Joey Barton told The Footballers' Football Show he will be a 'top coach or a top manager' when he retires from playing.

On a special edition of the show, examining the pressures of being a modern day footballer, the QPR midfielder described the game as 'cut-throat' and 'devious', and said players are treated as 'pieces of meat'.

However, despite his criticisms of the current state of football, Barton is adamant he will remain in the game when his playing career comes to a close.

"I love the game and I'll stay in the game," he said. "I'll be a top coach or a top manager, without a shadow of a doubt. That's what I'm going to be.

"I've given my life to the game so there's no point me saying I want to be a civil engineer or a bank manager. It's not going to happen.

"I've been playing football since I was six or seven so I've made my career choice."

However, the former Manchester City and Newcastle United midfielder said he would not encourage his children to get involved in the sport.

Banished

Barton, 31, explained that, beyond the glitz and glamour of the professional game, players face a lot of challenges off the pitch.

"I love it but it's not the game I dreamt about playing as a kid," he said. "It's a lot more cut-throat than that.

"We see a side of it the public never see and never should see but the inner workings can be very devious at times. I'd hate to be a kid coming into the game now - it's scary out there.

"You've got agents promising them everything, football clubs are buying kids houses, buying the parents houses. How do they keep their feet on the ground?

"You have to take it for what it is but when I hit rock bottom no one wanted to speak to me. I was banished from the game - but from that I learnt a lot.

"I realised I'm a commodity - a piece of meat that is getting paid what it's getting paid and as soon as my shelf life is over I'm going to cease to be. That's the industry we're in.

"If you're lucky and capable you'll do TV work, or if you're even luckier you'll stay in the game through coaching or managing. But most will not be in the game."

Hunger

Barton's QPR team-mate Danny Simpson, meanwhile, expressed his disappointment at the current attitude shown by some young players coming through the ranks at professional clubs.

The former Newcastle full-back, who learnt his trade at Manchester United, says many young players don't appreciate the privilege of making a career out of football.

"When I was coming through as a young lad and got an opportunity to be in the first team I was just so excited to be around the first team," he said.

"I don't want to disrespect anyone at QPR but now when I see some young lads who get opportunities to train with the first team they don't seem to be as hungry as maybe we were.

"I don't know whether they're not bothered, they think they've made it or they think they're going to play football forever - but they're not and a lot of players realise too late."