Hopping-mad Barton copies Cole
JOEY BARTON is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Joe Cole and be a French hit after completing his move to Marseille.
The out-of-favour QPR midfielder hopped it across the Channel on Friday on a season-long loan deal, and was introduced to the fans at the weekend.
And he has already expressed his desire to be the latest Brit export to do well playing in France.
Joe Cole had a successful season with Lille last year while, going back further, Chris Waddle, Trevor Steven and Tony Cascarino have all been big hits in Ligue 1.
Barton said: “English players have done well in France. Cole, Cascarino, Waddle, Steven –
football
is top-level French football.
“There is the problem with the cultural differences and the language and I’ll have to adapt.”
Atmosphere
The 30-year-old believes that will be easy, though, owing to the football-mad nature of his new home.
He insisted: supports city.
“Marseille has an English feel to it in some ways, with the supporters and the atmosphere.
“They could be an English club. The club and the city are intrinsically linked.
“It’s not like London or Paris. Football is integral to the city. When the team wins, the whole city is happy.”
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