Joey Barton's sole focus is Fleetwood Town

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Town’s new head coach is at the end of his first week in the role following his ban for breaching FA betting regulations.

That 13-month absence from football had seen Barton reinvent himself as a pundit but, now he is back in day-to-day football, Town will take priority.

“You can’t do it any other way,” Barton said.

“I stepped away from options to go out to the World Cup and do certain things.

“Every core of my existence has to be focused on Fleetwood Town and helping them being the best it can be, being better than it was yesterday and if we can keep doing that we will be successful.

“I’d like to say I’d never do another punditry role again because it means I have been incredibly successful as a coach and manager!

“But the reality of it is life throws many things at you and I think what you have to do to move through life is be very adaptable.

“I have shown in the year getting banned that I was adaptable.

“I’m fortunate I had a good enough career that I probably don’t have to work another day in my life.

“But you need to have a purpose; there is no point me sitting in the house, going playing golf and doing the media on the Saturday.

“For me that is not living; for me I need to be active, I need to be involved in elite level performance.

“I need to be involved building teams and cultures, interacting with people, trying to connect them.

“Management is a perfect grounding, a perfect opportunity to do that and I cannot wait to get cracking.”

Elsewhere, Town have confirmed they will travel to Morecambe for a pre-season fixture on Saturday, July 28 (3pm).