Joseph Anthony Barton

Pogue Mahone said:
I never thought Michael Owen would be happy playing so little football as he has. Maybe joining a club like United gives a bit of perspective to players who would otherwise get the hump if they didn't start every game?

To be honest, I can't really be arsed going to great lengths to defend a toe-rag like Joey Barton and if it wasn't for some really silly comments about his ability as a footballer I wouldn't even bother. Well, that and my perennial irritation about this new trend for football to be a cult of personality where we have to "like" players to want them at our club.

I happen to think repeating the Michael Owen experiment in midfield makes a lot of sense. We've got Pogba, Morrison and Tunnicliffe all bubbling under and Cleverley might be very close to establishing himself as a first-team regular. Meanwhile, though, it would make sense to get a season or two of additional leadership, aggression and experience to our midfield, to hold the fort until our next generation of homegrown talent comes through.

Whether that player is Barton or not, I don't really care.
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Hard to argue with any of that, to be honest.
 
kietotheworld said:
Or maybe you just over-rate them instead of everyone else under-rating them. It certainly seems more likely that it's you who has got it wrong rather than nearly everyone else.
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Not everyone else thinks Barton would walk into our team, so no, he hasn't got it wrong.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Probably because it's heard to read moronic opinions about how we're better off with Gibson without responding.

Barton is a difficult character, with a poor disciplinary record but a decent midfielder. Someone who would improve our squad dramatically if he was to replace Gibson.

Roy Keane was a vastly superior player but arguably just as difficult a character, with a similarly poor disciplinary record. Which goes to show that the value of any player should be about how good they are at playing football not whether you'd bring him home to meet your mum.
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I wonder how many Newcastle games you have even watched to come to this conclusion, knowing we see Gibson play all the time. What is it about Barton that makes him vastly superior ?

I don't think he's that good to deserve posters constantly sucking him off and acting like he's not the biggest cock in football. Saying 'so what, what else?' to every misdemeanor.

Also I can't remember Keane being as big a cock off the pitch. As big of a prick Keane can be it's slightly insulting to say he's as difficult as Barton, but it's all in the name of defending Joey. Sigh.

I just wish posters would defend some of our own like they do Barton.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
I never thought Michael Owen would be happy playing so little football as he has. Maybe joining a club like United gives a bit of perspective to players who would otherwise get the hump if they didn't start every game?

To be honest, I can't really be arsed going to great lengths to defend a toe-rag like Joey Barton and if it wasn't for some really silly comments about his ability as a footballer I wouldn't even bother. Well, that and my perennial irritation about this new trend for football to be a cult of personality where we have to "like" players to want them at our club.

I happen to think repeating the Michael Owen experiment in midfield makes a lot of sense. We've got Pogba, Morrison and Tunnicliffe all bubbling under and Cleverley might be very close to establishing himself as a first-team regular. Meanwhile, though, it would make sense to get a season or two of additional leadership, aggression and experience to our midfield, to hold the fort until our next generation of homegrown talent comes through.

Whether that player is Barton or not, I don't really care.
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It's not about having to like players: there are certain extreme personalities which can be quite damaging for the club and the team as a whole. It can be argued that Barton is such an extremity: his previous off-field issues make him a liability - not to mention his tendency to get stupid red cards on the pitch - and he's been known to cause frictions within the squad.

Newcastle teammates might like him, as rumour has it, but surely a club like Manchester United cannot take such a risk. Quite simply he's not worth it because he's a decent player but nothing more. He's no Eric Cantona or Roy Keane, two players with far fewer off-field problems than Barton.
 
Ole'sbodyguard said:
He would not walk into the United midfield either. Such statements suggest to me some of United's fanbase criminally under-rate our midfield or as Twigginater says over-rate players who have half decent seasons for lower Premiership sides.

Barton's not in the same league as Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher or Giggs. All four of them are proven Premiership winning players and have a top record in the CL. If anyone thinks Barton is better or would oust any of them it shows how under-rated our central midfield is within some of our fanbase.

