source: sportal.com.au

Joey Barton's transfer request is unbelievable. Manchester City stuck by the wayward midfielder when most clubs would have dumped him. His rap sheet includes stubbing a cigar out in a youth team players eye (classy) and brawling with a teammate at the club Christmas Party. City gave him time off to attend Tony Adams' Sporting Chance clinic and he has returned to the side this year in impressive form. But after his demands for £40,000 per week were not met, he demanded a transfer.

This reminds me of the whole Rio Ferdinand thing, where Manchester United stood by the defender through his 9 month ban for 'forgetting' to attend a drugs test, and he repaid them by demanding extortionate wages.

How much money do these people need? Barton was offered £28,000 per week, not a bad salary from a debt-ridden club like Man City, especially as he owes them for putting faith in him. If the good people at Creative Weblogging upped my salary to £28,000 per week I'd bite their arm off.

Rumour has it that Middlesbrough made an offer for the player just before the transfer window closed. City manager Stuart Pearce rejected it, but maybe being sent to the career graveyard that is the The Riverside Stadium would have been a suitable punishment.