Craig 6295 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan says he has seen "a different Joey Barton" after the midfielder's spell in prison. Barton spent a week in a Liverpool prison over New Year after being charged with assault and affray following an incident on Boxing night. Keegan told BBC One's Football Focus: "I honestly think prison has been a reality check for him. "I'm watching him every minute of every day, like all my players, and I've got to say I see a different Joey Barton." Barton made his first appearance in a Newcastle shirt since the incident when he came on as a second-half substitute against Arsenal on Wednesday. Keegan said he saw evidence of Barton's changed character during that cameo appearance. "There were a couple of times he might have done something silly, but his brain took over and he thought 'no I'm not going to do that any more'," he said. "You've got to give him another chance. Everyone deserves that, even someone who maybe has let you down a couple of times, like he has me. "I've said 'clean piece of paper, don't let me down, I'll support you 100%'. And I will." The Newcastle boss knows Barton better than most, having managed the central midfielder when he was coming through the ranks at Manchester City. "I know Joey as well as he knows himself, having seen him come through as a 16 or 17-year-old," Keegan said. "Joey had to scrap and fight like you wouldn't believe. He was always just a little bit behind everyone else. "Some lads were getting £200 a week, Joey was getting £150. He'd get a one-year contract, while they would get two. "He's had to fight that all the way and that sort of desperation helped him get to a level a lot of people thought he wouldn't achieve. "When he got there, he struggled to handle that for different reasons." Meanwhile, Keegan said Newcastle fans should not be worried about the club's lack of activity in the January transfer window. The club failed to bring in a single new player during the window. "Don't be fooled by this transfer window - the funds are definitely there for us," Keegan said. "That was my choice not to bring anyone in. We could have brought in four or five players and spent some money. "But I didn't want to do that for the sake of it. In the summer we'll bring whatever we feel is needed for the next jump. "That next jump is to be fighting for a European place. Mike Ashley will support me, no doubt about that. He loves this club and is excited and enthusiastic as I am." Watch the full interview on Football Focus on BBC1 on Saturday 2 February from 1210 GMT. Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...ted/7222879.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Lazaru 0 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 With Barton you suspect there won't be a change and that he's basically got a serious problem and something will happen again. But, if anything is going to work and change him for the better, then a shock to the system like being put in jail is as good a bet as anything. I imagine something like that could impact on even an idiot like Barton! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hadrian 0 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Your not talking about to long ago when incidents like barton's happened alot in the world of football . in this world of 'footballing athletes' you have to wonder what we are missing out on , the next gazza would not probably not make it past the first post in this enviroment . to miss out on players like him in place for workhorses who can run alot further is surely criminal . not that barton and gazza should be mentioned together , but lets hope he can get a bit of form going and make himself worth some of the hassle he causes . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 5890 Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 His tail is between his legs at the minute. Give it 6 months and the nutcase in him will be back. You cant change people like him tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyluke 1 Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan says he has seen "a different Joey Barton" after the midfielder's spell in prison. Walks with a limp and keeps his back to the wall in the showers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I R Toon Fan 0 Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 I thought he had turned his life around before the McDonalds incident. It's a load of bollocks. He is a serious thug that luckely has footballing ability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 I thought he had turned his life around before the McDonalds incident. It's a load of bollocks. He is a serious thug that luckely has footballing ability. I still think laying people out at 2am in McD's in Liverpool could be deemed community service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 31 Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 I reckon KKs in for another let down here like. Lads a thug and I cant see him changing. KKs no soft touch like and I reckon if he does let him down again he'll be gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 He'll never change. You either accept the temprament and get the best out of him with it or go at loggerheads and disrupt him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uguysarefunny 0 Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 sorry miss read, I thought that was Keegan welcomes change at Bolton, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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