With Paul Heckingbottom leaving Oakwell just under a fortnight ago and taking up the Leeds United job, Barnsley were in need of a new man at the helm – that was confirmed today as Jose Morais.
52-year-old Morais joins the Tykes on an 18-month contract with the Reds in the last of the relegation places in the Sky Bet Championship. His first game at the helm is a six-pointer against fellow Championship strugglers Burton Albion where Morais will be hoping to brew up a win and three points.
Morais arrives in South Yorkshire after a stint in Greece with AEK Athens (14 games) and before that in Turkey with Antalyaspor (24 games). However, the Portuguese national is more famed for his back-up role in teams managed by current Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.
Morais has been an assistant coach under Mourinho at Porto (65 games), Inter Milan (57 games), Real Madrid (178 games), Chelsea (82 games) with him being highly thought of in each role. During this time he has been associated with and linked to some world-class players, as well as being an essential ‘right-hand man’ of The Special One himself.
Due to this relationship, on the next page are five players at Manchester United that Jose Morais should consider bringing in next season – leaning on old pal Mourinho and calling in a few favours as it were.
