Will he stay or will he go?
The main thing I wanted to avoid was any form of sensationalism which I’ve hopefully done.
The question is pretty simple, and their are a number of reasons why I’m asking it, with the main reason being that it’s what I’m actually starting to think.
Joey has been excellent for us this season despite being played in what is an unfamiliar role to him. He is finally starting to repay the faith, transfer fee and wages that have been invested in him since his arrival from Manchester City, which is a good thing, but with the emergence of his importance to the team it has raised some potential issues.
I actually think that Joey Barton will be off in the summer, and I believe that his contract discussions are starting to point towards what I am thinking. Here we have a player who was all for setting an example and sticking with Newcastle to the point of taking a pay cut apparently and he had even agreed a deal in principle. That never materialised, which seems strange. Why the sudden change? Have the goalposts been shifted?
The rumour is that there is a disagreement over the length of the term of Barton’s new contract, which leads me to my next point, and that point is that I already think we are trialing Joey Barton’s replacement as we speak.
As has been said many times by many people, we do seem to have a lot of players that can play in Joey Barton’s natural position. Alan Smith, Dan Gosling, Kevin Nolan, Cheik Tiote, Danny Guthrie and Stephen Ireland all operate in that central midfield position, which means that we are oversubscribed in that particular position.
If we end up signing Stephen Ireland permanently, and Pardew seems to like him so it’s possible, then we will have a situation where we have two similar players on big money to fight for the same place in the team. Will the club keep both? Or will the club ditch the one with only twelve months left on his contract?
You see what I’m getting at?
Basically, what I think is happening is that the club are looking at trying to move Barton on and are looking at replacing him with a younger model. Maybe I’m being paranoid, and maybe my little mind is working overtime, but Ireland would certainly seem to meet the clubs profile of being young and with a point to prove as opposed to Barton who will be 29 in September.
Flog Barton, and recruit Ireland and the club would end up with a player that they could get more years out of at the top of his game. I view Ireland’s loan period at the minute as a kind of working interview, which seems to be one of the ways that we recruit players these days.
If you think I’m crazy then shout up, but I think we already have Barton’s replacement lined up! « Pardew: “We’re looking everywhere – no stone will be left unturned.” | Ireland’s working job interview. »
Toon News 24/7
RSS
E Mail
Twitter
Facebook
150 Comments
Anyone Notice Jose Enrique attitude has change tremedously on field,i don’t see that passion in his eyes in playing for the team ever since the transfer rumor started.
That’s what i observe.
SO,HE HAS THE HIGHEST possibilty of being gone than barton.
I got slight confidence that barton wants to retire in NUFC,unless ofc the board forces Him off.
I cannot blame Barton or Enrique for hanging fire and waiting for the club to show them some ambition.
A couple of quality strikers in and they will sign their contracts IMHO…
Probably.
My opinion is that enrique wants to leave,no matter what.
Hopefully not…He’s my favourite player and he’s probably our best player.
Joey owes us more than one good season though, he owes us a lot more than that.
Something obviously has went wrong though, he had agreed a deal a few weeks ago and said he wants it done quickly – then it’s ‘i’ll wait until the summer’ which is just buying him time to see who wants him and what offers he will get.
I would not be surprised at all if Joey and Jose both left.
Toonsy, I think you’re mental
But yeah, I think that Barton could be off in the summer. Question being- who wants him? I’ve heard literally NO speculation from any other clubs..
I don’t think we will sell Barton but I do believe Enrique will leave. I think we will sign Ireland but let go Guthrie and Smith to make room for him.
Dan – That would be the ideal scenario in my book and would allow the squad to be balanced.
Unfortunately our club doesn’t live in an ideal world
I really think this is a very good article. I’ve been wondering if he would stay. Stephen Ireland is a similar player to Barton, I hope we don’t sell him but I would get rid of Guthrie and Smith we don’t need them. I would like to see Ireland play against Stoke at some point in that game and interesting to see how him and Barton would combine together
We just end up keeping them all, signing Ireland and then sign another center midfielder as well
Realistically though i can see the club wanting to get rid of Smith because of obvious reasons and Guthrie wanting out himself for basically the limited opportunities he will get if/when Ireland signs and Goslings fit.
