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Barton: Probably as Bad as a Group of Players as Ipswich Have Had in a Long Time
Saturday, 5th Oct 2019 10:45

Fleetwood manager Joey Barton believes the current Town squad are “probably as bad as a group of players as Ipswich have had in a long time” even if they win League One this season and has questioned whether the Blues' start to the season is based "on solid foundations".

Top-of-the-table Town, unbeaten in their first 10 league games this season plus the win against Leeds on the final day of the last campaign, take on Barton’s third-placed Cod Army at Highbury this afternoon in the first ever game between the two teams.

“To be fair to them they’ve made a really great start,” Barton told the Blackpool Gazette. “The reality of it is, my players, Fleetwood players, right now, arguably, are in the landscape of becoming the best Fleetwood Town team.

“Where, no disrespect to the Ipswich players, if they don’t win the league this year, or even if they do win the league, they’re probably as bad as a group of players as Ipswich have had in a long time. That’s the reality.

“You can see them doing the wave to the crowd after games and the stuff you would worry about them doing 10 games in.

“Do you have the confidence after losing virtually every week for a long period last season?

“A change around of players, players stepping up from League Two into League One, players dropping down the leagues.

“Is it built on solid foundations? I suppose we will find that out on Saturday, because you have a side in Fleetwood Town who are upwardly mobile in terms of momentum.

“When we took over here this was a club fighting off relegation.That is no longer the culture or the mindset of the building.”

Barton also confirmed that he was keen to sign James Norwood, who joined the Blues after leaving Tranmere in the close season.

“We tracked James Norwood, tracked him for a while, and thought we had a legitimate shot at getting him,” the one-time England international added.

“Then, he scores loads of goals in League Two last season and then you hear Ipswich are in for him, as they’re coming down.

“We’re kind of like: ‘OK, we might have £2,500-£3,000, for you’ and then Ipswich come in and give him between £8,000 and £10,000.
“The January before you see Sunderland pay £3.5 million for Will Grigg and probably up north of £10,000 a week.

“It’s remaining clear in your objectives that we can’t compete with these teams financially, so we’ve got to be a lot smarter in what we do. In many ways it’s going to be David versus Goliath.”


Photo: Action Images



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BurleysGloryDays added 13:09 - Oct 5
*smiles wryly*

That makes this an interesting fixture.

I have to be honest, going into the game I felt this would be a very tough one.

That makes me think it won't be as bad as I thought, he's clearly scratching around for off-the-pitch stuff to make up for something.

Bring it on, may the best team win...
2

algarvefan added 13:12 - Oct 5
hahahaha what a tosspot we are not falling for that one.
Should be a good game Joey, you just concentrate on your own team pal/
3

IpswichT62OldBoy added 13:15 - Oct 5
Seems very odd behaviour, Roy Keane -esque.
Maybe he is an idiot and its not his fault.
0

ArnieM added 13:16 - Oct 5
Ha ha ha good old mind games from Barton gobshyte, he must be worried then 👍.
0

Taricco_Fan added 13:17 - Oct 5
I guess this is an attempt to take the pressure of his players but all Barton has done is motivate a top-of-the-table team even further.
1

gosblue added 13:32 - Oct 5
Or for the first time in twenty years we have a squad worthy of the name. For years we've had to patch up our injured players and throw them in. Now even some of our decent, fit players are being rested.
0

gosblue added 13:32 - Oct 5
Or for the first time in twenty years we have a squad worthy of the name. For years we've had to patch up our injured players and throw them in. Now even some of our decent, fit players are being rested.
0

Palestine added 13:34 - Oct 5
Unpopular opinion - but I think this is quite funny! It's a good little dig.Almost true - maybe last year was the worst group of players. This year a bit better?

I think the bit about doing a team wave to the crowd is spot on, and echoing Renegade Statman's comment on twitter - are we maybe over-celebrating this early in the season? I will like these celebrations more if/when we are actually playing really good football. Until then I am a bit uneasy...
1

Gilesy added 13:41 - Oct 5
Whilst he's undoubtedly a knob, I can't immediately disagree with anything he's said!
-2

runningout added 13:43 - Oct 5
Don't believe how some of you react. Give your heads a shake
0

SheptonMalletBlue added 14:17 - Oct 5
I wonder if he said all that in a french accent!!!!😂
1

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 14:38 - Oct 5
I don't think we are over celebrating . I guess I can see why some people outside the club may think that but it's not . We were doing it last year after defeats and when we had been relegated. It's purely a great relationship that currently exists between the players/staff and the fans , which as we all know had totally disintegrated. It's not cocky it's sheer pleasure to be winning again and long may it continue.
Oh and Joey Barton ! Who cares what that thug thinks .
3

1psw1ch added 14:40 - Oct 5
Sour grapes,,,what a bell end
1

mojo added 14:54 - Oct 5
As always people have to listen to the full interview to get the full story. He started off by saying that Fleetwood are on the cusp of having one of their best teams in years and that Ipswich one of their worst. The fact that we are in the 3rd division for the first time in decades backs this up, even if we appear to have turned a corner. Joey, although a man with flaws and a checkered past seems to talk a lot of sense and is smarter than your average footballer.
2

Skip73 added 15:25 - Oct 5
Tw*t!!
1

Suffolkboy added 15:27 - Oct 5
Seems to be an aspiring Steve Evans , and has a physical ‘nasty ‘ record to go with it !
Bit of a puzzle how he's still managing ,but may have cured many other bad habits which got him into trouble !
Anyway by far the best would be for us to outperform FT which is what we're there to do !
COYB
0

tractorboybig added 15:54 - Oct 5
he is right probably since 1946
0

Lightningboy added 16:00 - Oct 5
The poor man's Neil Warnock.

Mouthy tw@t
0

Tufty added 16:11 - Oct 5
If our players are bad what does that make Barton load of no hoppers.
Show some respect.
0

NeedhamBlue added 16:43 - Oct 5
I'd rather have the worst Ipswich Town team ever and be winning League One, instead of having the best Fleetwood Town ever and not be top of the league.

Isn't his comment actually more of an insult to Fleetwood? The best ever Fleetwood team and he's not winning the league?
1

LWNR2013 added 17:07 - Oct 5
Bad luck today Joey against a bad side, oh too late
0

afrodids added 17:22 - Oct 5
He must feel a bit silly right now! 😂😂😂We're still top of the league, we're still top of the league!
0

Nobbysnuts added 17:36 - Oct 5
Absolute bellend. Always has been and always will be. Just shut up you stupid pointless individual.
0

JaySwitch added 17:52 - Oct 5
#teamtalk
0

Bildestoned added 17:53 - Oct 5
Consider all suspicions about this tw*t well and truly confirmed.
0


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