Joey Barton insists he has no regrets about switching Manchester City for Newcastle.
Barton wishes City well
Joey Barton insists he has no regrets about switching Manchester City for Newcastle.
The midfield dynamo has seen the start to his Newcastle career delayed by an injury he picked up in pre-season.
While watching from the sidelines, Barton has seen his old club City move to the top of the Premier League after recording three wins out of three.
Barton wishes his former employers well, but insists he is focusing all his efforts on getting back fit for Newcastle.
Wish well
"I want City to do well," Barton told Sky Sports News, "I still have got a lot of friends at the club and people there who helped me get to the position I'm in.
"Of course I want Manchester City to do well.
"In an ideal world City would finish second and Newcastle win the league.
"It is early days, three games gone and I have heard Sven [Goran Eriksson] come out and speak about it.
"It is marathon not a sprint and hopefully City will do well but Newcastle do just that little bit better."
Fitness
Barton is currently recovering from his broken metatarsal and he is hoping to make his return to action in September.
The all-action midfielder is hoping to get the all-clear to step up his return to fitness when he goes for his latest check-up.
"When the body tells you that you are ready to go we push on to the next level," added Barton.
"It feels a lot better than it did this time last week so we will see the doctor who did the operation in a week's time and hopefully he gives me the all-clear to push on to the next level."
The injury forced Barton to miss England's friendly with Germany and the midfielder says he has put his international ambitions on the backburner to concentrate on establishing himself in the Newcastle side.
"As a professional footballer, and having played for England before, the appetite is whetted, but the main goal for me is getting back fit and playing for Newcastle United," noted Barton.
"England as good as it is and as proud as you are to play for your country is a little bit out of my thinking at the minute."
