He hasn’t kicked a ball, but already Joey Barton has left his calling card.
The 33-year-old midfielder has wasted no time in ruffling a few feathers since he was formally announced as Rangers’ box office signing of the summer and Alan Thompson, the former Celtic player and coach, has allowed himself a few chuckles as Barton has got to work.
Thompson worked with Barton at Newcastle when he was the under-21 manager on Tyneside – “I only had to bollock him once; we were away to Hartlepool and he missed a penalty by trying to be clever and chip the goalkeeper” – and he expects that the controversial midfielder will have everyone’s eyes glued to the first Old Firm fixture of the season.
Read more: Rangers' Joey Barton - The title pressure is all on Celtic
“I’ll be tuning in, that’s for sure,” said Thompson. “I think we all think we see the good old days of a blood and guts encounter with a wee bit of a grudge match on either part. I’ve spoken to umpteen folk down here who are looking forward to that one.”
Thompson himself was no danger to a fair bit of controversy in his time with Celtic. The Englishman had an ongoing duel with Fernando Ricksen that was not solely restricted to on-field shenanigans, but stretched across their private lives.
Ricksen bellowing through Thompson’s letterbox or setting off fireworks at 4am in the street they shared in Newton Mearns added a certain spice to their rivalry and Thompson believes the same kind of battle could be about to ensure between Celtic skipper Scott Brown and the Liverpudlian.
“Listen, Joey is nobody’s fool,” said Thomspon. “He is an intelligent lad. When I worked with him he was a first-team player who would come in and work with us when he was coming back from injury or whatever and I always found his attitude top-class.
“People forget that he is a very good footballer because of the off-field stuff. That is just his way. He loves to get under people’s skin. He will have known exactly what he was doing when he had a pop at Scott and a wee dig at the reception Brendan [Rodgers] got.
“It just sets it all up nicely. I have worked with both Scott and Joey and they are both excellent footballers. But if I were Scott, the first thing I would be asking Joey when we walked onto the pitch is ‘where are your caps?’
“Scott is an established international player, whereas that is an environment that Joey has never really been in, although he has been at some top clubs.
“But I think it is all good for the game. Scottish football has been seen as a bit of a wilderness again down here over the last wee while and signings high profile players just puts it back on the map again.”
Thompson has already imparted a bit of advice to Barton via text message. The duo haven’t spoken since Barton made the move to Ibrox but have exchanged a couple of messages. Thompson’s only words of caution have been to choose his living quarters and his local pub wisely although he suspects that it won’t be too long before the former Manchester City, QPR and Marseille player realises that the environment he is in is quite unique.
“When I went to Celtic I had played in the Premiership and you do think that there isn’t anything you haven’t seen yet,” said Thompson who was signed by Martin O’Neill from Aston Villa for just under £3m.
“But it doesn’t take long for the penny to drop. It is a brilliant city to play football in and they either love you or hate you but you won’t keep a low profile, that’s for sure. I sent Joey a message telling him that he knows where I am but I do think he needs to think a wee bit about how he goes about his business.
“It has all been a little bit of banter this summer but the lads at Celtic will have taken notice of it and it stokes up that first Old Firm game – which already has a fair bit of weight on it. He has to go out now and do it on the pitch but the Celtic boys won’t let him forget what’s been said – especially if they hammer them in that first game.”
Read more: Matthew Lindsay - Gamble pays off for Rangers as Mark Warburton justifies the hype
Meanwhile, at Celtic this summer the arrival of Brendan Rodgers has ignited a fresh enthusiasm at the club. Record seasons ticket sales have been reported for this stage of the summer and there has been an infusion of energy around the club reminiscent of Martin O’Neill’s entry to the club.
“I don’t know Brendan but his football speaks for itself,” said Thompson. “Everyone in the game knows that Celtic fans love the game played a certain way and I think Brendan will buy into that.
“But, you know, the excitement and everything is great. It is great for the club and the players and the fans but it is a bit like Joey over at Ibrox – you still need to deliver.
“The bottom line is the only thing that counts are results. These qualifiers are coming up for the UEFA Champions League and if you want to keep that energy and excitement going then you need to be in there, bottom line.”
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