Barton on way out of Newcastle
Lawyers called in as club looks to sack midfielder after row with Shearer and Dowie
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Newcastle United are examining employment law and Joey Barton's contract after they suspended the 26-year-old yesterday "until further notice". The club are "gathering evidence" implying that they may seek to terminate Barton's contract, which has three years to run at a basic £55,000 per week. Regardless of that, Barton will not play for the club again as long as Alan Shearer is manager.
Shearer confronted Barton in the dressing room at Anfield on Sunday following his red card for the ugly lunge at Liverpool's Xabi Alonso. He told Barton that his challenge was "a coward's tackle". Barton responded with a tirade of abuse that featured him describing Shearer as a "shit" manager with "shit" tactics.
When Shearer's assistant Iain Dowie intervened, Barton called Dowie "a prick". Shearer was called the same but managed to restrain himself physically.
Although Newcastle stood by Barton when he was jailed last year for assault causing actual bodily harm, Shearer would not tolerate any such acquiescence. The player is unwelcome at the training ground.
Sam Allardyce, who brought Barton to Newcastle in 2007, could offer him a chance at Blackburn. There are thought to be boardroom reservations at Ewood Park over Barton but Allardyce persuaded the club to sign Sunderland's El-Hadji Diouf, another character seen as combustible.
If Newcastle were successful in sacking Barton, he would be a free agent and that would make him attractive to some clubs. There would also be a statement of remorse from the player of the sort that has been delivered before. It is understood there were even expressions of regret from Barton not long after the row at Anfield.
Newcastle would lose out on a fee for the player but the club would make a saving of £7.5m on his wages. Barton was signed by Allardyce for £5.8m from Manchester City. Barton's agent, Willie McKay, said the midfielder wanted to see out the three years of his contract, but that is now unlikely.
Shearer has been and will be backed by the Newcastle owner Mike Ashley over Barton, and over a new disciplinary code that involves a huge jump in fines for lateness. Previous fines had been minimal but now any player late for a meeting, training or travel will have 10 per cent of their weekly salary deducted. That increases to 20 per cent for a second offence and 40 per cent for a third. Additional fines are at Shearer's discretion and this approach has left some players disgruntled.
But others support it and defender Habib Beye said yesterday he hoped Shearer will stay next season.
"He is here for eight games – I understand that," Beye said of Shearer. "He's here to keep the club in the Premiership. But if we stay in the Premiership, and we have the opportunity to build something good, hopefully he will stay. He has passion. He knows the club better than anyone."
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