Joey Barton was in the headlines again this weekend, publicly lambasting one of his players following a defeat.
After his side lost 2-0 to Peterborough United, Barton singled out former Barnsley man Luke Thomas for criticism. He cited him as the main reason his side conceded a second just after the break, putting the game beyond them.
“Their first goal was a deflected hit that went through a crowd of bodies and our keeper had no chance,” Barton said.
“Then to compound it one idiotic young boy – I can’t even call him a man – has compromised the team with his behavioural standards and we find ourselves 2-0 down with a mountain to climb.
“Unless we man up – and I know you have to be careful saying that in the modern era – and absolutely eradicate these weak, feeble-minded individuals that are currently inside our unit, we won’t get promoted out of this division.”
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It isn’t the first time Barton has called out a player – last season, he said he ‘didn’t trust’ defender Trevor Clarke before admitting he shouldn’t have given the Irishman a new contract.
“I’ve been telling Trev all summer ‘I don’t trust you, you’re doing stuff in training, you’re not doing what I’m asking you do to, your retention of information I’m struggling with because how many times am I going to show you?’”, he said of Clarke, now on loan at Shamrock Rovers.
“He’s not 17 or 19; he’s 24, so at some point, the penny has got to drop, and after doing a year’s worth of work with him last year, I just got to the point where we need to pull up stumps here and just draw a line under it.”
Other Controversy
This isn’t Barton’s first time involved in something controversial – far from it. However, most of the issues around his Bristol Rovers stint are based on what he has said rather than what he has done. He criticised his players after taking over in 2020, saying there was ‘no way’ he’d have allowed the group to be built.
He then criticised one of his predecessors, Ben Garner, for allowing cultural and behaviourial patterns to develop that led to the club’s relegation. In 2021, he referenced the Holocaust in an interview and had to apologise; these are just three examples of him coming across very badly in interviews. He’s quick to lash out at other managers and players whenever he can, and as this weekend proves, that isn’t reserved for the opposition.
Should The Gas Consider His Position?
This latest outburst should concern Rovers fans. Luke Thomas is a talented player, impressing for Barnsley last season, as they made the top six. He wasn’t to blame for the goal, not solely – Jack Hunt’s rash attempt to win the ball happened much further up the field, for instance. Scapegoating does not lead to success, and Thomas will have friends among the squad who will have heard those comments and be suitably upset for their teammate. It feels like Thomas has been singled out for a mistake that didn’t cost his team the game at all – they didn’t score, hadn’t scored and therefore would have lost 1-0 anyway.
The issue here isn’t about how Thomas played, or what he did; it’s a deeper issue around respect. Football is becoming a respectful game where managers conduct themselves in a manner that reflects their club’s values. It’s rare to hear a manager speak disrespectfully about an opponent, unless you’re a Bristol Rovers supporter. How long can a manager be allowed to continue to be the focus of attention like this, before his club become concerned?
It feels like Bristol Rovers might be suffering from something we term the ‘Karl Robinson effect.’ Robinson, at Oxford, didn’t do badly, but he had a blame culture, always looking outwardly to find reasons his team did not win matches. Despite keeping Oxford in the division, challenging for promotion every so often, it always felt to an outsider like he was holding the team back. Liam Manning’s performance this season suggests that the train of thought was correct.
Bristol Rovers are a big club – they’re arguably bigger than Stevenage, Exeter, Lincoln City and Wycombe, all in the top ten of League One. They’ve got a good squad of players: John Marquis, George Friend, Jack Hunt, Scott Sinclair, Aaron Collins, Jevani Brown, Chris Martin, James Wilson, Luke Thomas, Jordan Rossiter… the list goes on. These are players capable of playing in a top-six side; many have proven that in the past. It does feel like perhaps the one thing that needs to change at the club is the culture from above.
Ironically, Joey Barton criticised Ben Garner for the culture he allowed to grow at The MEM. Yet, the culture there currently feels more controversial and toxic than many other clubs. With that in mind, it might be time for Bristol Rovers to take the leap, dispense with his services, and find a forward-thinking young coach with a more progressive approach and respectful attitude.
Do you agree?
Given his recent comments about Luke Thomas, is it time for Bristol Rovers to consider Joey Barton's position? #Rovers #BRFC
— The Real EFL (@RealEFLSocial) October 2, 2023
