Interview with John Barnes: The legend of Liverpool continues to fight | Football News

Liverpool will face Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Sunday

John Barnes is expecting a tighter derby in Merseyside on Sunday

Before the Merseyside derby, Adam Bate met Liverpool legend John Barnes to discuss social issues, Sunday's game and Jurgen Klopp's chances of ending a pending title for Liverpool …

Rush hour is at Kings Cross Station, but one of the most recognizable faces of British football is still able to do little more than turn heads. These days are selfies rather than autographs for John Barnes, but that suits him well. He takes one with an exciting woman who insists that he be the spitting image of his brother.

The former Liverpool winger is having fun, holding one of the toughest competitions in the resort and life is busy these days. There is community work but it does not do it for recognition. He is still humble, confused, why the PR company wanted to send him a car to get it back. And he looks forward to his latest documentary on racism in football.

Barnes was at Kings Cross Station hosting the toughest shooting contest

"This is not the first documentary, but this one is as exciting as the last one," he said. Sky sports. "It's always about the following: you just have to keep talking about injustices and discrimination.

"I am no different from many people, I am concerned for the future of my children and for the future of all children, I will do all I can to relieve the problems, increase the number of children. Interest or highlight the problems of these social problems ".

Barnes arrived in England with his parents at the age of 13 and still remembers the feeling of possibility when he saw young children playing organized football while the plane was landing at Heathrow. This land of hope was to bring great glory to a career in which he won all national trophies and, in 1988, the individual awards PFA and FWA.

Barnes continues to work in the community and participates in a new documentary

But as an immigrant in the country, with his family in the United States, Barnes is deeply aware that the path of progress does not always go smoothly.

"What's happening in our society is what's going on," he explains. "Companies sometimes back off. It will take a long time to change people's perceptions and ways of thinking. It will not happen overnight. Ten years is not an immediate change. When you have 300 years of people who have ideas about people, it will take time. "

Barnes was 55 years earlier this month. A patellar tendon rupture prevents him from participating himself in the shooting contest. But even if the frame is a little bigger than it was when he was one of the most graceful wingers in the world, with a rare combination of speed, strength, and outrageous skill, the memory of that time is still very much present in Merseyside.

Barnes in action against Everton in the FA Cup final at Wembley in 1989

Barnes was part of the Liverpool squad that beat Everton in the 1989 FA Cup final and scored in the 4-4 tie that saw Sir Kenny Dalglish resign the next day. "This one was a bit special, although that may be the wrong word," he says. Not that he was sentimental. "I never thought that the derby was more important than when we played at Norwich," he adds.

"You have to give 100% to every game and you can not give more than 100% so those who say that you have to redouble your efforts are wrong." For fans, it's about to pretend to be someone at work.The players understand that but when I played each match meant a lot.

"It was a little different in the past because we had a lot of Liverpool players on both sides – I do not think there are a lot of local players in both teams, but fans' pbadion is still there, football has changed Peter Reid and Steve McMahon, I do not think you can be so aggressive, but it's still an exciting opportunity for fans. "

2:59

Highlights of Liverpool's 3-0 win over Watford in the Premier League

Liverpool vs Everton

December 2, 2018, 4 pm

Live of

Liverpool has not lost to Everton at Anfield in this century and has nowhere in 17 attempts. Barnes expects Sunday to be more complicated. "Everton has not been in shape in recent years, so we have clearly entered the match as the best team," he said. "Although we are a good team now, Everton is in better shape than it was so I think it will be a much tighter game.

"But I'm optimistic, I think Jurgen Klopp can maximize Liverpool's potential this season, but Manchester City is also a top team, and if you say Liverpool are going to win the league, you say Manchester City are not .

"They're still the favorites for the title, but we're getting closer to them than in the past and we're clearly the second favorite – I'm not saying we can not win it, but we're closest to Manchester City. . "

Liverpool fans have not had it as well for a long time, but six years have pbaded since the last trophy and nearly three full decades since Barnes, prompting them to win their last title as the top scorer of the Team with 22 goals. So how would Ian Rush's supporters, Peter Beardsley and the others survive the current harvest?

Barnes with Peter Beardsley after Liverpool's 1990 title win

"The team of 77 would beat the team of 89 The 2013 team would beat the current team It's nice to talk in the pub Every time people ask me if our team would beat the team team, I always tell them it depends on the rules we play. "Under the old rules, I think we would win, and under the new rules we would be reduced to about six men."

Barnes is happy that his former boss, Dalglish, has been rewarded with a knighthood title. "The charity work he has done for the city since Hillsborough is well deserved," he said.

He does not intend to slow himself down either. "I do things now but I have been doing them for 20 years in the community.We do not talk much about it, but it is not important for me to be recognized for this and it is not necessary. It was not important for Kenny to be recognized for that either.

"We do what we do because of how we feel, and I keep having fun, that's what it is."

John Barnes organized a quick jump from Western Union to Kings Cross Station in London. Western Union organized this event to publicize its zero transfer fee rate for transactions up to £ 50,000 on bank accounts worldwide.

Play Super 6

Predict 6 good results for a chance to win £ 250,000.