Surgery option for Barton

Joe Kinnear has admitted Joey Barton may need surgery to repair the medial knee ligament injury that will sideline him for more than two months.

Barton hobbled off the pitch during last weekend’s 2- 2 draw with Wigan after a hefty challenge from former Middlesbrough midfielder Lee Cattermole.

Scans have revealed damage to the England international’s medial ligaments, but a precise course of treatment will not be finalised until the swelling around the knee subsides next week.
It is hoped that an operation can be avoided, but surgery has not been ruled out.

“Joey is on crutches now, but whether or not he will need to have surgery needs to be finalised,” said Kinnear. “If the treatment he is having now doesn’t take, they are going to look at something else. Surgery might be the next option. Whatever happens, he will be out for eight to ten weeks.”

Former boss Sam Allardyce once claimed Barton’s muchpublicised behaviour problems were worse when he was not playing regular football.

Without a regular trainingground routine to follow, there are fears that Barton will be tempted to stray from the teetotal lifestyle he has followed since being released from prison in the summer.
And Kinnear will continue to work with Barton closely despite his enforced absence from the first team.

“I have explained things to him as I see them,” said Kinnear.

“I told him he cannot be fighting with the world, and that he’s just got to concentrate on his football.

“You’ve got to show everybody else that you have to earn respect in life. He is quite happy with that. I have not gone deep beyond that. I thought that he was going well when he was in the side.”

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/3869467.Surgery_option_for_Barton/