Source: Eurosport
Shearer won't rush Barton return
Newcastle manager Alan Shearer is adamant that he will not rush injury-hit Magpies midfielder Joey Barton back into first-team action.The midfielder has not played since January due to a broken metatarsal, but the Magpies were optimistic he could play a part in the crunch relegation clash against Portsmouth on Monday.Shearer inherited an injury-hit squad when he took up the St James' Park reins on an eight-game basis at the start of April and he wants fully-fit players in the battle against the Premier League drop.However, the former Newcastle captain insists he will not call on Barton when fellow strugglers Pompey arrive on Tyneside if the midfielder is at risk of suffering a setback."Joey could do a big job for us. We're trying everything to get him fit because the more bodies we have, the more it will help us," said the Magpies boss."Whether he'll make Monday, we'll have to see. If he does, he certainly won't be match-fit."I've had no problems with him whatsoever. Whatever we've asked of him, he's done."He's desperate to play, that's what he wants. He's fed up of being injured."But there's no point pushing him to the extreme. We don't want to push him so much that we cause a setback."When he is handed over to us for full training, we want him to be right."[LNB]
