I read in an article on Wednesday that Kenny Dalglish was considering a move for the shy and retiring Joey Barton who, at the age of 28, has decided to start pushing for either better terms or a move away from Newcastle. With 12 months remaining on his contract, Barton would be available on the cheap and, at his peak as well. However, his signing would be an enormous mistake and a massive step in the wrong direction for Liverpool Football Club.
As to why well, where do I start? For one, there is Barton’s character: he is hot-headed on pitch, he is mouthy, dirty and a, quite frankly, despicable excuse for a footballer. Off it, he is even worse. There are the handful of cases of him attacking team mates on the training ground or humiliating youngsters at club functions. Then there are the incidents that take place away from football, the resultant court appearances and his lack of repentance for his ‘crimes’ and misdemeanours. Around the end of Gerard Houllier’s reign as Liverpool manager, we tried to sign Lee Bowyer and, as good a player as he was back then, that was not a welcome transfer. The fact is, Barton makes Bowyer look like an angel. Since Bowyer’s well-documented crimes around 10 years ago, he has mostly been on the straight and narrow but the stigma still follows him around. Barton just hasn’t stopped though and the only reason he’s been ‘straight’ the past year or so is because he is up in Newcastle, well away from Liverpool, his old friends and the place he thinks of as home. The further away he is, the better for him and the better for us.
You could also point to Barton’s lofty opinions of his own ability and his lack of modesty when it comes to telling anybody who will listen just how good he thinks he is. Just look at the comments in the national papers a few weeks ago about Barry, Lampard, etc. If a player like Barton was introduced to a club like Liverpool, there would only be trouble. The status quo at most clubs is very fragile and at the moment, it is even more so for Liverpool and will be especially during the summer and the beginning of the new season, with all the comings and goings and players having the expected concerns about their futures when new faces arrive. I can only imagine Barton arriving and declaring himself the best midfielder at the club or something equally inflammatory.
Besides, Barton’s actual ability is nothing to hark on about. Like his fellow Newcastle team mate, Kevin Nolan, Barton is a very capable and very talented footballer; scores a few goals, chips in with assists and he can put himself about a bit. He is not Steven Gerrard and he is certainly not as good as a number of other midfielders we have. Whatever the asking price might be, he just wouldn’t be a step up from what we already have. I can see the benefits of added good, solid players to your squad and the likes of Maxi, Shelvey and the like, we have quite a few of those. But for the added baggage, Barton just wouldn’t be worth the hassle and to be honest, we just don’t welcome people like that at this club.
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I doubt there is any truth in this rumour – Liverpool are more likely to go for a young, promising attacking midfielder/winger in the mould of Eden Hazard and Alexis Sanchez.
Put simply, we don’t want him!!
Agreed Voland!!! he’s a die hard evertonian…but then again..who cares! we still don’t want him nor we need him! I’d rather play Pacheco, Suso and Jonjo (eventhough I’m still not sold on him) rather than bring a player that doesn’t fit the Liverpool Way!!!
I know that signing Barton is just a media hyped rumour. However, there is a warning for KK and Comolli in airing it. The fans want, and the club needs, 4 or 5 more high class players – not average or squad players.If such players are brought in, or we have to rely on the ones we have, then they will soon find how fragile the trust is. We will take it hard if we are let down again. We may be beginning to hope again that the club is finally turning around and to give the benefit of the doubt, but mess this transfer window up and they will soon find how the last couple of bad years are still close in the memory and how fragile the trust is.
Believe that and I’m certain you’ll believe anything!! Ohh and I forgot to mention, Messi and Billy Joel are joining for a schilling in the summer as well!!
He is a thug who is average at best.
