Another Barton Article

Apologies if part of this has been covered already, I've been away from the board since Bartongate on Monday. What I was wondering whether it had been mentioned or not was the comments from Bartons agent Willie Mckay, as reported in the bottom half of this BBC article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14367204.stm

The key quote of which is the following:

"Joey was disappointed. There was no way we were going to take a cut in his wages. He wanted four years, they wanted three," added McKay.

Now, this starts arguments as is regarding our transfer policy and giving players long contracts into their 30's, we've done that before and I'm actually in agreement with the chairman on this one, matching West Hams contract offer to Nolan would've been crazy. Either way he should've expected the wage cut anyway seeing that his current one was signed in the Shepherd/Allardyce regime, clearly neither he or Jose saw what we all did a long time ago.

Regardless of that though, Mckays quote contradicts everything that Joey has been telling everyone through Twitter for the last few months. All we've heard is 'I want to stay, but there is no contract to sign' which prompted all the 'Ashley, sign him up' chants through pre-season. As soon as all this came out on Monday, his own agent practically admitted this was untrue, and the contract on the table wasn't good enough.

The situation has changed in the last few days and there's still the possibility he'll stay, but the facts, as reported by himself and his agent, are that he's held the club to ransom over an improved contract, and used the fans unrest against the management anyway to make it look like he's in the right and crusading against the evil regime. Clearly neither party is innocent in all this, and improved communication on the situation from the club would help them an awful lot, but frankly if this is a contract issue Barton simply can't act in the way he has and the actions of the club are justified to try to stop him unsettling the rest of the team.

We like to imagine him as a leader in the changing room, but the only connected responses he's had to his twitter ramblings are from Enrique (wants a move, wants more money), Routledge (not required and now sold), Ranger (I can't get a game!) and the only actual first teamer Danny Simpson. We've brought in four new players who are happy with the wage structure and were attracted to the club, we've had no outbursts from the likes of Taylor, Colo, Tiote, Best, Jonas or any other first teamers who seem happy to be here. Joey Barton is not bigger than the football club, and if what he's doing is in any way affecting any further player recruitment this summer the club is absolutely right in removing him from the first team group.

Sorry this has all got a bit rambling, but the key message is that Barton has all but engineered a move out of the club and kept the fans on his side, which is frankly impressive evil genius. The situation needs to be sorted as soon as possible one way or the other, stay or go.

Oh, and the club needs a clear Twitter policy, I've got one where I work and it insists I conduct myself professionally on social networking sites. If the club had the same this whole business could've been conducted behind closed doors as it should have been.

 

I don't think there is a contradiction on this point. Mckay's comments related to discussions which took place in February. It was in May that it was reported that it would not be offering Barton a contract. The club has never suggested those reports weren't correct.

The possible contradiction is between the statements that the offer was for the same money, whereas Barton's camp had previously suggested (I don't have a direct qote but there might be one) that he was willing to take a pay cut

 

barton is fighting an evil regime - on your behalf - have you forgotten what yor board have put your through over the last few years? really? without trying to get a rise or wum or any of that business - your club has become the premier league joke club - run by amateurs...not just in all this barton business - everything ashley touches turns to lard...that some of you are backing ashley and his lapdog in all of this is, well...surprising at best...

there are a couple of things i dont doubt - that he really cares about newcastle and its supporters - of course he wants the best contract possible - dont you in whatever your profession is? - if my work told me they wanted to give me a paycut - particularly if i'd just won employee of the year - i dont think i'd be alone in kicking off a bit...

i also think he was genuinely worried about the team as relelgation candidates, and i cant blame him - the one team everyone wants to play on the opening day of the season - newcastle - ideally at your place...

while i've been sat here writing this i've put £40 at 6-1 that you get relegated...and even that isnt to wind up - i think its a real shame whats going on with your lot because you do deserve better...

i cant help but think there is an amazing book/script in all of this

 

Star Wars?

Conan?

 

I think you're getting mixed up with timelines here. Easy done because these Journos are plucking quotes from different points in time. He was offered a contract earlier in the year, no one is disputing that including Barton. It involved him taking a significant pay cut and not being as long as he wanted. He rejected this and wanted a 4 year on at least the same terms. At the time his camp suggested they'd be willing to take a small pay cut but not one like they were suggesting. He did kind of indicate this at the do at the Hilton I went to aswell. Now there is a slight contradiction depending on how accurate the reporting is and how it was intended by McKay, in that he is now saying Joey will not take a pay cut. Either they've done a Mike and moved the goalposts, or there is some slack reporting. Either way its not really much news in the grand scheme of the whole affair. In May when they agreed to return to the table when earlier talks were going nowhere, they've gone to see Ash/Lamb and been informed there is now no contract for him on offer. He has taken this badly and everything else has followed.

I was interested in Pardews comments yesterday though. He seemed to suggest both parties are at fault and he came across as the typical pig in the middle. Now those who are calling him a puppet may feel this is just for show, but I think the bloke is unhappy with the board who he feels are acting in anger, and Barton who is doing likewise. He also made it pretty clear that the unhappiness in the camp stems from a lack of players through the door. He seemed to suggest Bartons situation has not affected the players too much because Pardew has removed him from contact with them. Personally I think he came across really well and sounded like a guy who thinks the board need to get their finger out, and Barton needs to sort his head and get on with things. Tough on Joey in my opinion but everyone has their own feelings on things. I think Pardew wants him to fall back in line, let it all settle and see if he can talk to the board. Barton on his part seems to suggest this what he wants with his hilarious cryptic messages. It seems a sensible suggestion from Pardew for me, although I think he'll have a task getting them to spend and back down on Barton. See below for relevant quotes:

"Joey will dictate what happens because he's got another year on his contract here. Joey will decide. But if he wants to stay then he has to pull in the same direction as us.

"Everybody was very angry this week and there were decisions on both sides that were made with that anger still at the surface but I cannot and will not run a football team where a player isn't pulling for the team. It was evident that whatever happened with Joey's mind affected the team. I can't accept that.

"It hasn't been the most perfect pre-season. I don't think Newcastle United are in chaos but are we having a difficult week? Yes. Do we need to get our fans into a better place? Yes. Does the team need to improve on the pitch? Yes."

"The problem I've got with the group at the moment is that they want to see one or two players coming through the door. I'm making it very, very clear to Derek and Mike that we need one or two boys in this door. Now."

 

WP:

Brillinatly clear summary of a complex situation

 

Book/script? Conan the Librarian?

 

Dewey Decimal or Death!

 

We've got too much time on our hands, haven't we?

 

It's Friday

I've just worked out the route I'm driving this weekend for a family reunion. Took an hour as I kept mucking about with detours etc on Google Maps.

Turned a 96 mile journey into a 274 mile journey