Joey Barton: Saying what he sees.Well, Joey Barton did promise on Twitter that he would “tell all when the time was right” and he’s finally kept his word.
Speaking in a long audio podcast interview for the Queen’s Park Ranger’s ‘blog “Open All R’s,” he finally lifted the lid on his time at Newcastle United and his strained relationship with the infamous Ashley / Llambias regime. In the interview, he revealed what he felt were the real reasons why he and other senior members of the squad have been forced out St James’ Park, how the club tried to force him to sign a contract on a fifth of his old wage whilst he was in Walton prison, what he feels were the real reasons behind the sacking of Chris Hughton, how despite his profound hatred of Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias, he still feels a strong affinity with the club and more…
Some (misquoted) sections of the interview have already appeared in the media and other ‘blogs, so I decided to make a more accurate and extensive transcription of all the sections which related to Newcastle United. I’ve have also included the mp3 podcast of the entire interview at the bottom of the piece.
Responding to a QPR fan’s question on what swung it for him to come to Queen’s Park Rangers, Barton began by outlining the reson’s why he had to leave his former club saying:
“I was obviously deemed by the board at Newcastle “Persona non grata” (Person not welcome). They didn’t want me because I asked questions.(more…)
Barton: “Honestly, I think I’m the best.”Newcastle United’s less than shy, retiring, midfield dynamo, Joey Barton, has being giving an interview to French magazine, “So Foot”, and in his customary way, has been giving it “both barrels” on a number of issues including why England will never win the next fifty world cups, how Gareth Barry gets on because he’s a “Teacher’s pet” with a very good agent, why he thinks he modestly judges himself to be currently the best midfielder in England and more.
Speaking on why he thinks he is the best English midfielder in the Premiership, he began:
“Honestly, I think I’m the best [English midfielder], Luka Modric and Samir Nasri are very good, but in terms of English players… well, Jack Wilshere isn’t bad, but Frank Lampard’s on the way down and Steven Gerrard’s been injured a lot.
“I’m English and I love playing for my country. Maybe the people at the top have a problem with me – I don’t know – but the trouble I had was four years ago. They should be able to forgive me, shouldn’t they?”(more…)
Get your wallet out MikeJoey Barton has been urging Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley to break the ‘stop-start’ nature of the club.
Thanks to the work of Chris Hughton and Alan Pardew, Joey Barton appears to be in the form of his life at the moment. He’s not one to mince words though and he’s been sending a clear message to Mike Ashley as to what he thinks he should do. Joey said:
“You don’t take four points from Ewood and St Andrew’s if you don’t have that character.
“This squad wants to keep pushing on but we need a squad to compete on all fronts. It’s up to the men upstairs to make sure we amass one and get the bodies in to challenge for Europe.”
“You need to spend money. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. So hopefully they spend it and spend it wisely.”
I think, Joey, there are plenty people who would argue – fairly or otherwise – that the monkeys are already here, wearing suits and running the club. (more…)
Barton: Finally growing up?Bad boy Joey Barton has quite the ring to it really, so it’s suffice to say that even if Joey Barton can continue on the trouble free path he is taking at the minute, then he still may not be able to shake the tag given to him by many.
It’s a fact that Joey has been less than wholesome in his past, and we all know why so there is no need for me to bring it back up again. But can his bad boy days remain in the past, or are they likely to surface again at some point in the future? If the ugly side of Joey Barton is to stay hidden, then he must learn to keep calm and must realise that because of his actions of the past he now becomes an easy target for everyone. Only he can change that, by rising above any provocation, something that he has appeared to be doing this season. (more…)
