Barnsley boss Michael Duff defends Wycombe from Barton's comments

The Chairboys take on the Tykes at Adams Park in what will be the first managerial meeting between Duff and Matt Bloomfield respectively.

However, the former Cheltenham Town boss has hit out at Barton’s analysis following Bristol Rovers’ 2-0 home defeat to the Chairboys on March 14.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Joey Barton reflecting on his #brfc side losing for the second time this season to Wycombe Wanderers.
"It's worse when you know you are better than them." pic.twitter.com/TleLEVtklB

— Chairboys on the Net - Paul Lewis (@GasmanCOTN) March 17, 2023

READ MORE: 'He couldn’t hit a cow’s a*se' - Joey Barton insults current Wycombe striker

Strikes from Brandon Hanlan and Chem Campbell gave Wanderers their 18th league win of the season, whilst Rovers suffered their seventh loss at home since July.

After the match, Barton called Wycombe’s football ‘horrendous’ and stated that Hanlan, who played under the ex-Fleetwood boss in 2021, ‘couldn’t hit a cow’s a*se with a banjo’.

But Duff brushed away his comments.

He told the Barnsley Chronicle: “I went to watch them at Bristol Rovers.

Entitled to his opinion but this is so insulting towards Brandon Hanlan.

The goal he scored was well taken and it came from a mistake from the Rovers defence.

Very easy to blame others when your side has one of the worst home records in the league.#Chairboys https://t.co/T94xaKCIO7

— James Richings (@James_BFP) March 17, 2023

“It was a good open game where Wycombe scored a couple of good goals and I am not one for pigeon-holing teams.

READ MORE: 'They're not 'little Wycombe'' - Barnsley boss Michael Duff praises Wanderers

“It’s lazy to say they just boot it so I imagine people have tried to put Wycombe down a lot.

“They will have beaten bigger teams and the easy thing to say is ‘they played long ball and beat us up’.

“But actually they were just better.

“I played with Vokesy (striker Sam Vokes) and you won’t get anyone better in the air.”

On facing Wanderers, a side he has never beaten as manager, he added: “They are not little Wycombe anymore, just look at the players they’ve got.

“They were on our toes for a long time when we were sixth and they’re not going away.

He must be an awful manager to lose twice to a team when he has much better players! 🤣

— Steve Lawton (@stevelaw1983) March 17, 2023

READ MORE: 'We don’t want to rush them' - Matt Bloomfield on Wycombe's recent injury list

“Matt knows the club intimately.

“I know him really well from doing our LMA diploma.

"He rang me a few times when he first went in at Colchester for advice.

“He’s a really good guy.

"I would imagine right now he won’t try to change too much.

“Gareth will have influenced him a lot.”