Joey Barton blasted Gareth Barry and declared himself the best English footballer in an interview with So Foot magazine, the same one that Stephen Ireland had his infamous interview with.

Barton has garnered only one cap for the English national team – against Spain in 2007.

He served a prison sentence the following year, and has yet to be re-called into his country’s squad.

The 28-year-old, who has had a fantastic season for Newcastle, has declared himself the best English midfielder and called on Fabio Capello to forgive his previous indiscretions and call him up.

He also gave a damning verdict on the current England team, especially Manchester City player Gareth Barry.

"Honestly, I think I'm the best," Barton told 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."

"Did you see the game against Germany at the World Cup?" he asked. "If you watch the fourth goal, when Mesut Ozil was up against Barry, it was like the hare and the tortoise.

"[The reason Barry gets in the team is because he has] a very good agent. He's also discreet and always agrees with the manager.

“He's like the guy who sits in the front row and listens to the teacher. I certainly don't lose any sleep when I play against him.

"Look at Jordan Henderson against France. He was up against Yann M'Vila, Mathieu Valbuena, Nasri and Yoann Gourcuff.

“And he had Gareth Barry alongside him. What could they do against those players?

"France killed us at Wembley," he continued. "We English will play the next 50 World Cups and we'll never win one.

"The people in charge at the FA played football maybe 50 or 60 years ago and still think that we can win a World Cup in the same way we did in 1966.

"We're too focused on tradition in England, like always having to play 4-4-2. Sometimes you need to experiment, drop a bit deeper so you have more space to move into. France, Italy and Germany have done it. We've been doing the same thing for 20 years.

"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?"

When asked what he thought about his future at Newcastle, he replied: "It's important to respect the people who come to the stadium or watch the games on telly.

"That's what I told the Newcastle management. I told them the goal shouldn't be just to survive, to finish 16th or 17th, every season.

"We had a good player, Carroll, and we sold him. I told the management that I was worried, that I was scared this might happen every year. But they assured me they don't want to go down that road.

"I don't know if I believe them. I told them I might stay this summer because we have some good players and money to spend.

“But I'm going to wait and see if players like Kevin Nolan, Cheick Tioté and Jose Enrique stay.

"If Nolan signs a new deal, I will as well. But I hope the club step things up. I want to be ambitious and I think the club share that desire."