‘He’s Like The Kid Who Always Agrees With The Teacher’ – Joey Barton Gives Gareth Barry Both Barrels

Chris Wright

7th, April 2011

13 Comments

By Chris Wright

Say what you want about Joey Barton, but he’s certainly not backward in coming forward – in fact, the interview he gave to a French magazine t’other day barely needs anything in the way of an introduction, such is his brazen honesty.

Speaking to So Foot, when asked who he thought was the best English midfielder in the Premier League, Barton replied:

“Honestly, I think I’m the best [English midfielder], Luka Modric and Samir Nasri are very good, but in terms of English players… well, Jack Wilshere isn’t bad, but Frank Lampard’s on the way down and Steven Gerrard’s been injured a lot.

“I’m English and I love playing for my country. Maybe the people at the top have a problem with me –  I don’t know – but the trouble I had was four years ago. They should be able to forgive me, shouldn’t they?”

Barton then focused his ire on England stalwart Gareth Barry, who let’s just say, isn’t one of his favourites:

“Did you see the game against Germany at the World Cup? If you watch the fourth goal, when Mesut Ozil was up against Barry, it was like the hare and the tortoise!”

When asked for the reason behind Barry’s success, Barton replied:

“Barry’s got a very good agent. He’s also discreet and always agrees with the manager. He’s like the kid who sits in the front row and listens to the teacher. I certainly don’t lose any sleep when I play against him.”

The Newcastle midfielder was then quizzed on England’s future:

“We English will play the next 50 World Cups and we’ll never win one. The people in charge at the FA played football maybe 50 or 60 years ago and still think that we can win a World Cup in the same way we did in 1966.

“We’re too focused on tradition in England, like always having to play 4-4-2. Sometimes you need to experiment, drop a bit deeper so you have more space to move into.

“France, Italy and Germany have done it. We’ve been doing the same thing for 20 years.”

Factoring in the odd mistranslation here and there, it’s fairly hard to find yourself in the unenviable position of agreeing with Joey Barton, no?

Posted in Newcastle Utd

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13 Comments

  1. Red Peter says:

    Not sure why, but I can just picture Barry snivelling in agreement at everything Fabio Capello crows.

  2. Calski says:

    “England did nothing in the World Cup, why are they bringing books out? ‘We got beat in the quarter-finals, I played like shit, here’s my book’. Who wants to read that? I don’t.”
    Barton’s thoughts on England players releasing autobiographies after an unsuccessful World Cup campaign. So true.

  3. Andrew Thompson says:

    for any other player you would think the interview has probably been twisted into something bad, but you know since its JB he’s being honest and most people will agree with him

  4. Anonymous says:

    In the immortal words of the legendary John Sitton, “I’ll tell you the fucking truth, I think he’s right. He’s right.”

  5. :) says:

    that he says is-
    very funny.
    very true.
    except the best english midfielder part…parker would kick his ass (not literally-barton is a thug!)

  6. gamblino says:

    He is a cracking player to be fair. Up there with Parker. But I reckon Wilshere’s different class.

  7. Bruno says:

    He’s right about the FA and the World Cup. The problem with England is: You guys play in the World Cup like you do in the Premier League. It’s not the same pace, you need to keep the ball more, express yourself, change the system. Be creative… To win the World Cup, above all things, you need a genius playmaker

  8. Rob says:

    I wonder if he was the chav at the back of the class

  9. Ping Yang says:

    He actually is spot on. Not about being the best English midfielder because that is just delusional. But about everything else. Lampard is one if not my favorite player but I can admit he is getting older and not as sharp. Gerrard has been injured quite a bit and like Lampard has not been his best in the last two years. His comments on Barry were actually very true. He is overrated and I can see he is a teacher’s pet. However, Barton can not go around saying shit like this. Especially with his past. Barry can easily go out and say Barton is a fucker who has fucked up his career in so many ways. Barton really needs to shut up. Go retire and be a pundit if you want. Because being a cocky fucker and dissing his fellow compatriots won’t help him.

    Just imagine if he does get called up, I am pretty sure he will be sitting alone at the Lunch table.

  10. RedFilip says:

    Barton has got Morrissey’s haircut, that’s great !
    Scholes is the best English midfielder, maybe even all-time best, if not, than he’s on same level as Sir Charlton so we have the two all-time best, full stop !
    Barton and Parker as CMs, Downing as a LM, Lennon as a RM and Young as a AM should be considered worth giving a try by England.

  11. MrConbo says:

    Joey Barton the footballer is quality and should be in or around the England squad in my opinion and what he says in this interview has a lot of sense and truth in it.

    But Joey Barton the human being, whilst publicly improved in the last couple of years, will never be considered for England again. I honestly don’t know how many counts of assault he has had attached to him in the past but am pretty sure he was the player who stubbed a cigarette out in a yts player’s eye (correct me if I am wrong)

    A disgrace

  12. ENS Ltd says:

    Joey Barton is going the wrong way around trying to get a place in the England squad. Expressing views like this isn’t helpful or productive and makes Barton look like a brat.

    He is entitled to his opinion but would be better off keeping it to himself

  13. Tino L. says:

    I think Barton missed the obvious: if hes englands best midfielder, then there truly is no hope.

    I doubt there is a third world country that would be quacking at the thought of him, Parker and two other generic english midfielders.
    We saw what happens when a small thirld world country like Algeria shows up at the pitch with tecnically skilled players.
    Its one big game of keep away.

    I have to agree that if Barton is really trying to get on the squad, he’s really going at it the wrong way.
    Some might be tempted to think that he is a changed man but its comments like this which tell a manager that he hasnt.
    The LAST thing the NT needs is more internal drama.

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