There is some good news and some bad news for Joey Barton today.
Joey Barton – in action against Arsenal earlier this year
The good news is that Alan Pardew will make Joey captain of the side for the next two games, in Kevin Nolan’s enforced absence.
Kevin picked up his 10th caution of the season on Saturday, and is now suspended for the next two games at Aston Villa this Sunday (another 3 points?) and at home to Manchester United on Tuesday night, 19th April.
The bad news is that Joey will very likely miss the US tour in July, because he will not be allowed into the US, because of two prior felonies.
There was also good news yesterday that Joey Barton wanted to re-enter negotiations with Newcastle, to get a new contract at the club, and it seems like the initiative is coming from the player himself, so that is welcome news.
Of course Joey’s past behavior still haunts him, and he will need to show some respect to the captain’s armband on Saturday, and conduct himself appropriately, but we’re sure he will do just that.
Alan Smith would normally be the one to take over, but Alan is out injured for the season, and Fabricio Coloccini seems to be the only other player who was considered to take over from Nolan by the manager.
This is what Alan Pardew said today:
“It is important Joey continues to represent the club in the right manner.” “He will be captain for the next two games and the spotlight will be on him, that is for sure.”
“Everyone will be watching him to see how he handles it, but he deserves the chance to take on that responsibility – not just with his displays but also his behavior.”
“There is a maturity and a calmness about Joey and, apart from one mishap against Blackburn, he has kept his control.”
“He was excellent again against Wolves last weekend and we hope that he can play as well this weekend against Aston Villa and in the game after that, because we will need him to.”
Barton has done well both on and off the field this season, and should be given some credit for finally overcoming his demons, for most of the time.
He’s had just one little act of aggression in the home game against Birmingham, when he punched Pedersen, and of course he received a three match ban for that altercation.
The two convictions Barton has for assault, will almost certainly stop him from getting a visa, so he can tour the US with the Newcastle team in July.
Barton will have to apply for special dispensation to travel with the squad, because of his two criminal convictions for assault, but we think it will be highly unlikely he will be allowed into the country.
There are precedents of other sportsmen routinely having their visa applications rejected, when they have had criminal convictions in the past, and it’s unlikely, very unlikely in fact, that Joey will be able to accompany the Newcastle squad to the US.
Actions have consequences, and bad actions have bad consequences – and that’s the way it goes unfortunately.
The next two games will be an excellent opportunity for Joey to show he has matured big time over the last couple of seasons, and we have every confidence that he will conduct himself very well while wearing the armband.
It would also be fantastic if Newcastle can get two wins in those games – because then we’d all be flying.
Comments welcome.
18 comments so far
Ciaran Thomas
Apr 6, 2011 at 9:46 AM
Comment #1He wont be allow in then,Screws up his pre-season then :/.
Bucks mag
Apr 6, 2011 at 9:58 AM
Comment #2When I first read the title I thought Joey had reservations about the USA and was ruling himself out of going, I thought it was a little too deep for a footballer
G
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:04 AM
Comment #3Looking on the bright side, it means we will have at least 1 player in the squad next season who will not be suffering from obesity. Went over to Florida years back, and a single serving of burger and chips could feed a family of four over here. A Mc’D’s happy meal in the states will feed 2 adults here.
G
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:07 AM
Comment #4By the way, anybody else seen this rubbish doing the rounds about us being interested in Adebayor? Am told it is even in the Metro paper this morning? A good player, but mad as a box of frogs, even if we do have the cash for him, I would rather we kept away.
Ciaran Thomas
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:07 AM
Comment #5Holy moley,G. Thats outrageous.
Davies
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:08 AM
Comment #6I’ve just seen an hilarious article about Pardew “eyeing” Adebayor as a summer transfer target.
They’re saying that we may “splash” the £18m that City would want for him. What a joke. How much does he earn?
Davies
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:09 AM
Comment #7Must have been typing that at the same time, G.
Solaidback
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:09 AM
Comment #8What makes me laugh about this is, in the US, they currently have 2% of there population incarcerated in prisons for offences committed, that works out at around 6 million prisoners & probably another 30% who’ve not been caught yet ie drug dealers, gang members, corrupt politicians & police etc etc…
And all because Joey has a couple of minor charges against him, he’s not allowed into the country…. how pathetic is that….. talk about 1 rule for them & another rule for anyone outside there country!!!
Imagine if the rest of the world stopped every yank who had a past misdemeanor entering there countries, they’d never leave the USA any of them!!! 😉
Btw Ed, why is it that if you put a swear word on your posts, they get bounced completely?? Don’t you have a swear filter on there to change them to **** instead like most other bloggs & websites????
The reason I’m asking is, I just wrote on another topic & used 1 small swear word for ‘bottom’ & it bounced my entire post, I couldn’t recover it or nowt, so whats that about???
geoff777
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:14 AM
Comment #9I’m not keen on these foreign pre-season trips. Too draining. Asia is the worst but the USA … why?
Are there casinos in Kansas & Ohio?
The Irish boot camp worked very well the last couple of years with friendlies in the UK.
We’ve had good starts both years.
G
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:16 AM
Comment #10It’s all about marketing geoff777. Trying to appeal to foreign fans etc. Makes financial sense this day and age to explore new markets, but I agree that it can be too draining.
fungus44
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:18 AM
Comment #11we will just have to wait and see what happen,s in the summer they just might surprise us again like he did last year
Solaidback
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Comment #12Could also be to put the club into the ‘Shopping Window’ while we’re there to see if any Yanks wnat to buy the club off Ashley :0 😉 😉
geoff777
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:31 AM
Comment #13Sure I realise it is a marketing effort.
But the pressure if you lose your first 2 or 3 games is incredible nowadays.
The downside of a draining pre-season surely out weighs the benefits.
G
Apr 6, 2011 at 10:46 AM
Comment #14Agreed, as long as we don’t just do a tour of Scottish and Dutch pub teams and get pummelled again, or stuffed by the Orient for that matter.
supervil
Apr 6, 2011 at 11:01 AM
Comment #15@Solaidback
“talk about 1 rule for them & another rule for anyone outside there country!!!”
Yeah, their Country. They’re allowed to do whatever they want. He’s not a Citizen… why would they want MORE criminals in their Country?
“Imagine if the rest of the world stopped every yank who had a past misdemeanor entering there countries, they’d never leave the USA any of them!!!”
They never leave anyway. Only 37% of the population actually has a passport!
ronaldeano
Apr 6, 2011 at 11:08 AM
Comment #16I wouldn’t mind going over to watch nufcs pre season but they won’t let me in the USA either!
Sav
Apr 6, 2011 at 11:23 AM
Comment #17Glad to hear about Joey getting the captaincy against Villa. Deserved.
Whoever wrote that about NUFC and Adebayor is as mad as the striker himself.
That €35 mil will hang like a bell until its spent and every joker agent or lazy journo with access to a peashooter will try ringing it between now and September.
cousto
Apr 6, 2011 at 12:05 PM
Comment #18Joey will get a visa. There are plenty of sports personalities with charges who get in to the US.