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THE GAFFER

PAULO SOUSA

Paulo Sousa is a name etched in Portuguese footballing folklore.

Born in 1970, Sousa - full name Paulo Manuel Carvalho Sousa - made 51 appearances for his country, in a career that included successful spells at Benfica, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan, amongst others.

A member of the 'Golden Generation,' Sousa was a classic holding midfielder, breaking play up in the defensive third and possessing the ability to deliver precise passes to his team-mates.

At Club level, Sousa won his first honour as a player whilst on the books of Portuguese giants Benfica.

After making his debut in 1989, the midfielder scooped the Portuguese Liga title in 1991, before going on to claim the Portuguese Cup two seasons later, in a side that included Rui Costa and Paulo Futre.

Sousa was a mainstay in the Benfica midfield, and soon after his country came calling, as he made his international bow in January 1991.

Sousa's time at Benfica came to an end in 1993, as he went on to sign for rivals Sporting.

However, he spent just a season with the Lisbon giants, despite playing alongside the emerging great Luis Figo.

A two season spell at Juventus followed, and as Club Captain, he led the Torino side to the UEFA Champions League title in 1996.

After numerous trophies, a move to Germany and Borussia Dortmund transpired in the summer of 1996 and remarkably, Sousa went on to repeat his Champions League success of a year before with another title in 1997.

Injury began to plague him towards the end of his two-year spell with Dortmund and despite making over 31 appearances for Inter Milan between 1998 and 1999, Sousa - after short stints at Parma, Panathinaikos and Espanyol - was forced to retire in 2002.

Injuries may have prematurely ended his illustrious career at the age of 31, but Sousa undoubtedly left behind a legacy most players can only dream of.

Thereafter, Sousa was named as assistant to Luiz Felipe Scolari with the Portuguese national team.

APRIL 13 - LAST TIME OUT

BARNSLEY 1 (Bogdanovic 82 P)
SWANSEA CITY 3 (Williams 2, Gomez 36, Scotland 67)

DANIEL Bogdanovic's late penalty was not enough for the Reds as they crashed to a disappointing home defeat against Swansea City.

Reds boss Simon Davey made just one change from the side pegged back in the dying stages at Watford on Saturday with flying winger Adam Hammill coming into the starting eleven at the expense of Michael Mifsud.

Barnsley were off to the worst possible start with just two minutes on the clock as Jordi Gomez sent over the perfect free kick that left Heinz Muller and his defenders in no mans land and allowed Ashley Williams to steam in at the back post to fire home.

The Reds should have had a penalty just a minute later as Darren Pratley brought down Hammill in the area but the referee inexplicably gave a free kick right on the edge. Hammill was again in the thick of it on six minutes as he raced towards the box to cross and Bogdanovic was only inches away from turning the ball into the net.

Hammill again had Swansea rattled on 20 minutes as he raced through only to have his run checked on the edge of the box by Garry Monk. Monk was booked and Anderson brought a fine low save from Dorus De Vries with his well-struck free kick.

It could have been even worse for the Reds on 29 minutes when Gorka Pintado pulled the trigger from the edge of the box but his drive bounced wide of Muller's goal.

Hammill was instrumental in everything the Reds did well and his corner on 31 minutes looked to have given Stephen Foster a free header but the skipper put his effort high into the stands.

Mark Gower's mazy run had the Reds scrambling a minute later as he raced through and brought a fine save from Muller. Gomez missed his kick from just six yards on the rebound and Muller recovered well to make a smart stop from Pintado.

Barnsley's bright first half recovery was severely dented on 36 minutes when Gomez was given all the time in the world to shoot from the edge of the area. The ball skipped through Andranik's legs, giving Muller no chance, and ended up in the far corner.

Rob Kozluk tried to put some fire in the Reds' bellies on 38 minutes as he broke forward before sending a crashing drive straight at De Vries. Hammill - yet again - had a rare bright moment for Barnsley when he cut in from the left and let fly but De Vries was quickly down to parry his low shot.

Jamal Campbell-Ryce picked up a caution in stoppage time at the end of the first half for dissent after venting his frustration at the referee.

