Tuesday, 11th March, 2014
QPR midfielder Joey Barton has blasted the English Football Association for appointing former Northampton manager Aidy Boothroyd as a national coach.
Boothroyd, who was sacked by Northampton in December with the club sitting bottom of the League Two table, was recently handed the key role, reporting to the FA's director of elite development Dan Ashworth and Under-21 coach Gareth Southgate.
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And Barton, responding to an article in an English newspaper, has hit out at Boothroyd's appointment and hinted his friendship with Ashworth may well have been a factor.
"What's really interesting which the article missed was that Boothroyd was Dan Ashworth's best man! Now isn't that a coincidence?", Barton said via his Twitter account.
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"Now if he's the best man for the job, personal relationships are irrelevant. I so wanted to believe this Ashworth hype", the QPR midfielder continued.
"Under 20s is a key role, was 'Hoofroyd' really the standout candidate? Really? Northampton bottom of the pyramid? Who has he developed?"
Boothroyd, who has taken responsibility for England's Under-20s as part of his role, has previously bossed Watford, Colchester and Coventry, in addition to his period at Northampton.
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