Writing a diary has convinced Joey Barton he has a future in the Premier League.
The troublesome England midfielder, who has played for Manchester City, Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers in England s top-tier, has not played a Premier League game since Queens Park Rangers were relegated at the end of the 2014-15 season.
But the 33-year-old midfielder, now at Burnley after a loan stint in France with Marseille, believes he has found new ways to rid himself of the pent-up frustrations that have often distracted him and caused unsavoury episodes on and off the park.
He spent two months in prison in 2008 after attacking a man in Liverpool in a particularly low moment of his career, but Barton said writing a diary with his innermost thoughts had allowed him to focus on his football, telling the Daily Mail: It s not seen as a male thing to do, but I ve found it s given me the power of reflection. It helps me keep sanity when there s no sanity around you.
It s important for somebody who has a brain as restless as mine. Once you write it down, it s there and it s gone. It helps you kind of self-analyse.
I can scribble four or five pages some days, two lines other days, all written long-hand. It s for no-one to see, just for yourself.
Barton said it had also given him the chance to see where he might have gone wrong in his career and with a clear and focussed mind, he is hoping to get Burnley back into the Premier League where he hopes to see out his playing days.
I came to Burnley to play in the Premier League, he said.
I thought I was going to play in it this season with West Ham but that move fell apart last summer and so I came to Burnley to do it.
I still think I ve got a lot to offer. It s not something I say flippantly, I ve analysed it. I know for a fact that if Burnley were in the Premier League today I could deliver what the manager would expect of me, I d have absolutely no problem with it at all.
