Lifestyles Of Top-Earning Players Riles Barton
Source: Agencies |
January 1, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE lifestyles of some high-earning footballers have put them out of touch with reality, Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton said.
Barton, who has resurrected his career after being jailed for assault in 2008, told BBC that being forced to face up to his own problems and failings had given him a sense of perspective some other players lacked.
"Driving round 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.
"A lot of them are so detached from reality it's untrue and there was a stage when I was like that.
"It's only the fact I'm grounded by the trouble I've been in that's forced me away from being in the football world."
The 27-year-old Barton, who made one appearance for England, has courted trouble throughout his career.
He stubbed a lit cigarette into the eye of a teammate, slapped a fan, hit former Manchester City colleague Ousmane Dabo and beat up a teenager during a night out in Liverpool, which earned him a six-month prison sentence.
"That's the stuff people know about - there's stuff I got away with," he admitted.
The player sought help at a clinic specializing in behavioral problems and without it he believes things could have got even worse for him.
Barton, who has resurrected his career after being jailed for assault in 2008, told BBC that being forced to face up to his own problems and failings had given him a sense of perspective some other players lacked.
"Driving round 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.
"A lot of them are so detached from reality it's untrue and there was a stage when I was like that.
"It's only the fact I'm grounded by the trouble I've been in that's forced me away from being in the football world."
The 27-year-old Barton, who made one appearance for England, has courted trouble throughout his career.
He stubbed a lit cigarette into the eye of a teammate, slapped a fan, hit former Manchester City colleague Ousmane Dabo and beat up a teenager during a night out in Liverpool, which earned him a six-month prison sentence.
"That's the stuff people know about - there's stuff I got away with," he admitted.
The player sought help at a clinic specializing in behavioral problems and without it he believes things could have got even worse for him.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
