Ibrox side Glasgow Rangers midfielder Joey Barton will bring a “massive influence” into Mark Warburton’s team.
Goalkeeper Matt Gilks has said via The Glasgow Evening Times that Burnley manager Sean Dyche had to silence Joey Barton on his first day with the Clarets, but says he will be a “massive influence” in the Rangers squad.
Barton joined the Championship club last summer and played a huge role in helping them win promotion to the Premier League.
Instead of staying with Dyche’s side and returning to England’s top flight, the 33-year-old midfielder elected to join Rangers on a two-year deal earlier in the transfer window
The former Manchester City and Newcastle midfielder was later joined at Rangers by former Burnley team-mate Gilks, and the 34-year-old has offered an insight into what the fans – and indeed Gers boss Mark Warburton – can expect from the outspoken midfielder throughout the course of this season.
“He was outstanding [last season]. He will probably do the same here as he did at Burnley. I was telling the lads, because he didn’t come to America, that he will raise standards,” he said via The Evening Times.
“He will come in and demand in training, he is a voice, he likes an opinion, he doesn’t shut up at times. But he is here to help and I think him in the team, should he start, will be a massive influence on everyone to learn from and play alongside
“Sean Dyche had to stop him talking on the first day! I have said before that Joey has got a lot of bad press in his career but he is so involved in the game, he wants to watch every game he can.”
He has only played one game for Rangers – a cameo in the 2-0 League Cup win over Annan Athletic on Tuesday – but Barton has already wound up Celtic fans a little.
Earlier this summer, Barton took aim at midfielder Scott Brown and manager Brendan Rodgers; suggesting that the Celtic skipper isn’t in the same league as him, before questioning the Hoops boss’s managerial credentials.
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