Presuming he is getting sold….who would be potential suitors?
He isn’t going to go to a top 4 team, even a top 6 so he is likely to go to one of the north west boys (bolton, wigan, everton) or the midlands (villa, brum, stoke, wolves)
Any of them in that list look appealing and a better level of ambition than where he is already at? Do the fans at these clubs adore him? No and No. From Joey’s point of view, he’d be mental to go to any of these clubs.
Not like AC Milan are braying the door down like they ‘apparantly’ are for Jose
he could play for Venky’s chicken FC for their super rich chairmen……
For me you cant replace what Barton brings to the team, it would be a huge loss if we sold him.
The fact we have not won a game without him this season tells us how important he is.
If he does leave i’ll be gutted.
wait a minute,how come ppl wants to get rid of Guthrie?
iirc,Liverpool fans once name guthrie as the next steven gerrard in making.
Alan Smith,Enrique,Ryan taylor. All will be gone.
Apparantly you can goto St. James’ to watch our reserves play Arsenal reserves tonight…7pm Kick Off.
What was Enrique expecting us to do qualify for the champions league, We have had a terrific first season back in the big time and he should remember the statements he made at the start of the season talking about taking 4th bottom.
Does he really think Man Utd will buy him now Evras signed up for longer or some bullshit the sunday sun wrote about Barcelona.
In spite of the Carroll sale the club has moved forward and with sensible business in the summer we could finish in the top half and push for a european spot, If steady progression isnt enough for Enrique then sod him…
I think Guthrie has had a very off season this year, I think his injury has really affected him and has never got back to the form that he had before he got injured. I think if he stays he needs to up his game a little bit to show that he deserves to stay
Honestly, I just can’t really see Joey going anywhere. Not yet, and if not yet, then perhaps never. He’s gettin on in age in football terms, as has been stated. And he STILL has the stigma of his past. Only clubs I could see taking him are bottom table clubs that want to ensure survival, or perhaps Everton simply because he’s a scouser. Can’t see him wanting to play at a bottom table club, and I don’t think he’d wanna leave England. Just see him being kind of stuck, tbh.
Jose on the other hand, I HOPE we keep him, but feel like it’s doubtful. Guess we’ll see.
Guthrie and Smith can defo move on. Smith should go back to Leeds United, imo. Might could help them get back to the Prem.
CC – Couldn’t agree more!
I always have the impression that the partnering of guthrie+Barton is=class.
with Nolan behind strikers,and tiote protecting back 4.
But if both barton and guthrie gets off,we might sign ireland and who else?
I think he will stay and I thought it was Joey’s decision to wit until the summer to see the ambition of the club. Not sure if it’s the club or Joey that have moved the goalposts.
I agree can’t see anyone better than we are coming in for him at 29 years old – no chance of the top 4 being interested.
If he does go I think you could be right about Ireland Toonsy – he is only 24 and if he impresses I can see him getting signed up – who knows Barton may not fancy the competition then?
I would certainly sign Ireland, he’s got the potential to show he is a class player. He lost his way at villa as he never really wanted to go there. If he shows us his quality then I think we should sign him up
@14
Guthrie should be sold because he isnt good enough for this league. He is a good player for the Championship.
I read on BBC Sport’s rumours yesterday that Hamburg was making a bid for Barton in the summer.
YAAAAAAARRRGGGG you are crazy toonsy!!
It is a move which wont surprise me from our current regime. They are playing a dangerous game. Moving people in and out of this squad could be dangerous, considering they seem pretty tight and willing to fight for each other.
I still think we will keep both Barton and Enrique, or atleast my mind hope so, and I think they both might be holding off until safety.
Im not gonna try and predict who will stay and who will go after what happened with Carroll. That has taught me to never again trust anything that comes out of the mouth of a footballer about loyalty. So thanks for that Andy, your not welcolme back in Gateshead either.
Its stuff like this that gives people from ‘north of the water’ their opinion that they are geordies, and people from gateshead are mackems/gypsy/feral so thanks Andy you to$$rag.
