This is possibly the Chronicle's best ever article!!:
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/spo...oey-bartons-bizarre-press-conference-17817286
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Welcome to Joey's world.
Planet Barton, an alternative universe inhabited by one man, which exists in a galaxy far removed from reality.
The assembled media smiled politely as they were given a glimpse into Barton's dystopian dimension in one of the most bizarre post-match Press conferences I have witnessed at the Stadium of Light.
The former Newcastle United midfielder said
Sunderland 'celebrated as though they had won the World Cup' when
Max Power scored the 97th minute equaliser that gave the Black Cats a 1-1 draw, rather than acknowledge that he was being publicly mocked by 28,000 fans who revelled in his misery at seeing victory - and two points - snatched from his grasp right at the death.
'Six minutes' stoppage time usually means six minutes' stoppage time, but not tonight,' moaned Joey, who did not appreciate the irony that his team's timewasting had extended the game just long enough for Sunderland to score.
He was unhappy that referee Scott Oldham had played more than the six minutes' added time indicated at the end of the game, conveniently forgetting that it is a minimum amount - and that his side's timewasting antics continued in injury-time, fully justifying the official's decision to let the game continue.
The timewasting by Barton's team was embarrassing, and it started as soon as Barrie Murphy had given them their fifth-minute lead.
Aside from the usual gamesmanship of taking an age at every goal-kick, free-kick, and throw-in, Fleetwood were late back onto the pitch for the start of the second half and carried on doing a mini warm-up when everyone else was ready for the restart - at least, they did until Power intervened and chucked their cones off the pitch.
At least Barton did not try to deny his team were trying to run the clock down, admitting: 'What are we meant to do, speed up because we're winning?'
To be fair to Barton, he has done an excellent job at Fleetwood and they are firmly in the promotion-chasing pack.
It is just the tone he strikes that grates.
He went on to regale us with tales of a Fleetwood Town team that is 'miles better than them [Sunderland]', which prompts the question why didn't they win and why aren't they miles ahead of the Black Cats in the table, rather than two places and three points behind - admittedly with a game in hand.
'We are much better at passing the ball,' said Joey, which makes you wonder if he realised his side had managed just 37 percent possession.
'They'd absolutely drenched the pitch all day because they are scared of little old Fleetwood coming and outplaying them," said Barton after seeing his team dominated for two-thirds of the match.
'I'm a mad Newcastle supporter,' said the lifelong Evertonian.
'Hoof-ball', he called Sunderland's tactics.
'Sunderland paid more for Will Grigg than our entire budget," he said of a player who was not even in the matchday squad.
Barton even managed to squeeze in a reference to the Sunderland 'Til I Die Netflix documentary, although by that point he was just rambling.
The excuses went on and on.
And it was hilarious.
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On this - we have 2 ex mag players at clubs we've come up against of late - Barton and Bowyer. Both absolute ****s as people but both turning out to be decent managers (IMO)
Yet Bowyer is all about football and his side when he plays us - doesn;t come out with the utter ****e this dickhead does - Honestly think Barton needs us!!
