Michael Duff has told his players to celebrate their achievement by having the weekend off, before a week of full focus prior to facing Sheffield Wednesday in the League One play-off final next Monday.
The comments came from an interview with The Yorkshire Post after Barnsley’s 1-0 second leg victory over Bolton which will send them to Wembley next Monday in their hunt for a return to the second tier. They’ll face a resurgent Sheffield Wednesday side who overturned a four goal deficit against Peterborough before winning on penalties during the week.
Duff allowed his players to take the weekend off and celebrate their achievement of getting to the final before shifting all of their focus to next week’s match in their first session of the week. The Tykes go into the game as underdogs, however Duff does believe his side have been somewhat underestimated. That’s been the story of the season for Barnsley, who after finishing rock bottom of the Championship last season, were predicted by many, would finish no higher than mid-table.
What’s been said?
When speaking about his players’ and staff’s achievements this season, Duff said:
“They don’t realise it yet as they are so young. When they get fat, grey and old like me, then they will reflect so I can reflect a bit earlier”.
“It is ten months of hard work and you have a day out at Wembley which don’t come around very often. In 22 years, I played at Wembley twice, it does not happen very often”
Now just a week from the final, Barnsley’s squad will no doubt be fully focused on the job at hand, as they look to beat Sheffield Wednesday for the third time this season. Both league meetings between the two clubs went Barnsley’s way, winning 2-0 at Hillsborough before a 4-2 win at Oakwell in what was one of the games of the season. That was the game which through a spanner in the works for Wednesday’s title charge and something has been amiss ever since. They did seem to be back to their best during their comeback win against Peterborough which will be on Duff’s mind. Wembley will be a completely different spectacle though, where both sides will be fancying their chances of promotion.
Writer’s View
After a long season, the weekend break will no doubt give Duff’s players both a time to recover as well as celebrate the season so far. They’re just one win away from returning to the second tier at the first time of asking. Sheffield Wednesday will be incredibly hard to pass but the character in which The Tykes have shown this season will stand them in good stead for a hard battle. It shall be yet another classic play-off final.