Simon Davey made his changed at the start of the second half with Campbell-Ryce and Andranik making way. Hugo Colace and Martin Devaney were thrown into the action to help save the Reds.

The Reds were again on the front foot with Foster bringing a goal line clearance from Leon Britton on 47 minutes after he met Hammill's corner. Foster again got his head onto Hammill's corner seconds later but this time his effort flew wide of the target.

Anderson then had Swansea beaten all ends up on 52 minutes as his cross dropped to Jon Macken at the back post but the striker was denied a goal by De Vries outstanding save. Swansea did their best to get Hammill sent off on 57 minutes as they surrounded the referee following a clash between the winger and Albert Serran. Hammill was booked. Devaney was an inch away from a goal on 59 minutes after leaving Alan Tate for dead before shooting low. His effort just drifted wide of the post with De Vries well beaten.

Hammill was again right in the thick of it on the hour mark as he let fly from 30 yards and his shot looked to be heading for the back of the net but for De Vries' outstanding one-handed save. Devaney almost picked out the right pass again on 65 minutes as his cross gave Macken half a chance but the striker was denied by Monk's challenge on the six-yard line.

Barnsley's chances were dealt a killer blow on 67 minutes by a howler from Muller. The keeper raced from his goal to gather a long ball and only succeeded in dropping the ball at the feet of Jason Scotland, who gratefully took his opportunity to roll it into an empty net.

Barnsley's woes continued on 73 minutes when Hammill sent a free kick around the wall and past De Vries but agonisingly wide of the far post. It only missed by inches but it really summed up what had been a dreadful afternoon for the Reds.

It should have been four a minute later when Scotland picked apart the Barnsley defence with ease to send Gomez clean through but the midfielder was denied by Muller.

Bobby Hassell and Anderson picked up yellow cards before substitute Mifsud sparked the Reds into life on 82 minutes. The little strikers' run gave Colace the chance to get a shot away. His effort struck Tate's arm and, although Bogdanovic shot wide on the rebound, the referee pointed to the spot. Bogdanovic took the penalty and planted it low past De Vries to give Barnsley late hope.

De Vries had to be at his best on 87 minutes to punch Mifsud's low drive away and then the Swans keeper again denied the striker seconds later when he grabbed his goalbound header.

The final chance fell to Anderson deep in stoppage time but the Brazilian could not find the back of the net with a volley from 18 yards. His effort fizzed an inch or so wide of the mark.

BARNSLEY: Muller, Hassell, Foster, Moore, Kozluk, Campbell-Ryce (Devaney 45), Anderson, Andranik (Colace 45), Hammill, Macken (Mifsud 81), Bogdanovic.
Subs: Odejayi, Souza.

SWANSEA CITY: De Vries, Williams, Tate, Britton, Pratley, Scotland (Bauza 79), Gower (Dyer 83), Gomez, Monk, Pintado (Allen 61), Serran.
Subs: MacDonald, Bessone.

REFEREE: David Foster (Tyne & Weir)
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Paul Thompson (Derbyshire)
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Richard Salt (North Yorkshire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL: David Coote (Nottinghamshire)

APRIL 13 - LAST TIME OUT

REDS assistant manager Ryan Kidd gave his thoughts following today's disappointment against Swansea City.

Ryan said: "It was obviously disappointing. It is a hugely disappointing result. To lose 3-1 on your home patch is always disappointing but to do it at this stage of the season is very hard to take.

"We gave away some soft goals. The first ten minutes were always going to be important and we had to start the game well and be lively. We have been giving away a lot of soft free kicks in the last few weeks and we did that again today. We give them people to mark but the lad Williams has popped up on his own to score. We were always going to be chasing the game after then.

"We probably had more possession in the first half and I thought we played some good stuff at times which was better than we had done down here for a while. We had no end product, our decision making was poor and the lads looked low in confidence at times.

"We had to make a change at half time to go with two wide men and get crosses into their box. Swansea are the best footballing side in the division and if you do not match their three in the middle of the park then they will annihilate you. We tried to match them up in the first half and went three v three. We had to change it and go for it after the break but to be fair that did not really work and it was hard for us to chase the game.