Barton's a better player than Gibson and more Premiership proven than Cleverley(who I think has the potential to be much better than Barton) but Fergie's been talking about getting a midfielder who would add to the first eleven. That's a player higher than what we already have, hence United only being linked with a select few players this summer. There are not many out there and even less who are available and even less who are available and affordable.
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The problem there is that we have four players of clearly differing styles and achievement.

Clearly Joey Barton is not in the same league as Ryan Giggs, but who is? the mans a legend. But as far as Anderson goes since he's joined United he's largely flattered to deceive and for what ever reason, injuries included has not performed or developed like a £20 million pound teenager was probably expected to.

Its a matter of opinion how good Michael Carrick is but in terms of his performances over the last couple of seasons he's been at best hit and miss.

They may be league title winners who have of course played their part - but that doesnt mean you should neccessarily overlook their shortcomings which for me have becoem more evident over the last few seasons.

For me, a player like Barton (if you ignore his clearly pertinent behaviioral issues - which for the record I personally can't) would be a good signing for any club on a free given that he had a better season last year than at least half the central midfield players we have - so i can see why people would think he'd be a decent acquisition.

Barton in terms of talent has played well in the PL for a number of years, and as a young lad probably could have achieved big things but for his inability to keep a lid on it - a clear a present danger for any club who take him on and probably the only reason he might struggle to get a top club.
 
Anyone know why he's suddenly been offered on a free after having a decent season with the club?
 
Sultan said:
Anyone know why he's suddenly been offered on a free after having a decent season with the club?
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He's free to talk to other clubs in Dec.

Toon said a few months back that they weren't offering him a new contract.

He's spent much of his time since criticising the club on Twitter, in between posting insightful philosophy to show that he's changed.

Sign him up I say, or lets go for Reo Coker, i think hes on a free too and he had 1 decent season once aswell.
 
Eyepopper said:
:lol: quoting Orwell, what a complete at utter tool.
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You don't think it might be an indication he's looking to learn & improve himself? Some of his tweets are a little naive & he's opinionated, but he will backtrack & adjust if challenged. Maybe he's finally matured, it's unfair to criticize someone for educating themselves. It's not always 'once a cnut always cnut'
 
Eyepopper said:
He's free to talk to other clubs in Dec.

Toon said a few months back that they weren't offering him a new contract.

He's spent much of his time since criticising the club on Twitter, in between posting insightful philosophy to show that he's changed.

Sign him up I say, or lets go for Reo Coker, i think hes on a free too and he had 1 decent season once aswell.
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Barton's only had one decent season?
 
Indeed he is forgetting when he looked like he was going to be something special in his City days.
 
Arsenal are short of characters, and Harry down the road needs his bi-annual fix.
 
Classy Cannon said:
You don't think it might be an indication he's looking to learn & improve himself? Some of his tweets are a little naive & he's opinionated, but he will backtrack & adjust if challenged. Maybe he's finally matured, it's unfair to criticize someone for educating themselves. It's not always 'once a cnut always cnut'
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Maybe i'd be a bit more convinced if his 'I've changed' posts weren't sandwiched between ones publicly criticising his employers and generally stirrung the shit.

And i'm not criticising him for bettering himself, i'm criticising him fir quoting Orwell in an effort to try paint himself as some sort of vicitm. Its like something you'd get from a 14 year ild whose first girlfriend had just dumped him.

He's had a decent 18 months as far as i'm concerned Pogue beyonf that he's been ok, nothing to suggest he'd walk into a Utd team and as I've said about 4 times the biggest question for me is how his attitude and form would be i he was playing once a month....
 
I can see Everton trying for him. Harry will as usual try to sign for him(Terrific player, top lad)
 
Nasri too, I remember when Arsenal played Newcastle and Barton came on the pitch getting wildly booed. He then took it upon himself to try bully Nasri, hacking at him for no reason.

