Mladen Sormaz, the sporting director of Barnsley FC, spoke to the media today. Here is what he said on various issues:

THE SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW

There has been quite a lot of change. Obviously we had the benefit of having Conor in post relatively early. We knew we would have a change of shape, and quite a lot of work to do with bringing wingers in. We have had quite a few outs as well, loans and permanents, so there was quite a lot to be done.

We’re happy with the ones we’ve brought through the door. We think we have a goal threat, a strong midfield again, defensive additions and Murphy (Cooper) has been really good in goal.

All in all, we’re happy. Possibly we could have done one or two more but Conor has been very good at setting a high bar of what to bring in.

He doesn’t want too many options if he doesn’t know what he’s going to do with them once they get here. The key thing has been bringing in quality rather than just quantity. There is more work to do probably over the next couple of windows.

COMPARISONS TO PREVIOUS WINDOWS

Obviously January was difficult. Some of the more risky signings didn’t pay off. The window before that, there were a lot of changes to be made. I think we lost eight or nine of the top appearance-makers.

This one we have had a bit more of a consistency in terms of the size of squad. We didn’t have as many out of contract or loans returning. The ball was in our court a bit more and we were moving players out at our choice. We didn’t have as many gaps to fill. Having Conor involved in the process really helped because it was really clear what we needed in terms of player profile.

NOT SIGNING ANOTHER STRIKER ON DEADLINE DAY

With the amount of work we had to do, switching to wingers and more players needed in attacking positions, there were always trade-offs to be made. As we prioritised each position we were filling, we got Conor’s feedback. We have gone in the order of what he wanted.

It would have been nice to get one or two more attackers, no doubt. But overall I think, with the size of squad we’ve got, we can get most of the attacking positions covered well. We need a bit of luck on our side in terms of injuries but it leaves us in a good position in January to bring another one or two in.

I don’t think Conor wanted an out and out number nine. He is happy with Didzy (David McGoldrick) and Davis (Keillor-Dunn). Towards the end we looked at a different type of option which would probably be third in the pecking order.

If we had done one at the end it would have been someone of a slightly different profile. The way we play, our striker drops into the ten position a lot which both Didzy and Davis can do. There wasn’t a massive need to get a targetman or someone like that this time.

JOHN MCATEE

(The Bolton forward almost joined on loan but a deal could not be agreed).

We explored it very early. I have got a very good relationship with Fergal Harkin their sporting director. As he joined I said ‘what’re your plans with Macca?’ before the window was even open. He wasn’t sure at the time then later said there could be half a chance. They did a couple of deals at the end of the window so it arrived late and there was time pressure but that was from Bolton’s end. We explored it very very early and had it as an option if it was needed.

THE START TO THE SEASON

There is a good energy. I think the biggest thing to say is in every game we’ve seen exciting football from ourselves. We have seen a very consistent way of playing. We’ve seen young players blooded who are a very passionate and a reconnection with players in the squad who have a new lease of life. We need to keep that going, beyond just winning. To reconnect the club there needs to be something else there – some of it will be the passion of the coaches and players, some will be the academy players. We need those pillars to stay for 46 games and hope results follow. I think that’s the thing that might have been missing in the last couple of years. It’s not just winning and losing.

The biggest thing to remember is, when we appointed Conor, it wasn’t as obvious as it seems now. It looks great after this start to the season but the thing was knowing the work he did on the ground, the style of play he was getting towards the end of the season - even if the results weren’t there – how he was working with the staff and the respect he was getting from the players. We knew that, on top of the other candidates who were good coaches, Conor had an ability to unite the fanbase and do things you might not see on spreadsheet but are valued at Barnsley.

KEEPING KEILLOR-DUNN, ADAM PHILLIPS AND LUCA CONNELL

There were multiple bids for all of those three and we rejected them which I think shows commitment to keeping hold of our best players. I know from what the chairman (Neerav Parekh) said back in April (that Barnsley would have to sell players this summer) it seems like they’re going to go. It was never the case. I followed up the month after and said we’re not going to let them go for less than what we think they’re valued at.

Since Conor has come, he’s got them playing to their strengths and in the style of football. A few of them are quite a bit happier to stay. If they were to go to bottom of mid-range Championship or even top League One club, are they going to get to play in a style which is this attractive and plays to their strengths as much? All that happiness is genuine and massively helps lift the mood around the place and all stems from the way Conor and the staff have got them working on the pitch.

We knew really early what it would take to get those players out. It’s either there or it’s not. So let’s start building around the positions we need - wingers and defence. As the window wore on it become clear it was unlikely anyone would meet those valuations. On that basis, with the players we brought in and the some of ones we let go out, we thought we could trim from other areas. Protect your biggest assets, let some other players go out to make up for that, then balance it that way.

AIMS FOR SEASON

The flip side of not selling any of the bigger players is that you can’t recycle that money into new signings. We should be competitive at the top end, as you’ve seen in the performances. We need a couple of things to go for us like a good injury record.

Other teams have done it in the last couple of years with what we’ve got. From that angle, I can’t see why we can’t be competitive.

HOURIHANE’S INVOLVEMENT IN RECRUITMENT

The biggest thing that might be underrated about him is his work ethic and how clear he is in terms of what he wants. When we gave him the job I said he would be involved. The morning we gave him the job, we immediately had this list of players. That started in earnest early to mid-April and we could work with the recruitment team and the chairman. To get to the point of what profiles he wanted, having a lot of back and forth, has been a massive benefit. We do want head coaches involved, especially if we’re asking them to execute a game model they have to have a say on who comes through the door.

Some of the things have stayed the same but a big thing is making sure it gets through the coaching filter and that there is a green light on every player from myself, the board and Conor. There is a data filter which all the players have had to pass, that’s at the board level and separate to me.

Your two biggest things are what you can offer players financially and who are they going to be playing for. In any player recruitment process, the sooner you can get them to sit in front of our head coach and get him to sell the opportunity to them the better.

Players in this generation want the detail of what kind of football they are going to be playing. Some of the signings are not just connections, it’s because Conor sat in front of them and gave them a very coherent plan of how they are going to be used.

He deserves the credit he’s getting for attracting these players because a lot of them had multiple offers. For a lot of them, if we couldn’t match what others clubs are paying, coming to pay for Conor and this style of football has been what’s attracted them.

There are other parts of the process but he’s been a big part of it.

GIVING CONOR TIME

When he was given the role, we had to give him that reassurance. Following it through will depend on a lot of us on the ground backing him. I can say that, as much as I can in my remit, I will back him. We understand with the policies we’re pursuing, there are risks and there can be sticky patches but as long as the process is good and as long as he’s following on the path he’s set out on, if things don’t work out through luck, it’s understood. The key thing is the process. He didn’t get many points at the end of last season but the process was there and that’s what we invested in.

With the understanding that the budget is maybe a bit smaller, we are bringing through more academy players and taking a few more risks, there has to be more patience.

If you miss out one season, you don’t put the club in financial jeopardy the next season. I know the ambition and the passion the board have for the club. We all want to go up every season. If you look at the losses sustained across the EFL with our competitors and ourselves, we can’t have a gamble year every year and expect everything to be fine. Other clubs have been caught out by that. That sustainability and making sure the club is safe for the future is part of why the budget is where it is. On the back of that we probably have to readjust our expectations of staff and people on the ground.

CONNECTING WITH FANS

We want continued dialogue with supporters, from myself, Jon Flatman and the chairman – making sure that those are happening constantly through the year. We’re more open to suggestions. We are all keen to get that connection back. Mistakes will happen. I have made mistakes. But there will always be a willingness to come back on Monday and try to make things better.