Joey Barton has been criticised for a series of posts on social media
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Former footballer Joey Barton has been criticised after claiming that women “shouldn’t be talking with any authority” about men’s football.
Barton, who won a single England cap in 2007, was sacked by Bristol Rovers in October with the club struggling in League One.
The often outspoken 41-year-old has now launched into a rant on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that former female players are unqualified to comment on men’s football.
“Women shouldn’t be talking with any kind of authority in the men’s game,” Barton wrote. “Come on. Let’s be serious. It’s a completely different game.
“If you don’t accept that. We will always see things differently. The women’s game is thriving. Fantastic to see. I cannot take a thing they say serious in the men’s arena.”
The ex-midfielder subsequently added: “Any man who listens to Women commentary or co-comms needs their heads testing…”
Barton’s comments have prompted a significant backlash, including from broadcaster Kait Borsay.
“Oh good lord,” the Times Radio presenter said. “Who wants to explain to Joey Barton that men’s & women’s football plays by THE SAME RULES! The same tactics, the same mental preparation to win major championships (only the women have succeeded in this over 50+ yrs of course).”
Barton has nonetheless doubled down on his posts.
“Stand by everything I’ve said on women commenting and co-comm[entating] on the men’s football,” Barton posted on Thursday morning. “Like me talking about knitting or netball. Way out of my comfort zone.
“Some of the men are bad enough! We have gone too far. You cannot watch a game now without hearing the nonsense.”
It is not the first time Barton has been accused of sexism. He compared the parties competing in the 2015 general election to a choice “between four really ugly girls” during an appearance on BBC’s Question Time, a comment he later put down to nerves.
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