Following last week’s Tom Lawrence-inspired victory over Sheffield United, Derby County climbed off the bottom of the Championship table for the first time all season.
The fact that they achieved such a feet, despite being docked a staggering 21 points and facing more drama than a Breaking Bad finale, is nothing short of remarkable.
But, on the other side of the coin, you have Barnsley. The team Wayne Rooney’s Derby climbed above on January 15.
Barnsley do not have a points deduction to contend with. They don’t have HMRC breathing down their necks either.
Their current standing at the bottom of the Championship table is not the result of financial mismanagement or transfer embargos. It’s simply the by-product of poor decision-making and some truly abysmal performances.
No one could ever question Callum Styles’ commitment to the cause however. A key cog in the Valerien Ismael machine last season, Styles’ performances – like those of many Barnsley team-mates – have dipped as the club regressed from promotion dark-horses to relegation favourites in the blink of an eye.
But he’s still started 22 out of a possible 25 games, showcasing the sort of versatility that would make Christian Bale proud.
Styles has played on the left, on the right, in defensive midfield and in attack this season alone.
Could Callum Styles swap Barnsley for Celtic?
According to The Sun (19 December, page 69), the 21-year-old’s tactical flexibility, relentless work ethic and seemingly boundless energy reserves – three attributes that will have earned him the admiration of Ange Postecoglou – is a target for both Celtic and a West Bromwich Albion side now coached by his former Barnsley boss Ismael.
“He’s a massive talent,” team-mate Cauley Woodrow told the Yorkshire Live of Barnsley’s 2021 Young Player of the Year.
“He’s got a massive future ahead of him. The sky’s the limit.”
Where next?
If the sky is the limit for Styles, then Barnsley are hurtling in the other direction.
Accumulating just two wins and 14 points from their 25 Championship fixtures, it’s hard to imagine that many vultures will be hovering in the South Yorkshire sky come the summer.
Put simply, few players at Oakwell have done enough to earn themselves another stab at the second-tier or above.
Styles, however, may be one of the few members of Poya Asbaghi’s squad to escape from the wreckage with his reputation relatively unscathed.
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