Barton tackles public’s reaction to Rugby World Cup bad boys
England’s dismal campaign in New Zealand lurched from one controversy to another before and after their quarter-final exit, with players criticised for their off-field behaviour during the tournament.
Outspoken QPR captain Barton, who has one international cap, told the Professional Players Federation national conference yesterday: “If that was an England football team at a World Cup, there would probably have been public executions when they got home.
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Hide Ad“’Football’s a gentleman’s game played by thugs’, I hear quite a lot, and ‘rugby’s a thug’s game played by gentlemen’.
“The minute a footballer steps out of line, I think the media in this country – because of the sums of money they earn and also because of the stigma attached – are really quick to jump on it.”
Barton also took issue with footballers’ status as role models.
“There is a lot of envy about what footballers earn, the astronomical figures,” he said. “That’s not our fault.
“I went from being on £300 a week playing in a big league to £6,500 a week.
“No-one taught me how to handle that, no-one taught me how to be a man, I didn’t instantly get that wage increase and become a role model.
“I was still the same kid from a working-class council estate.”