their return to the Championship.

Barnsley are currently without a win since the opening day of the season and are now inside the relegation zone, with the worst defensive record in the division.

In the latest FLW Six Pointer, we discuss Stendel's departure from Barnsley, including whether it was the right decision from the board and where it leaves the club moving forward...

First of all, what do you make of Barnsley's decision to part company with Stendel? Do you think it was the right move?

"I think it's a real shame that Barnsley have decided to part ways with Stendel. I think he's a fantastic manager and I'd of liked to have seen him given a bit more a chance.

"He did an unbelievable job last season, guiding the club to automatic promotion in his first season in English football. He was able to assemble a really exciting team and got them playing brilliant attacking football.

"Some of Barnsley's standout players from last season left the club in the summer - the likes of Kieffer Moore, Ethan Pinnock, Liam Lindsay and Adam Davies all departed - but Stendel replaced them with more young players, rather than ones with proven experience in the Championship and I think this may have cost him.

"At the end of the day, the results so far this season haven't been good enough and the board obviously feel that he's no longer the right man to take the club forward, but given the circumstances and what he achieved last season, I think he deserved more time.

"The club have now got to make sure that they get this next appointment right."

How do you think the decision will go down with Barnsley supporters?

"Stendel is a very likeable character and he formed an instant connection with Barnsley supporters as soon as he took charge of the club, so I'm sure there will be plenty of supporters at Oakwell who are sad to see him go.

"Judging by their reaction on social media, the club's decision to part company with Stendel has not gone down well with fans at Oakwell.

"I think a lot of fans feel that he deserved more time, especially given the success he achieved last season and the difficulties the club faced in the transfer window this summer, with so many of their key players leaving."

Who should Barnsley look to appoint to replace Stendel?

"Based on the club's decision to sack Stendel, Barnsley need to appoint someone with proven experience in the Championship.

"They need a manager who will be able to get the best out of the players and somebody who can build on the success that Stendel was able to achieve in his relativity short period in charge at Oakwell.

"They also need to make sure that they appoint a manager who the fans can get behind, as many supporters feel angered and frustrated with the club's decision to get rid of Stendel in the first place.

"The club need stability and based on that, I think someone like Tony Pulis could be a good option due to his experience, although I'm not sure he'd be the most popular appointment with supporters due to his defensive style of football."

Are there any managers who Barnsley should look to avoid when choosing Stendel's successor?

"It seems as though Barnsley have made the decision to part company with Stendel during the international break to allow themselves enough time to get their next appointment right.

"I don't think they should go for somebody from the lower two divisions - it would be took much of a risk. They need somebody with proven experience of doing well in the Championship, in my opinion.

"Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson has been linked with the job, but I'm not sure he's ready for the Championship.

"Former Huddersfield boss Jan Siewert is also a name who has been mentioned, but I think they should avoid him at all costs, after his disastrous spell in charge of the Terriers."

Can Barnsley avoid relegation this season?

"Absolutely. We're only eleven games into the league season and there's still an awful long way to go. There's still plenty of time for Barnsley to turn things around and get their season back on track.

"There's no doubt that the results and some of the performances this season haven't been good enough and there's plenty for the club's next manager to improve on, but at the end of the day, they're only two points from safety and quite a few other teams have got off to a slow start.

"The appointment of their next manager is absolutely crucial, but if they get it right, then they've got every chance of avoiding an immediate return to League One."

Finally, Stendel has been strongly linked with the Sunderland job? Do you think he'd be a good appointment for the Black Cats?

"I think Stendel would be an excellent appointment for Sunderland. He knows exactly what it takes to win promotion from League One and given what he achieved at Barnsley last season in his first season in English football, I think he's an ideal candidate.

"He's also got some experience in the Championship now too, so if Sunderland were to win promotion this season, he'd know exactly what to expect and should be able to handle the challenges that come with managing at that level.

"There were plenty of Sunderland fans who grew tired of Ross, so the club now need to appoint a manager that the fans at the Stadium of Light can get behind - I think Stendel would be a great choice in that sense.

"Now that he's available, it'll be very interesting to see if Sunderland make an approach for him."

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