The Joey Barton Phenomenon

Joey Barton is a wonderful footballer, still only 28, English and full of drive and determination.  The fact that he has only one England cap to his name and no silverware above his fireplace should be a mystery to us all.  Yet Barton's reputation precedes him and his tempestuous private life is, well, not very private.  Some players just want to hit the self destruct button, but is the Newcastle midfielder really one of them?

Barton's days at Manchester City were filled with controversy.  Ironically, Barton's first major indiscretion was away from the cameras and before the days of Twitter rants.  A mysterious half time bust-up with the referee during an FA Cup in 2004 saw Barton fail to return to the pitch for the second half.  It would become apparent that he had been sent off in the tunnel.  Barton reacted angrily after being dropped for the subsequent match against Southampton and stormed out of the City of Manchester stadium before the match.  Despite his behaviour, Barton had become a fans' favourite , making over thirty appearances for the club.  

Barton went into the 2004/2005 season on the back of a young player of the year award.  Despite the concerns over his attitude, Barton continued to impress on the pitch and Manchester City awarded him with a lucrative new contract.  However, Barton hit the front pages in December of 2004 when he infamously stubbed out a cigarette on the eyelid of team-mate, Jamie Tandy.  He later claimed his team-mate was trying to set light to his shirt at the time, however the club took a very dim view and fined him the maximum six weeks wages.  Barton's behaviour was now criminal and could no longer be attributed to a potent mix of youthful exuberance and new-found wealth.

There is something about Barton that seems to get under the skin of opposing fans and players.  He is one of those players fans absolutely adore if he plays for their team.  Unfortunately for Barton, this hatred from opposition fans further fuels his explosive personality.  After a violent confrontation with a 15 year-old Everton fan on club tour in Thailand, it became apparent that Barton was struggling to cope with his growing profile.  While many who knew the man personally would talk of him in very generous terms, the public perception was turning increasingly negative.  

It was the training field confrontation and violent assault of Ousmane Dabo that finally ended any hope of a long term relationship with Manchester City.  Barton was now facing two police charges and the sack from City.  The media storm was brewing and knives were out, which very probably increased the pressure on him.  Barton's relationship with Stuart Pearce was at an all time low and the troubled midfielder was made available for transfer in 2007.  Barton had quite clearly ran out of friends from within the club and a move was best for all concerned.

Throughout his time at City, Barton played with his usual passion and commitment, a fact that cannot be disputed.  However, you can't help thinking he would perform best if football was a solo sport.  Driven and motivated on the pitch to an incredible degree, this enthusiasm often turns into disdain for what he sees as inferior colleagues.  During his last season with Manchester City, Barton had publicly criticised his own team-mates and questioned the club's transfer policy, referring to new signings as 'sub-standard' - ring any bells?  Despite all this, Barton was rewarded for his undoubted talent with an England call-up.  However, we can only imagine what kind of team spirit was afforded Barton after earlier criticising England players for releasing autobiographies after the ill-fated 2006 World Cup.  

Newcastle United was to be a fresh new start for the Huyton born midfielder.  Although two serious police charges hung over his head, Barton had negotiated the best deal of his career and was heading to a club whose fans were genuinely excited to see him.  However, Barton would again flirt with hypocrisy, demanding Manchester City pay a £300,000 contractual payment due to the player not actually requesting the move.  The transfer to Newcastle had stalled and had the then Chairman, Freddie Shepherd, not agreed to pay the extra cash, who knows where Barton would be right now.  This the same player that accused established England players of cashing in on failure!

Barton's time at Newcastle has been fraught with the same controversy that besmirched his time in Manchester.  However, the fans in the north east took to Barton's no nonsense approach immediately, but perhaps this adoration has been distorted by events at the club over the last four years.  Although many fans will dismiss the fact, Barton was Newcastle's forgotten man for the first two years of his contract.  Injury, suspension and prison had plagued his first season and most of the second.  Newcastle fans, although happy with Barton's commitment while playing, had seen very little of him during the infamous season of 2008-2009, so were understandably excited to see him back for the relegation fight, away to Liverpool.  So, after three months out, prison, suspension, 60k a week and nearly two years of anticipation from the fans, Barton scythes down Xabi Alonso from behind, a blatant act of petulance and thuggery.  Caretaker manager, Alan Shearer would later call the act a 'coward's tackle.'

Barton was again at the centre of a huge bust-up, this time with Toon legend, Shearer and was again, sent home and suspended.  Surely the end of the road?  Well, it may have been had Shearer secured the manager's position on a permanent basis.  However,  Chris Hughton's eventual appointment once again opened the door for him and yet another chance to fulfill his potential was undeservedly afforded Barton.  A successful promotion followed and perhaps his finest hour.  He was head and shoulders the best player in the league and with Kevin Nolan carefully managing his temperament, became a huge favourite at St James' Park.

Support for Barton from the Geordie masses was at its highest last year, after several memorable results, particularly at home.  Unfortunately, Barton seems incapable of simply concentrating on being the great player he is.  In what many consider to be a cynical attempt to utilise the fans' adoration, Barton opened a Twitter account to tell the world the 'truth.'  Seemingly shocked at the direction of the club and its 'lack of ambition,' as well as the departure of his friend, Kevin Nolan, he began a very public campaign of criticising the board.  Surfing the waves of public opinion, it would seem that an increasing section of Newcastle fans are losing patience with Barton.  Now the club's top earner, many supporters have a natural disconnect with his predicament.  The plumbers, bricklayers and labourers that pay hundreds of pounds every year to watch their beloved team are beginning to grow tired of Barton promoting his own agenda.  

Barton has now taken to quoting famous writers and philosophers.  In what seems to be a contrived attempt to change the public's perception of him, is he now thinking about his next move?  Is he trying to engineer not only a move away, but a move to a big club that will buy the 'changed man' Twitter campaign?  Joey Barton showed, through his actions on Saturday with Gervinho,  he is still the same 21 year-old impetuous, aggressive and unpredictable man he always has been.  His cries of 'hypocrites!' on Twitter were ringing in the ears of the footballing masses when he fell to the ground in agony following the limp tickle dished out by Gervinho.  You have to wonder if Barton, while fighting for his life at the feet of Gervinho, was already planning his post-match Twitter campaign.  As for his public degradation of Match of the Day's Alan Shearer, he will surely learn a hard lesson on the loyalties of the Geordie faithful.


Joey Barton is a superb player and has all the tools to be an England regular.  Unfortunately, he has been the master of his own demise.  At 28, he seems to have mellowed a little on the pitch, but the pressure cooker in his head still vents, only now through social networking.  He seems oblivious to the fact that most of his fans would have already been fired, had they spoken of their employers the way he has.  Regardless of the Newcastle board's shortcomings, that fight is not one for Barton - or any player.  As a very well paid employee, he has a duty to do his talking on the pitch.  Given Barton is available on a free transfer and that he is the country's self proclaimed 'best,' where are all the offers?  His ability opens doors for him, his mouth closes them.