Tweet
Joey Barton still cannot understand why he is being ignored by England manager Fabio Capello and argued he should have been selected for the friendlies against Spain and Sweden.
Barton claimed last season he was the best English midfielder, on form, in the country and has repeated a similarly high view of himself this week.
The Queens Park Rangers captain left Newcastle in the summer after months of acrimonious discussions about a new contract and believes he is among an elite group of English players in the Premier League.
“I get asked about England quite a lot,” said Barton. “Fabio said he was going to pick the side on form when he came in, that was one of the prerequisites of him getting the job.
“I can’t think of seven English midfielders who over the last 18 to 12 months have played more consistently than me, but there are a lot without the baggage, or the perceived baggage, that comes with me.
“I’m not going to cry about it and nobody in the England set up will be crying about it either.”
Barton, who has one England cap, has not given up hope of breaking into the England squad before the European Championships in the summer, although his latest snub would appear to confirm he is not in Capello’s thinking.
With Steven Gerrard and Jack Wilshere already missing through injury, Barton is far lower in the pecking order than he thinks he should be.
He added: “Am I the difference between winning the World Cup or the European Cup? I would like to think so, but realistically I know I’m not.
“It would be great to go, it would be a great experience and I think I could add to it, but am I the difference? Wayne Rooney could be the difference between us winning it or not, Joey Barton certainly wouldn’t be.”
Barton received just one offer in the summer as he entered the final year of his contract at Newcastle, although he claims there was firm interest from Arsenal despite Arsene Wenger’s failure to make any bid.
“There was interest from what I’ve been told, “ said Barton in an interview with Sky Sports News. “But there is a big difference between a club showing interest and it getting over the line.
“If I’d have gone there, replacing Fabregas would have been big boots to fill and I’m sure the reaction would have been, ‘he’s no Fabregas.’
“People say ‘why did you leave Newcastle to go to QPR?’ But no matter which way you dress it up, Newcastle’s board didn’t want me. The fans wanted me, the other players wanted me, but the powers that be didn’t. I think it’s worked out best for both parties that I left.”
Barton claimed last season he was the best English midfielder, on form, in the country and has repeated a similarly high view of himself this week.
The Queens Park Rangers captain left Newcastle in the summer after months of acrimonious discussions about a new contract and believes he is among an elite group of English players in the Premier League.
“I get asked about England quite a lot,” said Barton. “Fabio said he was going to pick the side on form when he came in, that was one of the prerequisites of him getting the job.
“I can’t think of seven English midfielders who over the last 18 to 12 months have played more consistently than me, but there are a lot without the baggage, or the perceived baggage, that comes with me.
“I’m not going to cry about it and nobody in the England set up will be crying about it either.”
Barton, who has one England cap, has not given up hope of breaking into the England squad before the European Championships in the summer, although his latest snub would appear to confirm he is not in Capello’s thinking.
With Steven Gerrard and Jack Wilshere already missing through injury, Barton is far lower in the pecking order than he thinks he should be.
He added: “Am I the difference between winning the World Cup or the European Cup? I would like to think so, but realistically I know I’m not.
“It would be great to go, it would be a great experience and I think I could add to it, but am I the difference? Wayne Rooney could be the difference between us winning it or not, Joey Barton certainly wouldn’t be.”
Barton received just one offer in the summer as he entered the final year of his contract at Newcastle, although he claims there was firm interest from Arsenal despite Arsene Wenger’s failure to make any bid.
“There was interest from what I’ve been told, “ said Barton in an interview with Sky Sports News. “But there is a big difference between a club showing interest and it getting over the line.
“If I’d have gone there, replacing Fabregas would have been big boots to fill and I’m sure the reaction would have been, ‘he’s no Fabregas.’
“People say ‘why did you leave Newcastle to go to QPR?’ But no matter which way you dress it up, Newcastle’s board didn’t want me. The fans wanted me, the other players wanted me, but the powers that be didn’t. I think it’s worked out best for both parties that I left.”
Just about sums it up for me mate
Comment