Forget the lurid Black Prada Bag With Gold Hardware headlines – Joey Barton represents a real bargain buy
It seems a long Amazon Uk Prada Bags time since Manchester City beat Newcastle United 3-1 in an early season Premier League game at Eastlands, and the disappointed Toon Army attempted to strike an upbeat note with chants of: «We’ve got Joey Barton.»
In fact it was a mere four years ago. September, 2007, to be precise. It just seems a lot longer because City have been through two more managers, a change of ownership, stadium name and a whole lot of money since those balmy days of Sven-Göran Eriksson’s early stewardship, while Newcastle have contented themselves with a mere five managerial changes since deciding Sam Allardyce was not the man for the job after all.
But Newcastle still have Joey Barton, even if they have had to fly to America without him due to the refusal of a US visa after his prison sentence for assault in 2008. The midfielder will tour the Netherlands with Peter Beardsley and the reserves instead, which might sound like a recipe for disaster given Barton’s record with tours, reserves and youth players in his Manchester City days, but could be a prelude to a bigger Premier League team signing him up if he can keep his nose clean and prove he has grown up a bit.
Barton is 28 now and has been told he will not be awarded another contract at Newcastle, which means, like Samir Nasri, he can play out his final 12 months or hope Ap Lei Chau Prada Factory Outlet someone comes along to snap him up first. Apart from the contractual situation, there are not many other points of similarity between Nasri and Barton replica prada nylon handbags, though Arsenal were mentioned as possible contenders for his signature a few weeks ago. Bicester Village London Prada It was the sort of silly season story that was Authentic Prada Fairy Bag For Sale almost impossible to believe on first hearing – and also on hearings two to five after that – though Arsène Wenger has been extensively quoted on the need to inject a bit of steel and fighting spirit into his woefully insipid side. And say what you like about Barton but he doesn’t let you down on the steel and fighting spirit fronts. He Agatha Ruiz Dela Prada Shoes Uk can also play a bit too, yet largely through problems of his own making his undoubted ability has remained half-hidden in a thicket of lurid headlines.
So while it might be stretching credulity too far to posit that Barton could be a cut-price replacement for Nasri at the Emirates – such a course could easily leave Wenger with a simultaneous dressing room and terrace revolt on his hands – the combustible Scouser is almost the epitome of a moneyball signing and would make a damn good capture for someone. Almost anyone, in fact. Arsenal, for the reasons just mentioned. Manchester United, who have lacked a midfield snarler since Roy Keane left and plainly need someone with Authentic Prada Shoes For Sale a bit more snap and bite than the likes of Ryan Giggs and Park Ji-sung. Even Liverpool, if they fail in their bid to land Stewart Downing, might find it much easier to consider the crosser responsible for putting most of the balls on Andy Carroll’s head when he was at Newcastle. And Barton would not cost anything like £20m.
People are already saying Downing would be a moneyball-type signing because of his relatively unsung contribution allied to reliably impressive stats, but the money being talked about seems to confirm that Aston Villa at least know exactly how valuable a player he is. The ultimate Moneyball signing is the one who is good but cheap as chips because for some reason or other most clubs are not looking to buy him. Charlie Adam once fitted the bill exactly, but only around the time Ian Holloway brought him in from Rangers. Now everyone has seen how useful he is, and a few clubs have had a go at luring him, the Scot is under a certain amount of pressure to justify his £8m tag and repay Kenny Dalglish’s faith in him. It might be that Adam excels at Anfield and ends up making £8m look a bargain, or it could work out that circumstances suited him better at Blackpool, where little was initially expected and the whole team played to his strengths.
For quite a lot less, Barton could be a bargain buy for someone, even if that someone doesn’t necessarily see him as a first-team regular. Not only has he deservedly played for England, memorably upsetting Frank Lampard, Everton tried to buy him when he was at Manchester City. David Moyes does not make too Authentic Prada Messenger Bag For Sale many mistakes in the transfer market, especially when signing home-produced talent. To Authentic Prada Shoes Sale judge from his recent quotes, Barton has not yet given up on his dream of playing in the Champions League, and nor should he. With the right club he could still make it.
Failing that, even if he starts the new season with Newcastle, the opening game against Arsenal should be well worth watching. It certainly was last season, and for any memories that need jogging, it was Barton’s altercation with Abou Diaby in the centre circle that triggered the remarkable Newcastle comeback from 4-0 down. Diaby was correctly dismissed for excessively violent retaliation, Arsenal were down to 10 men with most of the second half still to play, and the rest is history. Except to note that Barton scored two penalties in the fightback and sent in the free-kick from which Cheik Tioté scored his unforgettable equaliser. Not a bad afternoon’s work, especially when you consider Wenger said Barton should have been sent off with Diaby (he shouldn’t, Wenger was understandably shaken and Authentic Prada Clutch looking for someone to blame) while Alan Pardew credited him with launching the whole recovery. «I told the players at half-time to show more aggression,» the Newcastle manager said. «We needed to show the fans we cared, and in the second half we played like lions.»
There you have the essential Barton dichotomy in a nutshell. Barcelona may not be about to send for him any time soon, and LA Galaxy will have to wait another couple of years, but for most English purposes he does exactly what’s required and he won’t break the bank. No brainer? Quite possibly, but at 28 he ought to have acquired a little common sense. Let’s see what happens in Holland…