I certainly hope it is a rumour. I’m 62 and have supported LFC since I was 15. If they signed Barton, that would be it for me. It would be a complete moral sell-out. He is a thug, and it isn’t about winning at any price
So spending 35 mill on Carroll who smashed his girlfriend in the face….that doesn’t bother you does it old fella??
fair do’s but Carrol is young and made a big mistake its how you come back from them where people will judge you. Barton on other hands has had loads of chances and still causes some trouble, but this season he deserves some praise hes been quite good alot of assists n yellow cards but no way would we want him to come to Anfield, besides the players wouldn’t get on wiwth him apart from Carroll……YNWA
Rather get Jordan Henderson than him, even Spearing is showing some form we should use him more and we have Shelvey, but Barton doesn’t fit in FSG’s plans and we have no need for him. ‘The School of Hard Knocks’ could use him tho……YNWA
Charlie..come on..these players are all spoild kids who probably never took school serious and their parents just pushed football on them! Most of these players lack values! Take a look at this. Players are in referee’s faces all the time and whats done? If I were a ref and a player(s) came screeming at my face, I’d be throwing out red cards left right and center and make sure the FA understands the reason. These players do give back to the communities, but do most of them even care? do they care that there are kids watching and acting like them? Horrible, but we all still support them :s
What an astoundingly arrogant and deluded article. Too good for Joey but Carroll who smashed his girlfriend over the face and glassed a bloke in a pub and Stevie G who nailed a bloke for changing the song they are more than welcome in your club are they?? Suarez is hardly an angel is he??
No you’d take the scum of the earth if he could put the ball in the back of the net and you should be able to man up and admit it.
Calm Down!! Calm Down!!
It wasn’t in the national papers, it was in a French magazine, if I recall correctly. I certainly don’t know Barton personally but I don’t like the knee-jerk herd mentality of slagging him off at every turn. He’s certainly made mistakes but also turned his career around at Newcastle. Credit to him, he’s been a very tidy player these past seasons. And as far as off-field “bother”, before judging him, it’s useful to remember that as a public figure, especially a footballer with a reputation, you get a lot of idiots trying it on with you and suing if they then get decked. All you can really do is remove yourself from these types of situations and he seems to have done that. I think it’s a non-story but if Kenny thought he could do a job for us, I’d trust his judgement.
Plz don’t brings this man to LFC…
What would this lout bring to the club, on the pitch its seconds away from playing with 10 men.At Mellwood it will be problem after problem. In the papers bad publicity 7 days a week.On top of that he’s not very good is he, we have better players than him and we moan about them dont we. Time to talk sense not rubbish.
Barton, you’re having a laugh. The Kop showed their feeling for him yesterday, ‘nough said.
Barton is a decent player, and that’s it. Combine all the baggage that comes with him and no top club would bother with him. I wouldn’t read too much into tabloid stories.
is like the manager[mr,kenny] is confuse of who to buy at the summer,what does he has to do with joey barton when there are good and young players in fc,porto and sporting braga,is like mr,kenny want to do the sam thing that roy hodgson did during last summer transfer,mr.kenny should take time before he will dissapoint himself and lfc fans also the club owners.
He was a thug. Now he is just a tough footballer. He is very talented and I bet you guys wouldn’t be complaining when plants great crosses to Carroll’s forehead. Check out his assist stats, not too shabby at all. His attitude has been in check these couple of years too. And his England comments, although he might not be the best midfielder he certainly has a point in his remarks. England only pick players by name and not by form if not Nolan and Barton should have been picked for England ages ago.
Barton has been trying to join us for years! Was n’t there a story when he was a Man City he was joining us and how he is a good mate of Stevie.
We fans dont want him hes an ARSE.
Well said. I agree with everything you said.
The Kop showed their feeling yesterday did they?
When was that? i must’ve yawned and drowned them out.
Id rather sign Nolan then him even if he is older the mans pure class and well respected by our English players and fans alike. Jordan Henderson from Sunderland is another id look to ahead of Barton, but in the summer we have to do everything to get some quality wingers and left backs, a back up keeper if Reina stays, and another striker incase Carroll or Suarez are injured and a defensive midfielder.
But before all that our biggest signing of the summer and next season has to be THE RETURN OF THE KING ” KENNY MR ANFIELD DALGLISH “……YNWA JFT96