Joey Barton certainly enjoys courting controversy.
The former Manchester City, Newcastle United, QPR, Marseille, Rangers and current Burnley man has made something of a career of getting up people’s noses in one way or another.
If it’s not late tackles and crunching fouls, it’s off-field indiscretions and outlandish statements.
Born and raised in Huyton, Merseyside, the 34-year-old actually spent time at both Everton and Liverpool’s academies before he ended up at City. And as a proud scouser, he sees himself as something of an authority on football in the area.
Speaking on TalkSport on Saturday, Barton decided to have a go at Liverpool’s widely respected boss Jurgen Klopp. The German is acknowledged as a top-class manager throughout Europe, as someone who has often made the most of limited resources and always promoted attractive football.
Whilst his Coutinho-less side only managed a draw away to Watford in the early kick off, it surely didn’t deserve a personal attack on his abilities and mockery of his achievements. But Barton couldn’t help himself.
The midfielder-come-pundit claimed the former Borussia Dortmund man was nothing like the ‘super-coach’ he’s widely heralded to be, but instead nowt but a ‘giant German cheerleader’:
“I always worry when I see [Klopp] prancing up and down the touchline. He is like a giant German cheerleader for them.
“To be a top manager, you have got to have more than that. He has got a terrible record in finals.
“I’m not buying the Klopp aura and that he is this super coach. His career doesn’t point that way.”
We’d suggest two Bundesliga titles, one German cup, and one German supercup – all whilst competing against the mighty Bayern Munich – isn’t too shabby for a glorified cheerleader.