This is what I’d like to see next season:
Best Defoe
Ben Arfa Nolan Tiote Barton/Gervinho
Jose/Taiwo Colo Mike Simpson
Forster
If Jose and Joey left Gervinho and Taiwo would be my replacments, and obviously Forster won’t be number one but I think he should be.
For the striker I would like Doyle from Wolves or Defoe but I do fully expect us to get a foreign player.
Like that team Andrew, you know how I feel about Doyle
Hamburg? Hmm.. I’m always sceptical when English players get linked with going abroad, simply because it just doesn’t happen often at all.
Oh yeah… I think probably Enrique will go (it’s written all over his face) and Barton possibly but not probably. I think there will be big changes. Pardew will wheel and deal ‘Arry style as if he was in Peckham market. Big and small names will go and questionable and ‘WHO????’ names will arrive. Thats my prediction.
Isn’t Taiwo supposed to be interesting Liverpool? At least if he goes there it would mean that Jose doesn’t
The thing is with Taiwo he would be a great option if Enrique was to leave but with him being a free people can talk to him now or soon and we would have to wait till we got a decent enough offer for José and could be too late.
‘At least if he goes there it would mean that Jose doesn’t’
Thats a point and a half there toonsy.
Ashley will probably sell him to our nearest rival for a knockdown price.
DJG – Nah man. That’s one thing that won’t happen. If we sell players we sell them for good money these days.
http://www.people.co.uk/sport/football/football-hotline/2011/03/06/hamburg-plot-joey-barton-swoop-after-midfielder-s-newcastle-united-contract-talks-break-down-102039-22968263/
I would believe it since the Bundesliga and Premiership are very compatible. I think players can swap without many issues. Look at Jermaine Jones at Blackburn from Schalke.
FJ – I’m not saying that they couldn’t, but how many English players have actually ended up abroad? Very few…. Dunno why, it’s just something that never really happens.
Yeah, English players aren’t that good at actual football though. That’s why actual football players struggle in Britain. We play a retarded version that rewards a lot of running and little actual skill.
Hence why Wayne Rooney is held as special player here yet his actual talent level would make him a third division player in Spain.
I think third division is a bit of a stretch, but I get the point.
Maybe Routledge won’t be coming back to the Premier League with QPR
http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/Disciplinary/NewsAndFeatures/2011/QPR-Paladini-charged
If Joey dosn’t want to go he WONT go, I do think that the club have moved the goalposts but I still think things will be worked out.
I had faith in Saylor that things would get sorted when most others were saying that he was wanting away, so I think Joey will be the same.
It seems that for most of the players to get something from our club they have to fight tooth and nail to get it, and dig their heels in against the bully boys running the show.
FJ to say that Shrek is only a spanish 3rd div player is bordering on the insane, and I am not a fan of his
Reet back to do a bit catch you’s later
dave take no notice of fj hes een on the skunk
been
wherers dog
I thought that earlier????
I don’t rate Rooney as a football player at all. He does nothing but elbow and slash people while achieving nothing unless in the penalty box.
Hence why he is shit on the wing and needs to play as a striker.
If he played for us, he’d get 5 goals a season.
I realise that looks stupid when talking about a striker but people rant about how poor Shola, etc. are on those standards so Rooney gets the same.
As a total package – he isn’t up to much in my book.
Fj
You divvnt half talk some shite sometimes like
I seem to remember he scored a 30 yard volley against us at some point? Made Given look like a chump with it n all.
It’s not Rooney’s fault he was played on the wing. He played up front last season and look at how many goals he scored. 27?
Fair enough he may be out of form at the minute, but he is still a good player in my book.
He’s a shrek looking granny doinker and I hate him.
I will not apologise for it.
He does look like Shrek, and he may nob grannies, and you may not like him, but he is certainly better than the Spanish 3rd division
What’s wrong with nobbin grannies like??
Lol
I think that Barton will stay and the contract will get sorted after the season. Where else is he going to go? Certainly nowhere that is a step up from us.
That being said I agree that Jose has probably already gone mentally. Think we will see him at Milan.
I don’t think so re Barton. He will stay. Enrique will be gone. Just speculating!
