May 5th 2025.
Joey Barton, the 42-year-old former manager of Bristol Rovers, made a comeback with his notorious French accent during a Marseille legends match over the weekend. Despite being out of a job since his sacking in 2023, Barton has been making headlines for various reasons, including being found guilty of assaulting his wife and being involved in a dispute with former Lioness Eni Aluko.
Despite his troubles, Barton was invited to participate in the Marseille legends match at the Stade Velodrome to celebrate the club's 125th anniversary. Alongside star players like Robert Pires, Franck Ribery, Samir Nasri, and Didier Drogba, Barton stood out for all the wrong reasons with his cringeworthy interview before kick-off.
Back in 2012, when Barton joined Marseille, he introduced himself to the French media with an accent that seemed to come straight out of the BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo! Although his accent was ridiculed at the time, Barton decided to bring it back during his interview when asked about his infamous run-in with Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Recalling the incident, Barton explained, "It was a big game, Le Classique, and Ibrahimovic was very physical with Nicolas Nkoulou. The coach told me to defend him, and he fouled. The referee blew the whistle. Then, he spoke very badly to me, Zlatan did. It was caught on camera, so wherever I go, the Marseille fans say, 'Hey, Barton!' They don't remember the football, only the nose."
The video of Barton's interview received mixed reactions on social media, with some fans calling out his behavior as embarrassing. One fan wrote, "Absolutely embarrassing, that," while another joked, "Joey's been watching 'Allo 'Allo! all week." Another fan even compared his French speaking skills to their own in GCSE French.
Many questioned why Barton was invited to play in the legends match, considering he only spent one uneventful season with Marseille. One fan wrote, "He spent one season on loan, haha. What the f*** is this?" Another commented, "Why the hell is he playing in a legends game for Marseille? Is he a Marseille legend?" The term 'legend' seemed to have lost its meaning for some fans.
Interestingly, Barton had expressed interest in managing Marseille last year when Gennaro Gattuso was under pressure. He even said, "I am ready," in response to reports of Gattuso's struggles. However, Roberto De Zerbi was eventually chosen as the head coach for the 2024/25 season, and he has had a successful debut season so far, with Marseille currently in second place in Ligue 1.
Despite his controversial past, Barton's love for Marseille and their fans remains evident. He may not be remembered for his football skills, but his French accent will always be a topic of discussion among the Marseille faithful.
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