Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has declared himself the best English midfielder going around.
Barton admits he would love to add to his one cap picked up against Spain in 2007, but believes his past misdeameanours are counting against him.
"Honestly, I think I'm the best [English midfielder]," Barton told the French magazine So Foot. "Luka Modric and Samir Nasri are very good, but in terms of English players... well, Jack Wilshere isn't bad, but Frank Lampard's on the way down and Steven Gerrard's been injured a lot.
"I'm English and I love playing for my country. "Maybe the people at the top have a problem with me. I don't know. But the trouble I had was four years ago. They should be able to forgive, shouldn't they?"
