Joey Barton: 'QPR likely to drop into Championship'

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 30 November 2012

Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton, who is on loan at Marseille, believes that the chances of his parent club surviving in the Premier League are slim.

Former Queens Park Rangers captain Joey Barton believes that his parent club will face the drop from the top flight of English football into the Championship unless they pull off a "massive turnaround".

The 30-year-old, who is currently on a season-long loan at Marseille, has claimed that he would prefer to remain in Ligue 1 as opposed to returning to the West London side, where his relationship with former manager Mark Hughes ended sourly.

Current boss Harry Redknapp has been tipped to save QPR from getting relegated from the Premier League but Barton is under no illusions that it's an easy task for the former Tottenham Hotspur coach.

"It didn't end in great circumstances in West London for me," Barton told BBC Sport. "I know there has been a change in terms of the management structure, but something like that, and what goes on around that, lives with you beyond a managerial change.

"I haven't closed my mind to it although I would really like to stay here. I'm in a good space mentally. I've held preliminary talks with Marseille about extending my stay here.

"They have asked me whether I would stay beyond the loan period. The likelihood is, unless there is a massive turnaround in fortunes, QPR will be in the Championship next season."

QPR currently sit at the bottom of the league table with six points.