TalkSport apologise for Joey Barton's false claim

Thursday, 21 September, 2017 32comments | Jump to most recent

TalkSport have apologised to Everton for Joey Barton's assertion that club Chairman Bill Kenwright had blocked the signing of a striker to replace Romelu Lukaku during the last transfer window.

On the national radio channel, boyhood Evertonian Barton claimed that Kenwright refused to sanction further spending after the Blues committed to £140m in new signings while receiving what would end up being £102m from the sales of Lukaku and Gerard Deulofeu. “I think Koeman was trying to get in another striker, and if it had been down to him he would have," Barton said earlier this month. "They wanted and identified targets to try to bring in.

“I think the issue was Kenwright, from what I gather. He's still the custodian in terms of being chairman. Koeman and [Farhad] Moshiri thought they would have money to spend but Kenwright was wanting to watch the budget, and didn't want to over-spend.”

Host Alan Brazil read out an apology to Everton and to Kenwright on TalkSport this morning that read:

“A view was expressed on the programme regarding the failure to sign a striker at the end of the transfer window.

“Everton Football Club have informed us this was totally untrue, they say, and entirely without foundation and that the chairman and the owner worked side by side with one another to the last minutes of the window to secure a striker, just as they had done throughout the window.

“We are happy to broadcast this right of reply and apologise to Everton and Bill Kenwright.”

Reader Comments (32)

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Mark Riding
1 Posted 21/09/2017 at 20:11:35

Bring Joey home. Once a Blue.

Terence Tyler
2 Posted 21/09/2017 at 20:18:25

Is right, Mark, he could drive Wayne to the pub on the way home from training.

Michael Kenrick
3 Posted 21/09/2017 at 20:52:16

Pertinent to remember all of the overblown promises made at "The Dixies"*:

“I spoke to Farhad and I asked him, â€˜what is the message?' Because I knew you'd want to know. The message is we are totally focused on getting this club to the dock” Kenwright said.

“But, at the same time, that is not going to take away the focus from our commitment to the manager.

“If there is a player who wants to play for Everton Football Club who Ronald [Koeman] wants, who Steve [Walsh] wants, we will get them for you. It's fantastic for me to be able to say that.â€

Fantastic. So what did go wrong? Strange that EFC should be coming out to smash this one down... does that mean all the other tittle-tattle they haven't denied is actually true???

* Am I alone in disliking the adoption of this name for the yearly gongfest? But if I blame Kenwright for it, I may have to publish an apology, so I'll hold back...

Harry Wallace
4 Posted 21/09/2017 at 20:54:41

Oops

Tony Abrahams
5 Posted 21/09/2017 at 20:57:51

You are not alone, Michael, just as I'm sure I'm not, when I say that the words spoken by Kenwright are sometimes enough to make me feel sick.

Jack Convery
6 Posted 21/09/2017 at 22:06:14

Truth really is stranger than fiction.

Tom Dodds
7 Posted 21/09/2017 at 22:16:19

I personally think there has always been something missing (overall) with our fanbase regarding the 'Grand Shyster'.

The Reds maybe whinin' moanin' ' We want that one (boss player) now' rattle throwers. But.. one thing's for sure, they would certainly have launched that blood sucking leech right out of the fuckin pram and not waited 22 years for absolutely nowt.

And now it's Death Valley days straight ahead and with Herbert Lom at the helm. The 'New look' Everton production.

Gag.

James Stewart
8 Posted 21/09/2017 at 22:19:43

Why would Barton lie? He has nothing to gain or lose by it.

Martin Mason
9 Posted 21/09/2017 at 22:27:28

James, was he not just expressing an opinion or regurgitating gossip? How would he know what is happening at board level at EFC? Would you not say that he has been shut up by Everton's statement.

Tony Abrahams
10 Posted 21/09/2017 at 22:34:23

I know your question was for James, Martin, but it's very doubtful that this will shut Joey Barton up though, mate?

Brian Williams
11 Posted 21/09/2017 at 22:41:52

Chinese whispers I reckon. What starts off as somebody's "I reckon this is what happened" gets passed on and on until it becomes "I was told this is what happened."

Kevin Tully
12 Posted 21/09/2017 at 22:42:45

If the club put as much energy into ending our trophy drought as they do monitoring all media outlets, then the trophy cabinet would be bulging. Who's arsed what the knob Barton has to say on that shitty radio station?

It seems to me Bill has bitten Moshiri on the neck and he's now a fully fledged Boys Pen sentimentalist. I bet Moshiri has even got a photo of Uncle Cyril's handlebars on the wall of his office.

Just as we thought we had a serious, competent man at the helm, you listen to those Jim White calls and cringe your way out of the room. Looks like we are stuck with the same old shite for the foreseeable.

You've broken me at last, Everton.

Don Alexander
13 Posted 21/09/2017 at 22:51:42

Talk-Shite bear the legal liability for mis-information lads (don't laugh) not just whichever muppet does their squawking.

And how could Blue Bill be doubted, a guy who still daily douses himself with "Eau-de-BP-pischhh", the essence he says everyone wants to be on top of but never under?

John Raftery
14 Posted 21/09/2017 at 23:15:11

It is a pity someone did not block one or two of the transfers which were actually completed. We have thrown millions down the drain in 2017.

