Barton on the brink after Shearer bust-up
The Magpies have suspended the 26-year-old midfielder until further notice in the wake of his dismissal at Liverpool on Sunday.
However, it is understood it is a furious bust-up between the two men in the dressing room at Anfield after the final whistle which is at the root of the punishment.
A statement read: “Newcastle United can confirm that Joey Barton has been suspended from the club until further notice.”
Barton, who has three years remaining on the contract he signed when then Magpies boss Sam Allardyce sealed his £5.8 million capture in July 2007 and vowed to reform him, would have missed the final three games of the club’s fight for Premier League survival as a result of his red card anyway.
But even if Shearer does not remain at the helm next season, there is little appetite in the boardroom at St James’ Park to hand yet another chance to a serial offender on and off the pitch.
It is likely both he and his £60,000-a-week wage packet will be offloaded during the close-season regardless of which division the club is playing its football in and whatever the financial implications of a deal which has proved more trouble than it has been worth.
However, in the wake of the heated exchange which took place at Anfield in front of the rest of the players, defender Habib Beye has insisted Shearer is the man to take the club forward.
He said: “He has passion. He knows the club better than anyone.
“You know when you have Alan Shearer as the manager, it is easier to attract some other players, because they will believe you have a good manager.
“He said he is here for eight games – I understand that. He is here to keep the club in the Premier League.
“But if we stay in the Premier League and we have the opportunity to build something good, hopefully he will stay – and I think we can still do it with the two home games coming up.
“I believe, if we get out of this situation, next year will be better... you can’t believe this club is going into the Championship.”
Shearer and assistant Iain Dowie have wasted little time in introducing a strict new regime at the club’s Darsley Park training headquarters. The response to Barton’s latest misdemeanour also sends out a message the 38-year-old is in charge, and things will be done his way.
Shearer was furious with Barton’s indiscipline at Anfield after he lunged into a senseless tackle on Xabi Alonso.
But it is what transpired later that resulted in him being told to stay away from the training ground during what promises to be a tense conclusion to the campaign.
The midfielder’s agent, Willie McKay, had earlier dismissed suggestions he could have played his last game for the club, but former players were swift to condemn the actions of a man whose involvement has been limited to just 32 appearances by a series of injuries and, infamously, a jail sentence for common assault and affray.
Former defender John Anderson added: “Sam Allardyce brought him in because he thought he could control him and change his temperament.
“But Sunday just proved he hasn’t changed at all.”
Malcolm MacDonald was even more damning. He said: “The guy has continuously brought Newcastle into disrepute. In the short time he has been at Newcastle, he has either been injured, in prison or in trouble. Enough is enough.”
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