"It is a massively damaging result to lose here. We cannot think about what other people are doing or have done and we have four massive matches left. We probably have to win two of them. We have to be positive now and look to go to Reading and get a result".

SWANSEA City manager Roberto Martinez was delighted with three points at Oakwell.

Martinez said: "The result puts us in a good position. It is a very difficult place to come so I am delighted with the result. Overall the six points over the last two games is a big boost. It is very important against two sides, Norwich and Barnsley, who are fighting for their lives.

"The reality is that unless we get 74 points we won't get in the top six. We need to get nine points. If we do that we will get into the play-offs.

"What you want to do is get in there with a good run of form and we will do that if we get there because we will be off the back of five straight wins."

REMEMBER 2006?

May 27 - Millennium Stadium

BARNSLEY 2 (Hayes 19, Nardiello 61)
SWANSEA CITY 2 (Fallon 28, Robinson 40)

GOALKEEPER Nick Colgan was the Reds penalty shoot out hero as the Irish international's fine save from Alan Tate's kick sent Barnsley into the Championship.

Reds boss Andy Ritchie kept faith with the side that spectacularly blew away Huddersfield Town in the semi finals just a week or so ago. That decision meant Chris Shuker was left on the bench as Paul Hayes started the game on the left wing.

Daniel Nardiello and Marc Richards were again paired up front as the Reds looked to shoot their way to the Championship.

Swansea City were captained by former Reds defender Garry Monk and included ex-Oakwell stars Kevin Austin and Rory Fallon in their starting eleven. Fellow old-boy Tom Williams was amongst the Swans substitutes.

Under the raucous gaze of 55,000 fans and on a woeful pitch, the Reds started brightly with Bobby Hassell almost setting up Marc Richards with just a minute on the clock. Seconds later Swansea were on the front foot and Owain Tudor Jones fired well wide of the target from 30 yards.

Sam Ricketts was next to try his luck for the Swans as he fizzed a great cross inches in front of Fallon on four minutes after the Wales' full back had overlapped well down the left.

Ricketts showed the unsavoury side of his game on five minutes as he cynically hacked down Martin Devaney but the referee played an excellent advantage to allow Daniel Nardiello the chance to run and shoot but his effort flew wide of the target.

Brian Howard almost sent 20,000 Barnsley supporters into raptures on ten minutes as robbed Andy Robinson before shooting towards the bottom corner but Willy Gueret managed to claw the ball around the post.

If the Reds fans were lively before, they certainly had something to cheer about on 19 minutes as a flowing move across the pitch split Swansea wide open before Devaney crossed dangerously into the area. The ball broke loose and Hayes was in the right place to smash it past Gueret into the back of the net from 12 yards.

Swansea rallied and Ricketts drilled a shot well wide of Nick Colgan's right hand post on 25 minutes as the much-fancied Welshmen looked to get a foothold back in the game.

Lively Leon Knight really should have levelled things up just a minute later as he raced clear before crashing his shot against the post with only Colgan to beat although a late offside flag would have ruled out the goal. Again Ricketts found space and time down the left on 27 minutes as he cut inside to shoot but this time his effort struck the sidenetting.

The Swans were level on 28 minutes and it came from a moment of real magic from ex-Barnsley star Fallon as the striker's overhead kick flew into the back of the net after the Reds defence had failed to clear Ricketts' free kick.

The Reds were almost back in front inside two minutes as Hayes' left wing corner caused no end of problems before Stephen McPhail saw his looping header knocked away from under the crossbar.

Another scramble in the Barnsley area almost brought a chance for Robinson on 35 minutes but the Swans midfielder lashed a rising volley well wide of the target.

Colgan's nightmare moment came on 40 minutes as Robinson's low drive looked to be comfortable for the inspirational keeper but the ball struck the appalling Millennium Stadium playing surface in front of the Reds keeper and squirmed through his hands into the back of the net.

Howard tried to drag his side back onto level terms three minutes later as he raced onto McPhail's quickly taken free kick but could not keep his shot down and fired high into the ecstatic Swansea supporters.

