Joey Barton Needs Help Not Punishment After Release From Prison

Joey Barton’s story is tragic—a promising and talented footballer who has made bad decisions, decisions that have now brought him to a crossroads in his life. Where he goes on from here and what he does with his career will depend a lot on how he views the past (whether he perceives himself to be the victim or the victimiser) and perhaps more relevant to football, how the people around him help him move forward. Make no mistake—Newcastle United, the PFA and the FA each have key roles to play in Barton’s future—and here’s how they can help the player while punishing him for his actions:   FA need to consider Newcastle’s and Barton’s future Banning Barton from playing football—for 5 games, 15 games, a whole season or a lifetime is not the answer. It won’t help football (although it would help the FA’s image), it won’t help Barton and it won’t help Newcastle. Keegan has talked about giving Barton ... (link)