Newly acquired QPR midfielder Joey Barton was given the club’s captain’s armband shortly after his arrival at Loftus Road, and in no time whatsoever has shown the sort of maturity and professionalism that marked his earlier stops at Newcastle and Manchester City. The Guardian and the Press Association provide the details after Rangers’ 3-0 away win at Wolves Saturday afternoon
Barton used Twitter after the game to call Wolverhampton’s Karl Henry “a Sunday league player” and “a mug” while also suggesting Mick McCarthy, the Wolves manager, must have been on drugs when he declined to sign him from Newcastle.
The Football Association duly examined the Twitter feed and, keen not to be seen interfering with players’ rights to freedom of speech, had almost certainly resolved to take no action over a possible disrepute charge when Barton appeared as a guest on Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday.
Once in front of the camera he claimed that Henry is “always sticking his foot in and trying to hurt people” and is only “out to make a name for himself”. It is understood FA officials may now wish to review that footage.
Meanwhile that Sunday viewing proved the cue for further retaliation from Henry. “Joey Barton was telling everyone he is on 80 grand a week as usual. That is him,” he said. “He always does that during the game. Always. He riles a few people up when he says those things and tells everybody how great he is.
“It is just embarrassing really. If that is what he wants to do, he can carry on doing it but that is why a lot of people dislike him. He has tried to reinvent his image but it is probably the same old story.“