More hypocrisy over Joey Barton’s rise and fall among the ‘chatterati’
JOEY Barton has been sacked as Queens Park Rangers captain following his 12-match ban and £75,000 FA fine for acts of stupidity and violence on the Manchester City pitch. In the Times, Rory Smith writes:
‘He was jeered by his own fans when substituted against Liverpool, a game, in his absence, that QPR managed to win; just as they survived his recklessness at the Etihad Stadium.’
QPR lost on the final day of the season at the Etihad, when City won the Premier League title. Had Bolton Wanderers not been let down by some horrible refereeing at Stoke City, QPR would not have survived to face another season of top-flight football.
But odder than that reworking of the facts is the Times‘ football editor Tony Evans’ comment piece. In it, Evans says:
‘Joey Barton’s Twitter profile sums up his lack of awareness…the 29-year-old has laid bare the scale of his lack of self-awareness. He has attempted to use Twitter as a vehicle to restyle his image.’
Only on Twitter?
‘…He captured the attention of the chattering classes, attending the morning editorial conference at a broadsheet newspaper. He was filmed at an art gallery by the same jaundiced organ while he gave his verdict on the exhibits on display.’
That broadsheet is the Guardian. What Evans fails to note is that it was the Times that gave Barton a column. Evans then mentions Barton’s outing on the BBC’s Newsnight, adding:
‘He has been paraded like a circus act for the amusement of those who should know better. Sadly, it gave him the attention he craved.’
Not to mention that column in the Times, then, which Evans doesn’t…
One thing is certain: Barton is newsworthy.
Posted: 24th, May 2012 | In: Key Posts, Sports Comments (5) | TrackBack | Permalink