Don’t think Joey will go but if he does it won’t be to a better club than us and he’ll regret it
RICHIE aye mate he was duff when he left chelsea
AYE BATTY giz £3.for 5 hrs work,then charged me £5 for a cuppa,so owe him 2quid
had walk home too 
Ice
richie must be peddling like hell on that bike keep that battery ganning for the match
Ice…I’m peddling but not on me bike
Bloody more viruses on the bloody thing, reet pain in the arse.
RICHIE
@Nora Batty
What’s upset CarToonsy?
He’s banned me for nowt. He thinks I’m Stardust I’m sure.
Toon reserves 1 nowt up
Sorry, the above should read, what’s up with Worky not CarToonsy.
1-1
bobby….it looks like worky thinks you’re everyone
How can Hamburg be linked with JB when there current manager Armin Veh is leaving by mutual consent at the end of this season as he hasn’t performed…? There is no way JB will end up in Hamburg, I fear he will leave the toon though for sure
I just can’t see him going to a better club Munich and doubt very much he’ll get a move with anywhere near the money he’s s’posed to be on now
richietoon I agree 100% mate, who in there right mind are going to offer JB a better deal than he’s been offered at the toon, and with his previous rep ? Some people may say the bloke also owes the fans, but loyalty doesn’t come into it, the lad has perhaps 2 good years left in him.
I’d still like him to stay though, hope things can be sorted out.
Everton Brum 1-1
dog @58
bobby shitsue
Ressies won 2-1 injurytime header from Airey
BATTY i cannot get that gas T.V. that you sold me to work.
what will i de m8
dog its not gas you have too wind it up at the back ,aboot 3 hours winding should do it
Man is Arsene Wenger a sore loser…disciplinary action being brought against him after yesterdays defeat to Barcelona. It seems to happen after every Arsenal game !….. never saw the game, did he have grounds for complaint ?
munich yes it was never a sending off ,but arsenal didnt have 1 shot on or off target so sore loser like you say
ice..If you had known it was wind up tv instead of a gas one you probably wouldn’t have bought it…?
Crouch is getting a hard time off the ref. Milan keep backing into him and he is getting penalised for it. Bale has just come on…65 minutes….howay Milan….
Wenger reckons Van Piersie shouldn’t have been sent off and that cost them the game…reckons its a big scam…
Tough being Crouch as the bloke doesn’t even need to jump to get free kicks against him…specially when you have defenders who are a bit smart about it…
MM your reet mate,have to re-connect cooker noo,where the hell ime going to find a 4ft key ah divnt kna
Aye tough being crouch. Get paid a fortune and get to nail Abby Clancy every night. Plus, you can play away from home then still nail Abby Clancy every night. Me heart bleeds for him.
old man like seedoff running this m/f.
how much will PATO cost?
Seedorf has won the champions league with 3 different clubs
Bet there isn’t many who could claim that accolade.
Moreno Crouch only gets away with it cos he’s agood looking babe-magnet !
Actually, thinking about it, I reckon he is the ONLY player who can claim that
MM
And a smooth dancer!
Always rated Seedorf, brilliant player imo…old fart now though, but still a class act. They like there old ‘uns at Milan, didn’t Paulo Maldinin play until he was 51 or something…!
Crouch robot dance has the women swooning Moreno…..they reckon he’s only 4′-11″ when he’s lying down though…thats the trick…
MM dont fib he was only 50
sorry ice…got me facts wrong…he was old though !
dog where have u been last nite and today
Schalke through to champs league quarters…thats wor lass happy…!
