Yesterday Barton ripped into the England national team, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and in particular Gareth Barry, The FA, all at the same time as questioning the ambition of Newcastle United and the honesty of the owner and his cohorts.
To be fair it’s hard to argue with anything that Barton has said really, however I still feel that some things are best left unsaid. I can, and have, been quite outspoken in the past, and it doesn’t always pay to be honest or to tell it how it is as it’s generally you that ends up getting dumped on.
Anyway, his latest rambling harps back to his days at Manchester City and that now infamous scrap with Ousmane Dabo, which landed Barton with 200 hours community service and a four-month suspended prison sentence.
“I have never given my side of the story, but the truth is that he started the fight and I finished it,” said Barton. “Frankly, Ousmane is a little *****. It’s him who hit me from behind with his hand.”
“When he did that, I hit him back. It happened just like that, bang, bang bang and it was over. But I am no monster. I don’t like fighting, but it’s human to defend yourself. The problem was I hit him three times. Of course, it was not the best response, but I grew up in the street and when I am attacked, I defend myself and when you fight, there are no rules.”
Barton the went on to explain how the incident came about. He recalled:
“There was a late tackle in training and we exchanged a few words. I have an aggressive style and he wasn’t happy. I told him, ‘You are a piece of s**t, don’t come looking for me’. He said, ‘You are arrogant, you think you’re something special’.”
“We kept talking and I said, ‘Yeah, you’re great’, but it was sarcastic because he was not playing well, so he slapped me from behind. He tried to be the bad boy, but it was him who ended up on the floor.”
The result was that the incident was sprawled all over the press, but Barton feels aggrieved that he was unable to give his side of the story after being instructed by his solicitor to keep quiet amd accept a guilty charge. Barton continued:
“I wanted to discuss it like men, but he never came to see me and that makes me angry because he told lies in the papers and I was not able to respond.”
“You know, I am not proud of that. It’s never good to fight a team-mate, but from the moment he raised his hand to me … it’s hard to explain. If we saw each other tomorrow, we might say, ‘What we did was stupid, I am sorry and we should never have fought’.”
“I‘ve seen team-mates fighting at least 15 times but City said I had hit him too many times.”
It’s from these dark days that Barton has managed to turn his life around. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and this along with a bit of anger management and becoming tee-total has certainly ensured that Barton, who will be named as Newcastle United Captain on Sunday, has been able to reform himself.
There has been the occasional slip of the halo, such as that punch against Morten Gamst Pederson, but he has also shown some tremendous resolve at times where it would have been easy to lash out like the old Joey Barton would have done. Wolves springs to mind when I mention provocation. Can’t think why….. 😉
People who don’t support Newcastle don’t like him, but so what? Even some of our fans don’t like him, but so what? If he keeps going then opinions of him will start to change eventually. The ill-feeling towards him won’t completely disappear as there appears to be a minority of pillars of the society that have never put a foot wrong in their lives and will continue to judge him.
For now though Joey is doing just fine. He is in the best form of his career and is steering clear of trouble. If this is the new Joey Barton then long may it continue!
Keep it up Joey!
Because you caused trouble at wolves too mate 😉
jay jay(Quote)
He doesn’t seem big enough to hurt anyone. Dabo must be soft as………!
Good to see him getting his act together tho.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Shinton are you having a laugh mate Barton’s a feckin ****-house! Just cos he’s short doesn’t mean he won’t pack a punch, surely you’ve come across this in your life so far!
DevonMag(Quote)
DM
Agreed, put it this way you wouldn’t really want to see Barton with a *** in a dark alley!
Also now gerrards out for the season maybe he will get a look in?
pearceet(Quote)
I’m only 5’8″, but hard as a coffin nail 😎
jay jay(Quote)
‘Shinton are you having a laugh mate Barton’s a feckin ****-house!’
Aye the next 16 year old outside mcdonalds or youth player he beats up will vouch for that. 😉 😆
DJG(Quote)
Wow! And the papers missed that the first time round.
Brisvegas(Quote)
shandyboy @ 6 – you best spar wide of mcdonalds then.
just to be on the safe side like.
roy cropper(Quote)
😆
jay jay(Quote)
He’s a loose cannon, that’s for sure.
His comments about the club are refreshing though.
Stuart79(Quote)
“Frankly, Ousmane is a little *****”
😆 😆
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Andrew – Aye I spat me tea out at work when I read that before bursting into laughter 😆
toonsy(Quote)
I see Nolan got off with his speeding? Couldn’t remember if he was driving apparently 😆
You can take the boy out of Liverpool but……… 😆 😆 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Toonsy, nice link at the bottom here 😉
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2011/04/08/newcastle-united-plan-19-2m-romelu-lukaku-bid/
dan4toon(Quote)
Well in Dan. I can use that now 😉
I see Gerrard is out now for Liverpool? No Agger, Johnson or Stevie G. Hmmmm.
toonsy(Quote)
“John Carver praises attitude of Raylor”
Well it wasn’t going to be his fecking ability was it 👿
toonsy(Quote)
Haha Dabo is a *****, go on Barton sun 😉
Davidtoon4life(Quote)
Harsh, toonsy. But fair!
Stuart79(Quote)
Hope he doesn’t go over the top on Sunday 🙂
jay jay(Quote)
Stuart – As you’ve been away, I’ll let you know that Raylor is my new pet hate. He is my James Perch 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Or Steven Taylor…
Stuart79(Quote)
Nah, not at the minute 😛
toonsy(Quote)
Is it me but don’t you think Barton bragging about winning a fight which ended up Dabo in hospital is leaving himself open to the critisism he thinks is unfair.Don’t get me wrong I think he as been brilliant, but like Pardew he should maybe say a bit less.
Mick G(Quote)
So a week after the respect the ref bollocks, Ol’ Whiskey nose is…… guess what,,,,,, slagging off the referee’s again 🙄
toonsy(Quote)
I think Joey barton is a good person to have on the training ground. Won’t take anyone slacking. That’s who we should get to have a word with ranger. Also you can’t imagine barton taking **** off the board. Weather he signs a new contract will really show what direction were going in.
Rorycn(Quote)
He also makes me laugh, i bet he’d be a right laugh on a night out…. if he doesn’t batter you for being a ‘*****’ haha.
Rorycn(Quote)
New blog up anyway 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
Just read the full interview and all I have to say is long live Joey b
Barton!!! How refreshing for a player that speaks his mind.
‘Barry’s got a very good agent,” ” ‘He’s also discreet and always agrees with the manager. He’s like the guy who sits in the front row and listens to the teacher.”
Brilliant
MDS(Quote)
“Frankly, Ousmane is a little *****. Where I come from, when you fight there is no rule. You fight ’til it’s over.”
Thats why I love Joey, even if he leaves us I’ll still love him. The guy is a hero.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
I sense Devonmag is a Devonmouse! Woo hoo hoo hoo. Squeak squeak.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Agreed. Wor Joey is just a phenomenon! What a personality.
“Ousmane is a little *****” LMFAO! Love this guy!
OHurley(Quote)