By Kieran Beckles* * 1:09pm UK, Wednesday 4 April, 2012 Mark Hughes has described Queens Park Rangers pair Joey Barton and Djibril Cissé as two of the most “interesting” characters the Hoops boss has come across in his management career. The 48-year-old played alongside Manchester United legend Eric Cantona for three seasons at Old Trafford and he described the French midfielder as his most eccentric teammate. And while Hughes admitted Barton and Cissé are two of QPR’s most distinctive personalities, he believes the key to a successful dressing room is having a blend of different characters. “I’ve managed quite a few characters in my time,” said Hughes. “These two [Barton and Cissé] are among a number of characters that won’t test you, but make your day interesting and they keep the world turning around. “I would never just want guys that are in one box and never show any emotion or any character. “It’s about marrying different characters and personalities and making sure they function as a group.” Hughes signed former Liverpool striker Cissé from Lazio in a £4m deal in January but the 30-year-old’s impact has been compromised by his poor disciplinary record. The French forward, who has scored three Premier League goals since his move, received his second red card in five games for a dangerous challenge on Sunderland’s Fraizer Campbell. It resulted in a four-game ban which means Cissé will miss trips to Old Trafford and White Hart Lane, as well as Swansea City’s visit to Loftus Road. Hughes revealed he has spoken to Cissé about both dismissals, but the QPR manager insisted the French forward still has a key role to play in their battle for survival. “I’ve spoken to Djibril and obviously made him aware of my disappointment about what happened [against Sunderland],” said Hughes. “He understood that because he was disappointed himself. Unfortunately the damage is done. “It’s a real shame for him because when he’s played, he’s been a real threat, he’s scored three goals already and the frustration from my point of view is I can’t pick him. “But he still has a part to play from now until the end of the season.” He added: “For the first sending off, he’s come to a new league and a different country and he misinterpreted the interpretation of what he did. “Certainly in Italy that wouldn’t have been a sending off and that was his view at the time. “On the second one, he felt he didn’t make that much contact. But I think the potential of the tackle was there for everyone to see and I think that’s why he threw his hands up. “But he understands that what he did was wrong and unfortunately we’re all paying the consequences for that.”
What exactly did Hughes say to Cisse after his second dismissal that was different from what he said after the first, apart from ' that's the second time you've done that!' Sounds like he misinterpreted the interpretation of what he did, as well as what his boss said...
“These two [Barton and Cissé] are among a number of characters that won’t test you, but make your day interesting and they keep the world turning around." Polite way of saying "a couple of nut jobs"?
