Joey Barton Admits He Made QPR Move for the Money, Loftus Road Career Effectively Over
Joey Barton admits the money on offer at Queens Park Rangers persuaded him to make an ill-fated switch to Loftus Road.
The 30-year-old has endured a turbulent time in the capital, with QPR eventually agreeing to send him on loan to Marseille over the summer.
A misconduct charge picked up on the back of a sending-off at Manchester City on the final day of last season proved to the final straw for the R's.
It was, however, suggested that there could be a route back for Barton after Mark Hughes was relieved of his managerial duties and replaced by Harry Redknapp.
Those bridges would now appear to have been burned, with Barton's claim that he only joined QPR for the money unlikely to endear him to the club's fan base or their new coaching team.
"When I went to QPR it was a choice dictated by money," the brutally honest midfielder told the Sunday People.
"I didn't like what I had done, and I swore I'd never do that again.
"It was the first time in my life that I had taken a decision for money. I did it because my partner was due to give birth - but I did not feel good about it."
SOURCE: Sky Sports
Is honesty the best policy?
The idea that Joey Barton felt forced into accepting a huge salary from QPR because his partner was pregnant is more than a little hard to swallow. After all prior to his move from Newcastle United to West London one would have to assume that the midfielder was very well off and clearly more than able to cover the cost of an extra mouth to feed.
This statement won't endear Barton to the Loftus Road side and if a permanent move to Marseille is not secured then the troubled misfit may once again have to return to QPR or at best look for another side who may think twice about giving into any wage demands.
Tickets still available for top football matches - Marseille tickets