TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Mark Hughes sacking by Manchester City 'unacceptable', says Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester City have come under fire from United manager for way they went about installing Roberto Mancini as successor. telegraph.co.uk |
Barton: 'Most footballers are knobs' • Midfielder says Sporting Chance made him 'a man'• Criticises lifestyles of top-flight professionalsJoey Barton has been blamed for many things but the Newcastle United midfielder cannot be accused of a lack of candour."Most footballers are knobs," said Barton today in a radio interview which is unlikely to prove popular with his fellow professionals. "I meet a lot of them and they are so detached from real life it's untrue. But there was a stage when I was like that."The 27-year-old, who says he is a changed man since giving up drinking two years ago, expressed dismay at footballers' isolation from the wider world and the rampant materialism of many of his peers."Driving around in flash cars and changing them like you change your socks, wearing stupid diamond watches and spending money like it's going out of fashion in the middle of a recession when some people are struggling to put food on the table for the kids – it's not the way to do it," he said.Interviewed on an edition of BBC Radio 4's Today programme which was guest-edited by his mentor, Tony Adams, Barton said that he was only jolted out of the game's "Peter Pan" world – in which agents organise players' lives, taking care of such mundane basics as bank accounts, bills, mortgages and car insurance – by his addiction to alcohol and inability to control his anger.A series of unsavoury incidents led him to the Sporting Chance Clinic, which was founded by Adams, the former Arsenal captain. Barton, who served time in prison for his part in an assault in Liverpool city centre two years ago, said the clinic "gave me the tools to understand myself, basically. It helped me grow into a man".The gulf between Barton's upbringing in Huyton, Merseyside and life as a young player at Manchester City was obvious."I was earning £20,000 a week and yet I didn't even know how to behave, I was just a child," he said. "You grow up in an environment where, as long as you're a good player, you're told that you're the best all the time. But whether you're the best footballer in the world or the best golfer or the best cricketer, you're a human being. You might be good at that [sport] but you might be crap at life."Barton's misdemeanours included stubbing a lit cigarette into the eye of a City team-mate; slapping a fan; assaulting a former City colleague, Ousmane Dabo; and the aforementioned attack on a 16-year-old outside a branch of McDonald's in Liverpool."My last night out probably cost me £500,000 plus my reputation," he said. "I must have been as close as you can get to self-destruct. I had two choices, basically. Either you carry on what you're doing and your career's gone, or you address it."Barton, who is close to full recovery from a serious foot injury, says the British media helped to change his character."I am very thankful to the media of this country," he said, suggesting that regular vilification in print and broadcast media forced him to confront several issues.He also said: "There's stuff I got away with. But I'm very fortunate, because of my profile and the job I do and the fact that I'm in the public eye, it got addressed. And it's only the fact that I'm grounded by the trouble I've been in that's forced me away from being in the football world."After counselling and introspection, Barton has decided that he is, essentially, "a simple bloke"."I don't want to be famous," he said. "It was never for me about the cars, the women, the money – whatever people perceive to come with it. I love football, I want to play football."Joey BartonNewcastle UnitedChampionshipRadio 4Louise Taylorguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Togo Disqualified From African Cup CABINDA, Angola (AP) -- The African soccer confederation says Togo has been ''disqualified'' from the African Cup of Nations. feeds.nytimes.com |
Ferguson denies Fury unrest If there was any disharmony in North Queensland Fury's ranks, coach Ian Ferguson wasn't letting on ahead of their A-League clash with Wellington Phoenix. foxsports.com.au |
Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand faces ban for violent conduct • Ferdinand will miss City match if he does not appeal• Ferguson bans Sky cameras over role in FA chargeSir Alex Ferguson's insistence that the behaviour of his players "has always been perfect" has been undermined by the news that Rio Ferdinand is facing a three-match ban for violent conduct. The defender could miss the second leg of Manchester United's Carling Cup semi-final against Manchester City tonight, the match against Arsenal on Sunday and the home game against Portsmouth the Âfollowing weekend after knocking the Hull City striker Craig Fagan to the ground Âduring the 4-0 victory last Saturday.Ferguson has banned Sky's cameras from his press conferences at the club's training ground after he learned that the television company – at the Football Association's request – Âproduced the pictures that have led to Ferdinand being charged. The United manager also believes Sky is partly to blame for the bad feeling surrounding tonight's match, after repeatedly broadcasting pictures of Gary Neville showing his middle finger to Carlos Tevez in last week's first leg.Ferdinand's charge came a few hours after Ferguson said his players' behaviour "has always been perfect" and expressed irritation about the way their conduct was under scrutiny this week. The FA has written to United and City, after being contacted by Greater Manchester police, to stress the importance of the Âplayers not adding to an incendiary atmosphere.Ferguson rounded on Sky's reporter. "You try to promote yourself – just leave the football to us, OK?" he said. "You come out with some nonsense. I don't pay any attention to a lot of that. The players' behaviour has always been perfect. They play within the rules of the game. We've never had any issues with big games."Ferguson's defence of his players omits previous incidents in Manchester derbies, including Roy Keane's infamous challenge on Alfie Haaland and Neville being sent off for headbutting Steve McManaman. The United manager said: "I don't know why you are going on about it. Look at the record. Unbelievable!"United yesterday announced a £10m deal to sign the 20-year-old Fulham centre-half Chris Smallingat the end of the season. Arsenal had made the first approach for a player who was at Maidstone United in the Isthmian League three years ago and who has made only four Premier League appearances. Smalling's move is subject to a medical – due today, according to Fulham's manager, Roy Hodgson – and personal terms and Arsenal will not give up. "As long as the player has not signed anywhere, it is not the end of it," said their manager, Arsène Wenger. Smalling is regarded by United as a successor to Nemanja Vidic, who is keen to leave Old Trafford.If Ferdinand pleads not guilty to his charge, he could face City, with a hearing to be held on Thursday, but, if the FA considers the appeal to be "frivolous" and finds him guilty, the ban could be extended to a fourth game, at Aston Villa on 10 February. Ferdinand has until 6pm today to respond. If he accepts the charge, the three-match ban starts immediately.The match against City has been preceded by Tevez calling Neville a "moron" and a "boot-licker" on Argentinian radio. "There isn't a problem with Carlos or any of the other players," Roberto Mancini, the City manager, said. "Everybody must stay calm and think only about the match. If we don't stay calm, we could have a problem. We must stay calm because it's important we think about the game, about tactics, about corners. We must keep our concentration. If you can stay calm, we will play better."Mancini went on to quote "the fantastic Oasis", saying his message was "don't look back in anger". However, the City chief executive Garry Cook's comments that his employers will supersede United as England's biggest club and that it is a case of "when not if" they will reach Wembley have not helped to calm the situation."Sometimes people can get carried away," Ferguson said.Zoran Tosic is close to agreeing a loan deal with FC Cologne after a miserable year at Old Trafford.Manchester UnitedRio FerdinandSir Alex FergusonDaniel Taylorguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |