IT IS sad that even when given a chance to reinvent himself, Joey Barton still can’t grasp the opportunity.
His departure from the English game seemed a necessary move if Barton, who had blotted his copybook at Manchester City, Newcastle United and QPR both on and off the field, was to deal with his demons and start his career afresh.
As such his loan from the West London Hoops to Ligue I outfit Olympique de Marseille seemed a good fit.
The French competition perhaps carries a little less pressure than the Premier League hothouse and, certainly as far as England is concerned, is decidedly out of the spotlight.
But Barton seemingly cannot help himself and at the start of next week he will appear in front of France’s Football Federation’s ethics committee after treating his internet followers to a string of insults about Ligue I colleagues and international stars.
Paris St Germain’s Thiago Silva, who Barton branded a ‘ladyboy’, was reportedly unimpressed, as probably were his clubmates David Beckham and Zlatan Imbrahimovic, and Brazil’s Neymar, who were also treated to Barton’s unedifying slurs.
France’s sports paper L’Equipe asked ‘C’est la humour British?’ in a headline about the story, so Barton seems to be dead set on dragging the rest of us to his level in the eyes of our neighbours.
I know it would be a break with tradition, but is there any chance of a worldwide Sine Die suspension for repeat offending so we can say goodbye once and for all to Barton?
