Barton coy on Magpies future
Midfielder Joey Barton has warned his future at Newcastle will depend on the club matching his ambition.
The 28-year-old was understood to be ready to put pen to paper on a new deal in January when Tyneside was stunned as striker Andy Carroll was sold to Liverpool for £35m.
Both Barton and the club have repeatedly spoken of their hopes of striking a deal since, although they are currently at odds over the length of the proposed contract.
However, the former Manchester City player, who has been in superb form for Newcastle this season after coming to terms with the problems which have blighted his career to date, insists he will only stay if he feels the club is moving forward.
In an interview with French magazine So Foot, he said: “It’s important to respect the people who come to the stadium or watch the games on telly.
“That’s what I told [the Newcastle management]. I told them the goal shouldn’t be just to survive, to finish 16th or 17th, every season.
“We had a good player, Carroll, and we sold him. I told the management that I was worried, that I was scared this might happen every year. But they assured me they don’t want to go down that road.
“I don’t know if I believe them. I told them I might stay this summer because we have some good players and money to spend. But I’m going to wait and see if players like Kevin Nolan, Cheick Tiote and Jose Enrique stay.
“If Nolan signs a new deal, I will as well. But I hope the club step things up. I want to be ambitious and I think the club share that desire.”
Spanish full-back Enrique, 25, has been linked with a move away from St James’ Park for some time after excelling in the Barclays Premier League following a difficult start on Tyneside, while Nolan scored his 12th goal of the season in Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Wolves.
Ivory Coast international Tiote has proved to be one of the signings of the season and was rewarded with a new six-and-a-half-year contract in February just six months after his arrival from FC Twente as the club attempted to demonstrate its desire to build for the future.
Meanwhile, the outspoken Barton once again gave a frank assessment of the current England team – he is yet to add to his single cap, in his opinion, a direct result of his off-field indiscretions – and delivered a withering assessment of Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry’s role in it.
He said: “Did you see the game against Germany at the World Cup? If you watch the fourth goal, when [Mesut] Ozil was up against Barry, it was like the hare and the tortoise.
“Barry’s got a very good agent. He’s also discreet and always agrees with the manager. He’s like the guy who sits in the front row and listens to the teacher. I certainly don’t lose any sleep when I play against him.”
