Premier League - Murphy: Don't crucify Barton

Eurosport - Wed, 06 May 08:52:00 2009

Fulham captain and Eurosport-Yahoo! blogger Danny Murphy thinks that Joey Barton has only himself to blame for his current predicament, but deserves a chance to put things right.

2008-2009 Premier League Newcastle United Joey Barton - 0

Joey Barton's tackle on Xabi Alonso was a bad one and that was shown by the fact that Alonso was stretchered off, so the red card Barton got was justified.

I think it was disappointing for him as he has been trying to make amends after his time away from the game in prison; it has been a while since he played regular football, especially with his recent injuries. Every time he gets on the pitch he is passionate and maybe he showed that too keenly. He will now be out for the last three games at a massively important time for the club.

When you have had the media coverage he has had, any incident will be magnified, so in a way he has created that problem for himself.

Alan Shearer expressed his disappointment publicly and honestly, and I think every manager deserves respect for saying how they feel. Openness from managers is always a good thing, whether in the form of praise or criticism.

It isn't right to brush things under the carpet. Alan is an intelligent and passionate man so I think he was right to say what he did. It is a manager's prerogative.

There are always players who are categorised as bad boys, and you can name plenty over the years. Joey has had several off-field incidents that have stuck with him. But generally speaking, there is good and bad in every sphere of life and most people accept that.

Barton has had a lot of help from the Sporting Chance clinic and from Newcastle, giving him a chance to continue playing in the Premier League. He is a very talented player but there comes a point when it comes down to the individual.

He has to get past the current controversy, start afresh next season and give it his all for the club if they stick by him. He seems to be trying to move his life in the right direction and I think most people around him in football are willing to give him a chance. I wish him well.

I have had two sendings off in my career and I remember both well. The first came in a passionate game at Anfield against Manchester United in 2001 and was probably justified. Luckily we went on to win the game but I was severely reprimanded by Gerard Houllier for that. Playing Man U with 10 men wasn't ideal.

The second red card was a little unlucky, and came when I was playing for Charlton in 2005. Luke Young and I made a tackle at the same time and then I threw the ball away in anger to pick up my second yellow card.

It was careless and silly and a bit of a one-off. I'm not really somebody who loses my temper too much on the pitch. I find it more beneficial to control my anger to do good things with the ball and make the right kind of impact.

Danny Murphy / Eurosport

Comment 184 - 203 of 203

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  1. the red card,barton recieved prevented him playing for­ the rest of the season,so the club suspended­ him,tactful dont you think.yet another chance,murphy­ whatever your trying to do,it aint working,your remarks­ about barton are truly offensive,your remarks have put­ you on the wrong side of the fence,we cannot now take­ any of your views seriously,i for one will not read­ your claptrap again.

    From farsical, on Sun 10 May 7:10AM

  2. danny murphy is only slightly more inteligent than­ barton. how many chances do you give him. he should­ have been threw out off football when he was at city.­ the guy is a maniac and should not be allowed to go out­ in public, even on the tv.

    From ripped of, on Sat 9 May 2:44PM

  3. Did somebody ghost write this drivel or does Danny­ Murphy actually believe this himself?? "Joey­ Barton has only himself to blame for his current­ predicament, but deserves a chance to put things­ right" - I quite agree... but hasn't he had­ that chance? About five times? We have to stop calling­ it a "second chance" at some point.

    The­ first half of this story seems to have been written by­ someone who thinks the knobhead SHOULD be crucified­ (like 99% or right minded people). But then comments­ like:

    "Barton is a very talented player" -­ I'd like to know what you've seen to make you­ think that.

    "He seems to be trying to move his­ life in the right direction" - I'd LOVE to­ know what you've seen to make you think that! Was­ it the cigar-stubbing incident? The GBH? The prison­ term from which he has learned NOTHING? I'd love to­ see Alonso bring a case against him.

    "There is­ good and bad in every sphere of life and most people­ accept that" - True, but where is the good in this­ lowlife?

    "I think most people around him in­ football are willing to give him a chance" - not­ 'most people' who've read this­ article.

