Joey Barton on talkSPORT: ‘Chris Coleman is better than Sunderland – has he lost his mind?’

Joey Barton is amazed Chris Coleman agreed to take the Sunderland job.

Coleman quit as Wales boss to take charge of the crisis-hit Black Cats, who are sitting bottom of the Championship.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Barton said: "They have just set the record for most home defeats, they are bottom of the table, there is a disconnect with the owner. I didn't see him taking that job.

"I thought he was better than that.

"He must be getting weighed in to go there and been given guarantees to spend in January.

"Has anybody seen if he is alright? Has anybody checked to see he is all there, if he has had any problems with his mind or lost his senses?"

Coleman is Wales' most successful manager, having led them to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, and Barton believes he could have held out for a bigger job in the Premier League.

"I thought he would he would have had an opportunity [in the Premier League]," he said.

"You have seen David Moyes go into West Ham, could he have taken that? Paul Clement is under pressure at Swansea, could he have taken that?

"West Brom, could he take that? Everton, could he have taken that?"