JOEY Barton appears to have exacerbated his situation at Rangers after describing his training ground ban as “strange” in an interview with talkSPORT yesterday.
Barton was told to stay away from Auchenhowie by manager Mark Warburton on Tuesday after becoming embroiled in an altercation in the wake of the 5-1 defeat to Celtic at Parkhead.
The 34-year-old midfielder took to social networking website Twitter on Thursday evening to “apologise unreservedly” for his “inappropriate” comments.
However, the former Newcastle United, Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers player appeared less contrite in a radio interview with Jim White yesterday to fuel speculation that his Rangers career is in jeopardy.
Barton told talkSPORT: “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 they’re going to change - I want Rangers to win!
“We lost to our fiercest rivals at the weekend, we came in to train on Monday and Tuesday and we’re picking the bones of how we get better, how we get Rangers back to the top of Scottish football.
“We’re asked for an opinion and I’m someone who gives an opinion. Two passionate Rangers players (Barton and Andy Halliday) have then shared opinions on how we get better as a team and what’s going wrong for us. It’s nothing more and nothing less than that.
“Obviously, sometimes the way I communicate can be a bit blunt and a bit direct and it ruffles people’s feathers, which I know I have to work at, but I don’t apologise for trying to win. I care deeply about playing football.
“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, because it’s wrong.”
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