Barton takes the free kicks, corners, throw-ins, and now the Armband!
Posted on April 6th, 2011 | 72 Comments |
With Captain Kevin Nolan picking up his 10th yellow card v Wolves in our great win at SJP on Saturday, and hence the mandatory 2 game ban, and also Alan Smith out with a long term injury, it’s come to pass that our battling Midfielder and many fan’s ‘player of the season’, Joey Barton, has been told he’s going to be entrusted with the Captain’s armband, at least for the next couple of games.
I guess it could’ve gone to Fabricio Coloccini, with him being a very experienced Argentinean international and ever present. But I tend to think Alan Pardew is trying to do what a lot of managers try by giving the armband / responsibility to the player that has the drive, determination and passion that the Captain needs to have. I’m not suggesting Colo doesn’t have said attributes, more that it is the perfect opportunity to allow Joey Barton to step up and show the football world how far he has come since his much reported brushes with authority. Plenty of footballers have been ‘made’ in such circumstances. For Joey to get this honour is a big step for Alan Pardew, but I, for one, think it’s been coming for some time now. The lad never shirks responsibility on the pitch and has shown immense patience over this season, sometimes up against great odds and provacation.
Some will say it’s part of the ‘buttering up’ underway to get him to sign on the dotted line of a new contract, it could be. But it also shows what everyone at the club thinks of his input since regaining full fitness this term and his ability to motivate the rest of the team. It will also force opposing managers, players and more especially, referees and even the odd pundit to reassess their built in and often out of date attitude towards him.
Joey will be speaking up for the team on the pitch and will be called over by refs to discuss what happens in games. A far cry from the obvious target for the hardknocks of the game attempting to goad him into reacting to their foulplay, or referees that take the easy option and issue soft free kicks or hand out nonsense yellow cards when Joey makes a tackle.
Just because it’s Joey Barton.
I’ve always thought that Joey would make a great captain and he’s just the sort of guy you’d want to line up beside, going into the the white heat of a Premier League match. Joey still has a way to go to turn around what plenty out there want to perpetuate about him. We’re going to get loads of raised eyebrows and worse, no doubt? But this could be the start of a whole new chapter for the lad.
One this writer welcomes.
He must feel very proud to be given this opportunity, but at the same time, he thoroughly deserves it.
It could be the making of him!
What do you reckon?
Howay the Lads!
It is a great decision to make him captain because he deserve to wear that armband..