He's just a massive schlong really.
 
Obviously whoever signs him takes a risk on whether he's learned to control his temper. Might be the sort of challenge SAF fancies, though I doubt it as I don't think Joey is capable yet of treating SAF with the kind of respect required.

I think he would improve the Arse as a team, but Wenger couldn't handle him.
 
The Daily Telegraph reckons an incident at the weekend was the final straw.

The paper claims: 'Barton is understood to have vented his anger at team-mates and Pardew after a poor Newcastle United performance at Elland Road, swearing and shouting at them before storming out of the dressing-room and onto the team coach.

'Once on board, he aggravated a combustible situation by hinting, on Twitter, at widespread dressing-room discontent at the direction in which the club is heading and warning of an impending relegation battle.'
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Nice, if true.
 
The Twatter stuff is definitely true:

Owner Mike Ashley appears to have become tired of Barton's constant criticisms of the club on Twitter, and has taken the unusual step of allowing a player with a market value to walk away for nothing.

McKay revealed earlier this year that his client would not be offered a new deal with the club beyond next summer and, despite acknowledging the role Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias have played in rehabilitating Barton following a number of disciplinary problems, he believes they are making a costly error.

"I was totally surprised when they never offered him a contract," McKay told talkSPORT.

"I think it's a wee bit suicidal by Newcastle because how would you let your player of the year leave on a free transfer, approaching his prime.

"He had a great season last year and he was, for me, pivotal for the club getting £36million for Andy Carroll because he passed every ball to Andy Carroll, for every goal.

"He's a very good player and approaching his prime. I just can't understand what Newcastle are doing.

"Derek Llambias and Mike Ashley stood by Joey when he was under real pressure so I'm not going to come out and slag off Newcastle's board but I think they have made a mistake. He was going to take a drop in wages to sign a new contract."

The root of Barton's public displays of unrest can be traced back to the sale of Carroll to Liverpool in January.

It was thought that the one-cap England midfielder was considering signing a new deal at the time, but decided to put his future on hold until the summer after that.

Then, in May, McKay said Barton would not be offered a new deal, with the player later tweeting that Newcastle wanted a "younger, better, cheaper player".

His discontent was not aided by the sale of close friend and club captain Kevin Nolan to West Ham, and following Sunday's 3-2 friendly defeat at Leeds he took another swipe at club officials.

In the aftermath of full-back Jose Enrique being fined for questioning the club's ambition, he said: "If only we as players could tell the fans exactly how it is, without them above fining us lots of money. There will be a time and a place.

"If it wouldn't effect team morale and cause unrest within the dressing room, am certain Jose's comments would be the tip of the iceberg.....

"And again it would be left to those magnificent fans to pick up the remnants of their once great football club. £hadenoughofcertainpeople.
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F365
 
Making public the incompetence of Ashley as an owner is, if anything, doing the fans a favour. The club been appallingly badly run for years now. I don't have a problem with players speaking their mind about something like this. It's the sort of honesty I admire in Keane when interviewed. Far more interesting than the usual banal platitudes.

Mind you. You've got to wonder if this is another nail in the coffin of PL footballers being allowed to use Twitter.
 
Boss said:
He certainly wouldn't improve the Arsenal first team in my opinion.

I actually can't think of a single Arsenal midfielder that isn't better than him. Even Denilson.
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He would be useful at Stoke away in December , but he would scare the shit out of the little princes. I'd take a chance maybe.on PAY, then if it doesn't work he's gone. We are probably the only team that could allow him to reach his potential...he thinks he is good enough for England, bring him in and let him prove it!
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Making public the incompetence of Ashley as an owner is, if anything, doing the fans a favour. The club been appallingly badly run for years now. I don't have a problem with players speaking their mind about something like this. It's the sort of honesty I admire in Keane when interviewed. Far more interesting than the usual banal platitudes.

