Apologies to Dietmar Hamann

16 Jan 2013

image source - eircomsports.eircom.net

On Monday evening tweets exchanged between Dietmar Hamann and I went beyond the boundaries of banter, opinion and common sense.

I accept that my comments were offensive, untrue and related to matters of a personal nature, of which I had no knowledge.

I have apologised to Dietmar personally and now wish to apologise through the same social media channels that I used to make them, as well as my own website.

I appreciate my comments have caused Dietmar and his family some distress and I fully regret that.

I also appreciate that my comments should not have been made, as they could have damaged Dieitmar’s reputation, which should remain intact as a fantastic player and ambassador for German Football, as well as the game in general.

Dietmar and I have now agreed to draw a line under the unfortunate exchange and neither of us will be making any further comments on the subject.

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whiteviera 5 pts

See that Joey is involved Tony Adams as an ambassador for the Sporting Chance Clinic which is there to support people with addictions like Didi Hamman.

Really takes the good out of the work he done when he throws it up in his face.

Didi was very wrong to get involved but Joey took it a place that only Joey knows why. Signs of someone who is very insecure and unstable.

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WILLPAES123 5 pts

Why dont you just shut up? You are always jerking throught your words. You are even a 50% of what a soccer player can be. You are not a kid to speak what you want and always say you are sorry.

random_banter 5 pts

Takes a man to apologise. Takes an even bigger man to learn a bit of self control.

red_baron 5 pts

Stay in France Joey and keep out of trouble. Learn to count to 10. That spat with Dieter totally pointless and crossed the line. He is well respected in the game

SoccerLimey 7 pts

Here's a thought. Instead of boring us all with your continued appalling behavior towards your fellow professionals, why not just stop and think first and avoid all of the, frankly tiresome apologies that you seem to believe your followers deserve.

Give it a try. You'll be surprised.

williamjbreeden 6 pts

First of all, on a professional level I massively rate your talent I am delighted to see how well you are doing at Marseille. I saw this spat and I thought back to the Leveson enquiry and the despicable behaviour of the press invading peoples privacy, and exposing information which they had gathered through the rumour mill - Your twitter followers are in the millions, which is a higher 'readership' than many tabloid newspaper yet you did the same thing.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/video/2012/mar/25/steve-coogan-guardian-open-weekend-video

at 2:50mins onwards Coogan talks about a post-modern age where it acceptable to do 'crappy things' as long as you apologise for it. Something worth considering.

Garciasfinger 5 pts

Pleased that you apologised JB. It got out of hand on both sides. Good on you, bonny lad.

Le Bleu Rouge 6 pts

Clearly you are doing this to stop yourself being sued for defamation of his character.

I think you need psychiatric help for these crazy outbursts you have.

aston 5 pts

"I accept that my comments were offensive, untrue and related to matters of a personal nature, of which I had no knowledge."

Well this is a lie, you definitely new about his past you nasty guy

also, love how his comments are awaiting approval so he can pick and choose the 'good' comments, cretin

CBSharpey 5 pts

Takes a man to do that Joey!

WLaub 5 pts

respect for this! In Germany we read, that you are a "bad boy"... Well, I m working here near to Berlin/Hamburg with kids and now I say to them "look at this man.. he made a mistake and he says sorry.. this is great, very GOOD! the formerly german president ( Mr. Wulff) was not strong enough for this a long time.. We Germans really have millions reasons to say "sorry" - so thank you for this good, inspiring example ! (and sorry for my "not so good" English)Wolfgang Laub

Ralphinio1 6 pts

Yes Joe, you did get quite personal, but Dietmar should realize that yo shouldn't give what you can't take.

Fusion2099 5 pts

I think Didi needs to share some of the responsibility for this too. He shouldn't have reacted to Barton. Yes Barton went too far as he does tend to over react. But Didi was stoking the fire too.

I think Didi needs to take some of the responsibility for this too. He shouldn't have reacted to Barton

paulhew234 7 pts

Written by lawyers.

RedLeader33 5 pts

Good on you, Mr Barton!

Will_01 8 pts

wow everyone commenting must be a saint!

liverbird_96 5 pts

you are a nasty vile horrible excuse for a human being! you are nothing but a bully and a thug and dont realise just how lucky you are! you never fail to surprise me anymore! you just disgust me!

liverpool_4_life_14 5 pts

you discust me

zeff123 7 pts

liverpool_4_life_14 your spelling disGusts me

Hasanidis 5 pts

No spelling mistakes, now that's a first. Jokes aside, good for you to put this behind you as it was thoroughly unprofessional and unbecoming of you to go on like the way you did.

helmet 5 pts

SimonBennett schneb

gub my shite

DarrenS75 8 pts

Terrible the way you called him out, no matter how many blag accents you acquire, obscure quotes you plagiarise, funny little retro bicycles you ride or shit hair-do's you don, you're just a nasty little man at heart. A football pissing contest should never ever become about a man's family, you well overstepped the mark.