I thought the renaming of the annual awards was naff but, as with all marketing ploys, I think we have many other things to worry about at present.

As regards Kenwright's statement about signings, the salient bit may be 'if there is a player who wants to play for Everton'.

Andy Crooks
15 Posted 21/09/2017 at 23:37:10

James, why would Joey Barton lie? I would suggest it is because he is a toe rag who wants to seem as if he is in the know. I defended Barton many times on here and I regret it.

Chris Leyland
16 Posted 21/09/2017 at 00:03:23

“The chairman and the owner worked side by side with one another to the last minutes of the window to secure a striker, just as they had done throughout the window.â€

Could they not have added “They clearly abjectly failed as they did not actually sign said striker.â€

James Stewart
17 Posted 22/09/2017 at 00:51:25

Maybe, Martin. I don't like Barton at all but it would be a pretty lame fabrication to concoct.

Andy, no I wouldn't – it makes me think there probably is some truth to it if the club is lowering itself to dispel this kind of rubbish.

The way to shut up any silly stories was to sign a striker, which there was more than ample time to do. And don't anyone give me that Giroud rubbish. There are plenty of better players than Giroud who would have come to us were the money really there. The whole thing stinks of a Kenwright charade.

John Smith
18 Posted 22/09/2017 at 08:31:26

I don't have a problem with what Kenwright said. If you haven't figured at yet the he is just an eternal optimist, you haven't been paying attention.

As for Joey Barton, the guy is a trouble-making, card-getting muppet.

Colin Glassar
19 Posted 22/09/2017 at 12:00:24

So TalkSport have had to apologise to Kenwright for the Barton allegations. Does that let him off the hook?

Chris Gould
20 Posted 22/09/2017 at 12:53:54

They worked side by side right to the last day but, when Barkley fucked-off Chelsea, the money wasn't there to spend on a striker.

That may or may not be true, but it sounds very plausible to me.

Terry Underwood
21 Posted 22/09/2017 at 13:11:20

Okay, we do need a top centre-forward while Calvert-Lewin is developing. But, I bet all those screaming for Benteke are now glad we dodged that particular bullet. Not exactly been prolific has he?

John G Davies
22 Posted 22/09/2017 at 13:22:20

We need someone in the Joe Barton style of player. No chance he would allow anyone to give anything less than 100%.

John Daley
23 Posted 22/09/2017 at 13:22:57

So, Barton reckons Bill is no longer a mere bumbler, but now also a minge bag with another blokes money?

Kicking off with "I think" gives some clue as to how concrete the serial gobshite's claims might be.

If Kenwright was overly concerned with 'balancing the books' this summer, then why didn't he back off when Swansea kept bumping up the already inflated price on Sigurdssons head? Why would Moshiri have mistakenly "thought they would have money to spend"? Surely, he should be the one man to know either way?

Tony J Williams
24 Posted 22/09/2017 at 13:29:44

"I think the issue was Kenwright, from what I gather."

Translates to:

"I haven't got the slightest clue what is going on, but because I played professional football I am going to give my opinion in an authoritarian manner so it's sounds believable."

It does beg the question why Everton needed to respond to it?

Our opinion of him can't sink any lower...

John Pickles
25 Posted 22/09/2017 at 13:35:49

Rather than come out denying one particular rumour for not signing the right players, I would rather hear an explanation as to why we didn't sign them.

Colin Glassar
26 Posted 22/09/2017 at 13:38:22

Funny isn't it how Kenwright always has something to say when his "honourability' is questioned in the media but he's got sod all to say about the Arteta money?

Like Kevin Tully says, I think this modern day Svengali has Moshiri firmly in his back pocket and has pulled another rabbit out of the bag. Wake up, Farhad, before it's too late!

Eddie Dunn
28 Posted 01/10/2017 at 19:56:32

Chris Gould – exactly! That dosh was possibly earmarked for the striker. The whole thing smacks of amateurish incompetence and Moshiri's penchant for chatting to Jim White makes me embarrassed.

Koeman may be flawed but there is more to this almighty mess than our dunderhead manager is responsible for.

Andy Walker
29 Posted 07/10/2017 at 16:41:15

The lovely Joey Barton, jailed for attacking a man (20 punches) and then in the same event, a 16 year old boy leaving the latter with broken teeth.

With a resume like that why wouldn't we believe this upstanding man of the community?

Andy Crooks
30 Posted 07/10/2017 at 17:58:11

Never mind the suggestion that Barton is low life filth, he is actually, in my view, a shite footballer. He doesn't bring commitment and passion. He brings a gurning, team mate lamenting, bitching, sulking, bullying, pretentious, sad sack, talentless, utter horrible c**tness to anywhere he sets foot. His toe curling book, and believe me, I have defended him in the past, is the most vomit inducing, selfserving, poisonous tome I gave ever witnessed.

Dermot Byrne
31 Posted 07/10/2017 at 18:27:31

Filth? Bit much.

Potentially new boss or trainer? Umm. Long way off that.

He becomes best manager for years. Love the idea .but

John G Davies
32 Posted 07/10/2017 at 18:38:12

Mine too. And that includes Mein Kampf.

Dermot Byrne
33 Posted 07/10/2017 at 18:53:23

Fine Mamf seems what we are all saying to fill the gap.

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