Mind you. You've got to wonder if this is another nail in the coffin of PL footballers being allowed to use Twitter.
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I constantly have Newcastle fans banging on about what a joke Ashley is.

The fact is, regardless of what they say - the club probably would have gone under if not for him. He's invested £300 million of his own money into the club to buy it and deal with apprently over £100 million pounds of debt.

He may be doing it with the ultimate motive of earning a profit but thats no different to the Glazers or umpteen other owners in the PL and elsewhere.

In terms of how "badly" the club is run I'd say he's pretty switched on - sign younger or foreign players for smaller fees and sell them on if they're a success. Its a realistic approach because players doing well will want to move on to bigger things anyway.

Compare that to the previous regime - borrowing money hand over fist to spend on large fees and huge wages - i.e Martins, Alan Smith, Collocini and indeed Barton - who wouldnt have got £60k a week anywhere else after being in jail - never mind the millions wasted by previous managers.

Ashley may have his failings but he recognises that the previous position wass completely unsustainable for modern clubs.

A lot of Geordies are totally deluded about being a "big club" - most who spout this seem to be fans of a certain age who stared watching them when Keegan was in charge. They should be happy they're in the PL and aren't collapsing under debt a la Leeds United.

But thats just my opinion.
 
What I don't understand is why they're letting him go for free. Surely they can just transfer list him and make something out of it, even if its small. Heck sell him for £3million and give the proceeds to charity.
 
RedKaos said:
What I don't understand is why they're letting him go for free. Surely they can just transfer list him and make something out of it, even if its small. Heck sell him for £3million and give the proceeds to charity.
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They've obviously weighed it up.

Fact is, if he stays beyond the end of the window, as his contract has only a year to run they wont shift him until the end of the season - thereby paying his wages for a year probably in the region of £3 million and still getting nothing for him.
 
RedRover said:
I constantly have Newcastle fans banging on about what a joke Ashley is.

The fact is, regardless of what they say - the club probably would have gone under if not for him. He's invested £300 million of his own money into the club to buy it and deal with apprently over £100 million pounds of debt.

He may be doing it with the ultimate motive of earning a profit but thats no different to the Glazers or umpteen other owners in the PL and elsewhere.

In terms of how "badly" the club is run I'd say he's pretty switched on - sign younger or foreign players for smaller fees and sell them on if they're a success. Its a realistic approach because players doing well will want to move on to bigger things anyway.

Compare that to the previous regime - borrowing money hand over fist to spend on large fees and huge wages - i.e Martins, Alan Smith, Collocini and indeed Barton - who wouldnt have got £60k a week anywhere else after being in jail - never mind the millions wasted by previous managers.

Ashley may have his failings but he recognises that the previous position wass completely unsustainable for modern clubs.

A lot of Geordies are totally deluded about being a "big club" - most who spout this seem to be fans of a certain age who stared watching them when Keegan was in charge. They should be happy they're in the PL and aren't collapsing under debt a la Leeds United.

But thats just my opinion.
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Good post! But while Newcastle are not big globally, at national level they are. They were a big club long before Keegan...feel sorry for the Geordies
 
I love all the 'Fergie could sort him out' comments.

Why would Fergie want to waste his time
'sorting out' the head of a player whose likely to cause a shedload of trouble until he is 'sorted out' and even when he is only actually being good enough to be 4th or 5th choice in his position anyway?

Newcastle were offered stupid money for Carroll and would have been stupid not to take it. They also have a host of 'stars' on big money (not sure if Nolan was one of them), they have to be realistic and cut their wage bill.
 
RedRover said:
They've obviously weighed it up.

Fact is, if he stays beyond the end of the window, as his contract has only a year to run they wont shift him until the end of the season - thereby paying his wages for a year probably in the region of £3 million and still getting nothing for him.
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He's an oudious little cretin and they want shot.

He's already said he planned running down his contract and they'd obviously rather not have him hanging round for the season.

May seem short sighted by the club but should tell everyone what sort of guy he is to have round the place.
 
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