Most shocking predictable development of the day: Joey Barton has controversial opinions that he’d like to share with the world.
The Queens Park Rangers midfielder has never been accused of being shy or understated, and when Alan Pardew was giving permission by Newcastle United, the club Barton played for from 2007 to 2011, to speak with Crystal Palace about their managerial vacancy, Barton was more than happy to share his assessment of the situation and throw more fuel onto the fire surrounding controversial Newcastle owner Mike Ashley.
From Barton’s verified Twitter account:Seems the inevitable is about to happen. Pardew to leave NUFC. Suits both parties. Think they will both realise what they have lost in time.
— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) December 29, 2014
Good appointment by Palace. Very good manager Pards. Knows the club inside out. Inherits a solid, genuine bunch of lads and has fans onside.
— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) December 29, 2014
Wouldn’t even be able to hazard a guess as to who Ashley will appoint at the Toon. You would think logically it must be Tony Pulis.
— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) December 29, 2014
But he will no doubt appoint somebody who he can control and that will accept transfers being out of their control. Pulis won’t have that.
— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) December 29, 2014
To be fair to Barton — who often gets plenty of abuse for his opinions, and typically with good reason — nothing he said regarding the souring of Ashley and Pardew’s relationship was particularly out of line or resembling a scorching hot take.
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In fact, many Newcastle fans have said as much themselves since rumors of Pardew’s departure began circling less than 72 hours ago. What manager wants to come in and work beneath a meddling owner, harsh financial restrictions and a constant buy-low-sell-high player transfer model? Pardew will almost certainly have more control over important matters like player transfers at Palace than he’d have ever been given at Newcastle.
Many fans looking from the outside-in may be asking themselves, “Why would Pardew leave a big club like Newcastle for a smaller club like Palace?” Beyond Pardew’s obvious ties to Palace from his playing days, the biggest reason may just be the man in charge at his soon-to-be former place of employment. And it’s a decent bet we might be having this same conversation regarding the next Newcastle manager just a year or two from now.
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