The Swans almost grabbed a third in stoppage time as Robinson volleyed towards goal from 18 yards after the ball had broken loose. Colgan managed to grab the ball at the second attempt but was the hacked into by Knight on the ground. Bobby Hassell's strong reaction to the striker's late challenge earned the Reds full back a yellow card.

Knight, who managed to escape a yellow card following his foul on Colgan at the end of the first half, almost found the back of the net within two minutes of the restart as he turned well on the edge of the area before shooting just over.

At the other end Howard and McPhail had low efforts that never really troubled Gueret before Robinson again tested his shooting boots on 55 minutes as his volley flew high over from 16 yards. Robinson turned provider on 57 minutes as his run and cross found Fallon at the back post. The big Kiwi prodded the ball back across for Knight but his diminutive strike partner could not divert it goalward under pressure from Paul Reid.

Barnsley levelled things again on the hour mark after Monk was eventually penalised after hacking down both Nardiello and Howard in the space of seconds. The free kick was right on the edge of the area and Nardiello found the perfect finish to plant his low shot into the bottom corner.

Swans boss Kenny Jackett had seen enough and sent on talismanic striker Lee Trundle on 69 minutes to give his side fresh impetus. Andy Ritchie did the same by replacing Richards with Tommy Wright a minute later and then sent Dale Tonge into the action on 73 minutes at the expense of a limping Howard.

Skipper Reid was inches away from a winner on 85 minutes as he stole in round the back to meet Devaney's deep cross. Reid did everything right in heading the ball downward but the bounce took it over the bar with Gueret stranded.

Nardiello then went even closer as he raced onto McPhail's pinpoint through ball but just could not get the touch that would direct it past Gueret. At the other end Tudor Jones lashed a shot just over the top after breaking free 18 yards out with a minute to go as both sides went for it in the closing stages.

Swansea full back Alan Tate could have won the game in the dying seconds as he broke free in the area onto Leon Britton's pass but somehow fired wide with only Colgan to beat.

Extra time brought an addition 30 minutes but no let up to the excitement as Trundle forced Colgan into a fine diving save on 93 minutes after shooting from the edge of the area.

Swans substitute Ade Akinfenwa almost made an instant impression on 94 minutes - just seconds after coming on - as he held off Reid before hammering a low drive inches wide of the post.

Shuker, who was like a man possessed after being called into the action, tricked his way into the area well on 96 minutes but found his space to shoot closed down by Austin's huge diving frame.

A slip by Shuker gifted Tudor Jones a shooting chance on 107 minutes but the Reds winger recovered well to throw his body in the way of the midfielder's effort. Seconds later Trundle, Akinfenwa and Austin all went close after Kevin McLeod's corner had bobbled loose in the area.

Trundle again tried to beat the entire Barnsley defence single-handedly on 111 minutes as he danced his way past three or four challenges but lacked a finish to match his fine run and shot wide.

The dreams of 20,000 Barnsley supporters who had followed their side to Cardiff all came down to a million pound penalty shoot out as the Reds' day of destiny all came down to luck and who could hold their nerve under the most intense pressure.

In front of the Swansea supporters, Trundle, Hayes, Britton and Shuker all scored before Akinfenwa blazed over the top after nonchalantly stuttering during his run up to give Heckingbottom the chance to give the Reds the advantage. He did not waste it.

Tudor Jones scored his kick, as did Kay to again put the pressure on Tate but the Swans full back shot straight at Colgan to send the Reds into the Championship.

BARNSLEY: Colgan, Hassell, Heckingbottom, Reid ©, Hayes, McPhail, Howard (Tonge 73), Kay, Richards (Wright 70), Nardiello (Shuker 95), Devaney.

Subs: Flinders, Austin.

SWANSEA CITY: Gueret, Ricketts, Austin, O'Leary, Tate, Britton, Monk ©, Robinson (McLeod 105), Tudor Jones, Knight (Trundle 69), Fallon (Akinfenwa 94).

Subs: Murphy, Williams.

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