Quote:
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/joey-barton-labelled-coward-by-former-teammate-as-he-joins-marseilles-on-loan-3217737.html
Joey Barton labelled 'coward' by former teammate as he joins Marseilles on loan
JOEY Barton is looking for a fresh start with Olympipc Marseille but former Manchester City team-mate, Ousmane Dabo, who was hospitalised by Barton in a training ground attack, has spoken out in the French media calling him a 'coward'.
Barton has joined Marseille on a season-long loan from QPR after being stripped of the captiancy and receiving a 12-match ban from the FA for his sending off against Manchester City at the end of last season.
The former City and Newcastle midfielder had been training with the reserves and Fleetwood Town before joining OM on loan, where he was welcomed by the fans last weekend with a banner showing the message "Welcome Sweet and Tender Hooligan", a reference to Barton's favourite band, The Smiths.
But Dabo has since hit out at Barton in French newspaper L'Equipe, accusing him of lying over the 2007 incident that saw the Frenchman hospitalised and Barton given a four-month suspended prison sentence.
"Joey Barton is lying about what happened on the training pitch at Manchester City. It is unbelievable. I am shocked."
"There was a trial at the civil courts, he pleaded guilty, and got a four-months suspended prison sentence."
"When he is talking, he denies it, he stated I have started it all. It is fake. All my team-mates that were present during the attack gave evidence for me during the trial."
"He tackled me, I replied by tackling him too. We found ourselves face-to-face. I had no intention to fight."
"I jostled him, but I didn't hit him. So I turned back and then he struck me to the side of the head. I lost consciousness and, being on the ground, he jumped at me and went on hitting me in the face about 10 times."
"He says he is a man, a bad boy, but he is just a coward. I don't want to give my truth, but the truth. Once again there was a trial."
Dabo went on to talk about Barton's fall-out at Queens Park Rangers, stating that "no one wanted him in England, which is his own country, that means there is probably a reason."
"He didn't act that way just once. When he gave a knee blow to (Sergio) Aguero, he did it in his back again. I don't call that a man," said Dabo.
"He is nasty, a traitor. Sometimes I feel people roll out the red carpet for him. So I talk to remind people Joey Barton is a very violent player, far away from the image he tries to give since he joined Marseille. It wears me out to talk again about that story five years later."
Barton responded to Dabo's comments via his Twitter account: ’See Dabo is yet to move on, I feel for him. What happened was unfortunate. Next time he should think twice about throwing his weight about’.
Good man Joey - you fuckin' tell him..
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
