EPL News: Joey Barton says he hasn’t changed as his ‘natural instinct’ drives him towards aggression
If his punch on Morten Gamst Pederson wasn’t enough to brand him senile, Barton has yet again hit the headlines with a trademark comment as he tried to explain his aggressive streak through natural instincts. Recently, Newcastle United’s midfielder accepted
is three match ban which was imposed on him by Football Association due to his violent conduct against Blackburn Rover’s winger Pederson in a mid-week Premier League match.
Newcastle did eventually win the match by two goals to nil but Barton was the villain yet again as his on the field and off the field behavioural problems continue to haunt his career as a footballer. Barton who only has a single England cap to his name
was in no mood to give reasons for his actions as he blamed it on his temperament as a footballer. He spoke to the media as he said, "Everyone knows I have anger issues and on the pitch people are going to test my temperament. I realize that. But people ask
me, 'Have you not changed?' and I say, 'No, this is me, I have this aggression in me and I'm trying to handle it'. I'm not a changed man because it's who I am. It's something inside me, a natural instinct that makes me stand and fight. I just continue to work
at it.”
Chris Hughton, Newcastle’s manager has come out in defence of his player but now he must be ruing his stance on the whole matter as well as Barton went onto add, "I'll always be fighting to curb it and it's a battle for me. I have these anger issues but
I know that when it turns to rage, like it did against Blackburn, it is not acceptable. It was a moment of stupidity from me. I shouldn't have reacted like that even if I was slightly provoked. I can't condone it and I deserve a ban. I am human but I have
made a mistake I regret."
However, Barton was quick to dismiss himself as a role model for younger people. He said, "Footballers are role models and I have always recognized that. But I'm not even a role model to myself. Drink was a big problem for me. That was one of the reasons
I ended up in prison, and I can see more clearly now that I have abstained from it. As soon as it happened (incident during the Blackburn game) I was thinking, 'Oh for ****'s sake. I can't believe I've done that'. At the training ground I watched it with all
the lads on television. I just turned to them and said, 'That's me out for three games'. I was obviously sorry."
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