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Joey Barton has continued to spread his controversial views by calling England icon Mary Earps \u201ca big sack of spuds\u201d and claims the Lionesses goalkeeper did not deserve to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old played a pivotal role for England at the Women\u2019s World Cup, falling agonisingly short to Spain in the final, despite her penalty save. The Manchester United star did claim Fifa\u2019s Golden Glove award for the best goalkeeper at the tournament.<\/p>\n
Earps edged out England cricketer Stuart Broad and heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson for the top prize.<\/p>\n
But Barton, who featured once for the Three Lions over just 12 minutes in his career, is adamant legendary jockey Frankie Dettori or seven-time world snooker champion Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan were more worthy than Earps.<\/p>\n
Barton, who has been out of work since being sacked by Bristol Rovers in October, has routinely provoked fans on social media with his sexist agenda on the game due to the increased role women now play in the coverage of men\u2019s football.<\/p>\n
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And after singling out England legend Alex Scott, the former Manchester City and Newcastle midfielder initially congratulated Earps before his latest rant at the creation of a \u201cculture of snowflakes\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cTo win before Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan and Frankie Dettori\u2026? Well, that\u2019s just madness to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth almost genius like in their respective fields. They\u2019ve lost to a big sack of spuds that plays in goal for a girls team.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the world we live in. This all started with the \u2018Everyone\u2019s a Winner\u2019 sport\u2019s days. This is what happens when you celebrate mediocre. You breed this weak culture. A culture of losers.<\/p>\n
\u201cA culture of snowflakes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barton, who scored six penalties out of seven in his career, also insisted: \u201cI\u2019d score 100 out of 100 penalties against Mary Earps.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scott sent a defiant message to women in football after Barton\u2019s attack on women covering the men\u2019s game, insisting that the sport \u201cis a better place with us all in it\u201d.<\/p>\n
Barton had earlier said that women \u201cshouldn\u2019t be talking with any kind of authority\u201d on men\u2019s football, before comparing having women on commentary, co-commentary or punditry duty as \u201clike me talking about knitting or netball\u201d.<\/p>\n
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England goalkeeper Mary Earps has been congratulated by the Prince of Wales after she was crowned 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year<\/p>\n
He also bemoaned the fact that \u201cyou cannot watch a game now without hearing the nonsense\u201d and that \u201cany man who says otherwise is an absolute fart parcel\u201d as well as repeatedly calling any dissenters \u201ceunuchs\u201d. He then expanded his remit of rage to insist that \u201ctokenistic\u201d hiring practices mean there will no longer be any jobs available in men\u2019s football for white, middle-aged, British men.<\/p>\n
In an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored<\/em> on TalkTV, Barton also specifically took aim at Scott, who won 140 caps for England and has become a prominent pundit since her retirement, including as the current host of Football Focus on the BBC. \u201cShe hasn\u2019t played in it [the men\u2019s game],\u201d said Barton. \u201cOne is 200 years old and one is about 40 years old\u2026 It\u2019s the same rules but football is about a lot more than rules\u2026 The games are at two different speeds.\u201d<\/p>\n After presenting live coverage of the Women\u2019s Super League clash between Arsenal and Chelsea on Sunday afternoon \u2013 which was played in front of a WSL-record crowd of 59,042 at the Emirates Stadium \u2013 Scott took the opportunity to slyly hit back at Barton\u2019s comments and deliver a heartfelt message to women in football.<\/p>\n "Just before we say goodbye,\u201d began Scott. \u201cTo all the women in football, in front of the camera or behind it, to the players on the pitch, to everyone that attends games \u2013 keep being the role models that you continue to be to all those young girls that are told 'no, you can't'. Football is a better place with us all in it."<\/p>\n