Fleetwood Town's Joey Barton inspired by Mauricio Pochettino, Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane in first managerial role

Footsteps | Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane, like Joey Barton, were midfielders
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Joey Barton hopes to emulate Pep Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane as begins his managerial career with Fleetwood Town.

The 35-year-old returned to football on Monday having served a lengthy ban for illegal betting to take his first steps into management with the League One outfit.

Barton is taking inspiration from the likes of Guardiola and Zidane, and former centre-back Pochettino, as he sees a link between fellow former midfielders and success on the touchline.

"If you look at it, slow plodding midfielders tend to become good managers. Look at many great managers and they tend to be of a certain type," said Barton.

"Pep Guardiola is the best coach but was a midfielder who had no pace and no skills. Mauricio Pochettino was of the similar profile.

"Zinedine Zidane may buck the trend but he was a midfielder! I am taking great refuge in the fact that midfielders tend to make really good coaches.

"I had no skills, I wasn't really big, wasn't really quick and wasn't really strong. So to survive as long as I did I had to be able to scheme so hopefully that will help me.

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