    Does Murph just want him to be in our team so­ Fulham have a better chance of winning? :/

    From furiouszed, on Sat 9 May 10:38AM

  4. thug. let him rot on the dole. most people have to work­ a lifetime to earn what he earns in a year. he's a­ waste of talent and an abusive little @**$. hope he­ reads these comments.

    From Martin, on Sat 9 May 10:09AM

  5. Being a Fulham supporter and a regular reader of Danny­ Murphys blogs I must say that I generally agree wih his­ comments.
    This time I feel that he as gone over the­ top. Barton with that tackle could of put Alonso out of­ football for life.
    Give Barton another chance?. No way,­ next time which is sure to happen, there could well be­ a different outcome for some unforunate player.

    From Ron. W., on Sat 9 May 9:40AM

  6. Murphy you should have a word with Al Fayed and the­ idiot can come and play with you next season???

    From PAULIOUS, on Wed 6 May 11:45PM

  7. How many chances he's got already?
    Fool me once,­ shame on you. Fool me twice, same on...

    From Silver N, on Wed 6 May 5:32PM
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  9. Should Newcastle sack Joey Barton?
    6298 votes since Tue­ 05 May

    Answer Result Percentage Number of votes
    Yes ­ 77% 4857 votes
    No 23% 1441 votes

    From Jack, on Wed 6 May 2:09PM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    all this is well and good, we decide to look at a­ persons character off the field to judge him on it,­ lets not forget what we have here is undoubtedly still­ a young quality player, his on an off field incidents­ speak for themselves but quality cannot be overlooked.­ when i think about joey barton there is one name that­ springs to mind ROY KEANE

    From duff3k, on Wed 6 May 2:06PM

  11. mad dog pogatez

    From Jack, on Wed 6 May 1:57PM

  12. Dont crucify Barton or what are you saying? This guy­ need to be ban from footaball before he kill somebody,­ i hope it will be you Murphy, then you can repeat this­ article.

    From dapfash, on Wed 6 May 12:39PM

  13. some one thinks he should be playing rugby. I wish he­ was playing rugby cos then little joey would have his­ tail between his legs and running for cover. he has­ this attitude in football cos he knows that there is no­ one to whup his @#$%. Come on joey boy start playing­ rugby.... you will cahnge for the better. Guaranteed!!

    From nawazm47, on Wed 6 May 11:48AM

  14. I discovered a hot place too!

    These thermal vents­ 50000 feet into the bottom of the pacific ocean. Not­ many singles about though.

    From Robbie H, on Wed 6 May 11:36AM

  15. The FA had the oppurtunity to do something with this­ @#$% and blew it.
    Just like many others who have gone­ before. Don't forget this scum actually wore an­ England shirt once !!!!

    The Ivory Towers of the FA is­ partly to blame for this low life still being allowed­ to pull on a shirt.

    From TTIOT, on Wed 6 May 10:43AM

  16. put him on the pitch at sjp an throw flumps at him for­ 2 hours solid then maltesers for half an hour, then­ make him eat 500 kit kats, an the boy will be­ heeled...... poor joey....

    From Jasoptimum851, on Wed 6 May 10:18AM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

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    ------Meet rich C o M------­ where many sexy singles- who like dating and-- chatting­ there. I'm an open- minded girl from US, I-- am­ Waiting 4 u

    From chanmarry78, on Wed 6 May 9:34AM

  18. he should be birched!

    From jon, on Wed 6 May 9:07AM

  19. Barton is nothing short of a thug. He has proven his­ inabillity to curb his temperament both on and off the­ pitch on more than one occasion. And this creature is­ supposed to be a role model for young people!!!!! The­ sooner he is banned from the game for life, the better.­ He has had numerous "chnaces" to prove he has­ "changed", and like many a time on the pitch,­ he has squandered those chances. I feel sorry for toon­ supporters,as it is their club who is having to pay the­ scumbag several thousand pounds a week, only for said­ scumbag to bring shame on them! The F.A should kick him­ out of football, now, and let decent professionals ply­ their trade without fear of this IDIOT possibly ending­ theirs.

    From jon, on Wed 6 May 9:04AM

  20. Shame I thought it was actually being suggested he be­ crucified and that was why Murphy was asking for him to­ have a second chance,don't you just hate metaphores

    From jack torrance, on Wed 6 May 9:02AM
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