The Premier League – claimed as ‘the best in the world’ by a lot of experts – is best known for its top football players. Tough tacklers, top finishers, set-piece experts & excellent shot-stopper – you have them well distributed in the top sides as well as the bottom three. But, what has made the EPL more interesting is the presence of some men who love controversy and football equally.

The ‘Controversy Men’ of EPL – Mario Balotelli & Joey Barton

Talking about some specific players, we have the fresh cases of the Manchester City’s 20-yr old forward Mario Balotelli and Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton, who had just become one of the most influential Magpies in the side after the sudden departure of former captain Kevin Nolan from St. James Park.

Balotelli, more famous for things other than football, is known to everyone as being ‘childish’, particularly after his transfer from Inter Milan to Manchester City. Though he has scored 10 goals in 28 appearances so far for the Eastlands club, he has had a bad disciplinary record. No one can forget the way he enraged Rio Ferdinand with a wink after City beat the Red Devils in the FA Cup semifinal last season. Besides, his way of playing has also become a headache for manager Roberto Mancini, who substituted him for his selfish display in a pre-season friendly match in the United States.

And now, after taking the entire world on his head, he has expressed his desire to leave England and possibly go back home. Talking to Sky Sport, he said, “I am not feeling well in Manchester. I am happy with the coach and with my teammates; however, I do not like the city of Manchester.”

He added, “I do not know whether I will stay at Manchester City. We will see what happens. I miss my home, which is Brescia not Milan, and I miss my friends and my family.”

And Joey Barton, a former Manchester City player, has been equally famous for his unnecessary career-threatening challenges which have earned him a lot of red cards. Every Newcastle fan might have thought that he is now mature now. But, he put himself into trouble recently by tweeting about Newcastle’s transfer policy, especially after the transfer of Kevin Nolan to relegated side West Ham United.

Alan Pardew may have stated the reason of Barton’s high wages on the question of why his contract not renewed this season. But, the truth may be that Pardew, who replaced Chris Hughton controversially in January, has been fed up with Barton’s attitude and indiscipline.

In a way, it’s absolutely true that these ‘Controversy men’ have really troubled everyone. But, there a positive side of this as well. If you look clearly, they are the ones who have added more life into the EPL, and maybe that’s the reason why it turns out to be on top of the leagues in Spain, Germany, Italy and the rest of Europe.

Tags: EPL, Football Players, Joey Barton, Manchester City, Mario Balotelli, Newcastle United, Premier League