Anymore “cartoonsy” and you’ll be gone off here as well Booby
toonsy
BATTY running aboot trying to get a flight to malta for laddie,had to gan sat to sign for house,but wanted to be back for work sunday neet,got one out at toon ,back in to liverpool,cost me 250notes,could had 2wk+hotel for that but nee good,cannot get time off work
£250 quid i think iam paying you too much
dog how many bairns ya got just ya lad
BATTY kna thats 2 years salary off you m8 being saveing,got 100 sub off your lass
dog 100 thats more than she gis me
Batty – that’s only the 100 quid I paid her earlier
KNA got a girl too but shes married (to a arse-hole) 30stone,he never worked for 7yr,she works 2 jobs to feed the fat git grrrrrrrr
toonsy aye thats the 1 ,she charges more than double your missus dus
dog aye thats me biggest worry aboot me daughter divent want her too marrie a waster like toonsy
Batty – I treat women like Queen’s mate. Only the best for my bitches
toonsy aye and your henry the eigth
wheres money bags dave the neet,forgot its wed money counting day
well it dusent look like the gerry adams will be on tonight ,busy doing tatts
Hello lads whats the craic
alreet gerry
BATTY,aye m8 does repairs on wed from during the week,they say they are lined up doon the street
I see Toonsy has been kissing some ass
Ice where have you been you have been neglecting me and Batts
we thought you had disowned us 
dog
dave that was bobbyshitsue using toonsy nick
Aye Batty your a right ignorant c@nt you fuked off on me lastnight without goodbye or nowt
DAVE see@98 mate
yes i did on fb ndave ya paddy fcker
Batty not @39 mate with his avatar, its been Toonsy kissing ass again
Ice they know how to get the arm in
so if Lee is getting that what me and Batts getting you cant give one without the others 
oh yeah dave
@122
DAVE give BATTY a 100 for you,i got a sub of his mrs for you,toonsy said he give her the 100
aye dog and toonsy got the 100 oout of his share from the donations pot on org
BATTY shhhh,say nowt
Batty @126 fuk he kept that quiet
Oh thats why he was kissing ass
night lads catch yas tomoz
DAVE i gave mine to the make batty a millonaire fund,still owe him £2 got 3 off him for working 5hrs,but he charged 5 for a cuppa
Batty
BATTY nt sweety
Barton won’t leave. Jose won’t leave.
Unless we start dragging the chain as far as ambition is concerned, or, in Jose’s case, if Barca or Real make enquiries.
How come the talk about Tiote leaving has gone?
Funny how the talk always seems to reflect what the newspapers say.
Ice he said he would look after you too the snake in the grass
Nite Batty
DAVE you see game m8,spurs were lucky,old man seedof ran the m/f
Ice only only caught bits off it as I was working, funny enough I always liked Seedorf. I remember there was talk of us getting him ages ago
Milans combined age must be high
ime off laters lads
He’ll stay.
Ice take it easy im away mesel mate
Lata Dave-0!
Any of you guys watch ‘Being Human’?
Bris – Tiote will be off if a tasty bid comes in. Pardew has already said it himself so it pointless going over old ground until something changes on that front.
Hugh – Unfortunately not. The computer system at work is barely keeping up with me typing so anything additional is way out the question
It’s an underrated programme, on BBC3 Sunday nights. genuine ‘horror’ and ‘dark’ sometimes, but also puts in a lot of humour.
Worth it if you get a chance.
But Toonsy, it’s all old ground. All this ‘will he won’t he’ is recycled news, whether it’s Barton, Jose, Tiote or Jonas.
It’s not even news; it’s rumour, fear, paranoia, hearsay. And it all reinforces the myths peddled by the tabloids – you know, the ones we say we don’t believe.
Expecting to see something like: are we waiting for a new messiah? next.
Bris, when all said an done Toon fans like to talk football. I write some garbage some days but it’s not about that IMHO. It’s about the comments and us all getting together to argue the turn, but then we know on a Saturday we’re all behind them.
I think that’s okay. It’s what ‘fans’ are about.
Bris – Nowt wrong with a bit ofspeculation though. In fact it keeps the world ticking over. I mean its surely better than just plucking something from thin air and at least there is some reasoning behind it of sorts.
I think it’s ok too, Hugh. That’s why I hang around these blogs. I enjoy the articles and the reader banter – even from the drama queens.
I don’t expect writers to be Booker Prize standard. I understand that nobody is a professional writer. I guess I can’t stop myself from commenting about writing and research (or the lack of it) because that’s what I do for a living, and people are always going on about how the tabloids are always telling lies about our club. Just pointing out that we are complicite in perpetuating it.
Speculation is good Toonsy. Just be aware of what it feeds.
Everyone always loves having a whinge at the tabloids as well, it’s common ground we can all share
« Pardew: “We’re looking everywhere – no stone will be left unturned.” | Ireland’s working job interview. »