Barnsley has appointed Markus Schopp as their new manager on a three-year contract after Valerien Ismael left for West Brom last week. Since 2018, Schopp had managed TSV Hartberg and managed to steer the club to a seventh-place finish in the Austrian Bundesliga last season.
“It’s great to come to a country where football is so big, so traditional, especially in South Yorkshire,” Schopp said in a statement. “There are so many clubs and they are so famous and Barnsley, for me, is one of those teams. I will help Barnsley get to where they have been in the last year, I will do everything for that.”
Schopp made 56 appearances during his playing career for his native Austria and last played for New York Red Bulls after spells with the likes of Red Bull Salzburg, Sturm Graz, Hamburger SV and Brescia Calcio.
He gained managerial experience at both Sturm Graz and St Polten before taking over as TSV Hartberg coach in 2018. Hartberg achieved their highest ever domestic finish under his guidance during the 19/20 season, finishing fifth.
Meanwhile, Ismael led Barnsley to the Championship play-off semi-finals last season, where they were beaten by Swansea City on an aggregate score of 2-1. He had previously managed Greek club Apollon Smyrnis and Austrian side LASK.