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I do not owe Warburton apology, says exiled Barton

SoccerNews in Scottish Premier League 16 Sep 2016

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Joey Barton says he does not feel like he owes Rangers manager Mark Warburton an apology after being banned from the club’s training ground.

The 34-year-old midfielder had an altercation with team-mate Andy Halliday at training this week as the squad reviewed their heavy 5-1 defeat in the Old Firm derby last weekend.

Barton apologised “unreservedly” on Twitter for his part in the clash, but has now gone into further detail on the incident for which he has been told to stay away from Rangers for ahead of their match with Ross County on Saturday.

“The manager pulled me in afterwards and asked me to explain what I’d said and I’d told him in no certain terms where I believed it to be at,” he told talkSPORT.

“So he’s saying I need to go away and think things through. Whilst I didn’t agree with that, he’s the manager of the football club and I have to accept that.

“But the way it’s been handled is strange. When you look at my history and you’re told to stay away from the club, it does look like something more has happened, and that’s why I’ve decided to get on the radio and speak.”

Asked if he had said sorry to Warburton, Barton continued: “I don’t believe I’ve done anything to apologise for.

“It’s the tone of language I’ve used [that was the problem]. Maybe I don’t communicate like somebody who has been educated at Eton, but that’s not me, I’m from Liverpool. I communicate how I communicate and I want to win football matches.

“Maybe I could communicate better and I accept that, but the message doesn’t change. It’s not the wrong message I’m communicating, and it’s unfair for anybody to say that is the case.

“I’ll sit down with Warbs [Warburton] on Monday – that was always the plan. I’ll be supporting my team-mates on Saturday – that is all that matters.

“It’s disappointing but I’m as committed to Glasgow Rangers as the day I signed. There’s nothing at all that has altered me from that task.

“They’ve told me to stay away but there are a lot of misconceptions out there at the moment. I’ve been asked to re-evaluate the way I’m thinking, but I don’t think that’s going to change – I want Rangers to win!

“We lost to our fiercest rivals at the weekend and we’ve been picking the bones of how we get better, how we get Rangers back to the top of Scottish football.

“We are asked for an opinion and I’m someone who gives an opinion. Two passionate Rangers players have then shared opinions on how we get better and what’s going wrong – it’s nothing more and nothing less than that.

“There is absolutely no issue with me and Andy. There was no anger. We sat down in the dressing room afterwards and spoke through what was said. It’s disappointing that certain people are trying to insinuate that there is, because it’s completely false.”

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