Daniel Stendel has spent time learning from one of the best managers in English history ahead of his move to Oakwell.
Stendel has shown a willingness to develop his own knowledge of the game and has spent time at Arsenal with Arsene Wenger, which was set up by his friend Per Mertesacker, and also in Denmark with FC Copenhagen.
Stendel, 44, was announced as Barnsley's new head coach on Wednesday afternoon following talks over the weekend with Barnsley representatives in Hamburg and then at Oakwell on Tuesday.
His appointment concludes a month-long search for a new head coach after Jose Morais and his assistants Dimas and Joao Cunha were sacked following a disastrous spell in charge which ended in a final day relegation at Derby.
Paul Hurst's decision to leave Shrewsbury Town for Ipswich Town blew the race for the job wide open and the German emerged as a favourite with the bookmakers over the weekend.
Ex-Reds' midfielder Grant McCann had also been in the running for the post whilst Gareth Ainsworth of Wycombe Wanderers and Blackpool's Gary Bowyer were also considered.
But Stendel has beaten off the opposition and takes on his second job in senior football following a short stint at Hannover where he had an impressive win ratio of 54 per cent.
Whilst Stendel's English is believed to be poor, his assistant Andreas Winkler and first team coach Christopher Stern are fluent and will be able to translate in the short-term until Stendel is fully up to speed. His role will officially begin on July 1.
There is not set to be an unveiling press conference for a few weeks and chief executive Gauthier Ganaye is currently in Portugal at the EFL Conference.
In an official club statement, Stendel said: "I am very happy to join Barnsley and I am happy with the faith, trust and belief shown to me from everyone here in advance of me starting the role. I'm fully motivated and excited to get going, I am ready to meet the players and fans during pre-season.
"Over the last couple of days I got the feeling that the responsible people within the club have the same vision about playing the game as I have. I get the feeling that everything is fitting together, we're all thinking in the same direction and that was a main reason for me signing.
"I've got the view that the way in which I want to reach success, is mirrored by the people in charge. That is really important and made my decision an easy one. It's really important to want to be successful, but if you only want to be and don't have a plan of how to be, it won't work. At Barnsley there is a plan, that is very clear and it becomes a pathway to success."
Stendel was appointed following what the club call an 'extensive recruitment process' with Stendel fitting in with the board's requirement of hiring a coach with 'a clear strategy and philosophy'. He becomes Barnsley's third overseas manager after Morais and Gudjon Thordarsson.
His desired style of play is attacking with a high intensity and he is said to demand top fitness from his players with the onus being on pressing and regaining the ball quickly.
Stendel's reputation was forged in youth football where he helped to develop the likes of Hannover's rising star Waldemar Anton who is currently being pursued by AC Milan for a reported €25m and Stendel's work at the academy is still benefiting Hannover with players coming through the system.
Winkler, 48, a former midfielder, has coached at Essen and the former Bayern Munich academy player eventually became the club’s sporting director.Stern, 25, is a former youth player under Stendel and has also coached at Hannover.
Read more about Stendel in Friday's Chronicle.