Jock33 5 pts

Why do some of these muppets on here sign up to a web site and then abuse the guy who set it up. If you don't like the guy don't Fucking bother signing up you bell ends !

22boots 6 pts

Joey I have the utmost respect for you. Not when your talking garbage - we can all do that it's not unique - but when you evaluate what you've said and make thoughtful statements afterwards. How many people actually stop to think about what they've said and take responsibility for it? Not many! Plenty shout their mouths off and blame others but few review what they've said. You've come a long way. Not perfect yet haha but hey how many of us have become perfect. Keep going lad. Regards Helen

Madron 5 pts

@22boots what are you talking about. He hasn't stopped to think about what he said, he's been wisely informed that he's liable to civil action for libel and defamation and could be taken to court for a chunk of his oh-so-precious money that he likes to brag about, that's the only reason for this snivelling apology. It will have been agreed with Didi as a means to ensure no further action. I never fail to be astonished by the naivety of much of the general public when it comes to celebrities, especially when they make poor efforts to make people believe they're an intellectual. Try following some genuine thinkers and people of genuine intellect, rather than an over paid bag of wind and ego.

@Madron I think he would still have learnt and reflected from it. No matter how much the public love the pantomime villains, if you actually read everything he writes you can tell he is not all bad. I'm by no means a Barton fan as being a LFC fan have the upmost respect for Didi, but I'm not for 1 minute going to make him Britains evilest man like some people are.

guss1111 5 pts

@22boots

TPDoody 5 pts

Good for you .....

sponglewhack 5 pts

Respect to you Joey. As a mackem, of course I couldn't stand you when you played for NUFC, but you are a real twitter legend and not afraid to say what you think. Better to shout yer mouth off and apologise than to say nowt and lick arse. NEVER LET THE BASTARDS TAME YA!

charliecooper11 5 pts

how many times can one person say sorry?

@charliecooper11 why should there be a limit. It's an honourable thing. A lot of people will just be stubborn and never admit when they're wrong. Yes. He probably apologised so he won't face legal action, but I don't think he hasn't learnt from it.

TooTall999 5 pts

Wow, people don't like you but take their time to visit your website to comment, who's winning?

deanlawler1 5 pts

Joey you have everything the working man could want but you let yourself down time an time again lad mo doubt you are very personable , but you arrogance at time, s lets you down kid

insertnamehere 5 pts

Well done for apologising, it's the right thing to do. Dietmar was well within his right to sue for defamation, but fortunately for you, he is kind, forgiving type of person.This is yet another example of you acting before thinking. You are undoubtedly a very talented footballer, and have demonstrated over the last few months that you are, essentially, a nice, intelligent man.But it's incidents like these that bring back the memories and opinions of old that people still hold about you.Keep your head down, get on with your football. If you keep doing this, you will, without question, prove to people what a good footballer, and what a good person you are deep down.Good luck with the rest of the season at Marseille.

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@Elsaus well if life doesn't work that way, how does it work. You mean the society you choose to be a part of doesn't work that way in your eyes. The way he will learn is by being sued or alienated from the media or football in general. Life's hard lesson which a lot of us only learn by. It would be interesting to see how the people in France reacted to this as they are a much more expressive nation. Maybe it's a cultural thing that "we find his behaviour so disgusting".

tom1994 7 pts

why you have a website is beyond me! your scum and dont deserve any of the good fortune youve recieved in life

johnt_7 5 pts

tom1994 you literally have the most closed off mind. yes, the man has a bad side, but grow up, and respect his personal opinion, lowering your own level is pointless. hats off to barton for apologising to Didi.

@johnt_7 @tom1994 well no I think that behaves like joey Barton and has the capacity to stub a cigar out in someone's eye does not deserve anything that he has! Why should someone who is such a horrible thug be allowed to act like he does continuously! I think you are the one that needs to get real and actually think about the little respect he deserves

one joey barton!

Marcom31 5 pts

Fair play joey. It did get harsh but such is life. I realised a while ago that sucking it in and apologising first is always best way. Pleased to see marseilles are so keen on keeping you too