The hidden benefit of Hatem Ben Arfa.

Ben Arfa's transfer tittle-tattle.
The people that have access to the writing side of the blog will have known this for a while, but I’ve had this article planned for a day or so now.

The fact that The Chronicle have picked up on it either means there is an insider leaking stuff out, or they have have access to my little secret area, or it’s all just a bit of coincidence. Whichever it may be, it’s nice to see a bit of the same train of thought with regard to NUFC for a change.

Basically, as you may guess by the headline, it’s about the role that Hatem Ben Arfa has apparently been playing when it comes to attracting players to the club. Granted it’s probably not the role that most of us would have had Ben Arfa down for, but it’s been important all the same. Long may it continue!

It seems that Hatem holds some sway in has native France. Quite rightly too. I mean this is a player who was touted as being the future of French football not so long back so naturally there will be a lot of attention on him. Consequently this has put a lot of attention on Newcastle, and for once it’s good attention.

It seems that the French are pretty impressed with us. This all came about as a result of Hatem Ben Arfa’s injury and the way the club supported him and stuck by him when it could have been oh so easy just to walk away. Graham Carr first brought it to our attention a few months back – about the positive French media coverage – which can only be a good thing surely?

It doesn’t end there though. It seems that it’s not only the impression that we’ve given of ourselves that is at play when it comes to incoming transfers. Additionally Ben Arfa himself has taken it upon himself to give glowing references about the club to potential new recruits.

First up there was Demba Ba, who admitted that he’d spoken to Hatem prior to his move to Newcastle. Players talk, and it seems that the words of Ben Arfa were heeded by the striker as he completed his move to Newcastle from West Ham.

Then there is Sylvain Marveaux who today revealed that he to had spoken to our French wizard and had once again received a glowing reference from the current No37. It seems that the passion and fervour of the fans is something Ben Arfa appreciates and he is quite willing to tell people about it.

The sale of Kevin Nolan and lack of a new deal for each of Joey Barton and Jose Enrique seem to be dominating things at the moment, so isn’t it nice and refreshing to see someone from within the club, a player no less, selling the club and the vision to his countrymen, or in fact to anyone that will lend an ear. This has to be a good thing surely?

Sorry if this is too positive for some, but I love the fact that Ben Arfa holds the club in such high regard. He’s not been here long and he’s hardly played so he doesn’t have to do any of this does he? He could just as easily say that he doesn’t really know what it’s like as he hasn’t had time to bed in, or something like that.

So next time you think about what we’ve missed from Ben Arfa, remember that whilst he may not have played as much as we would all have liked, he has still been working for the club…… in the transfer market.

I wonder if he could have a word with some more of his countrymen? 😉

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

124 thoughts on “The hidden benefit of Hatem Ben Arfa.

  1. @JerseyGeordie:Well,if it was henry of Arsenal,i would love to get him,and break alan shearer record. 😯

    @OHurley: I seen him playing football with Sebastian vettel. 😉

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  2. BSN9

    Carroll wasn’t pushed 😉

    Lets not even bother starting the whole Carroll debate!! 😆

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  3. Aye just like I was pushed face first into that woman’s chest… I swear 😳

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  4. @Bobby- Agree to disagree?

    It makes my eyes fire up with anger when people say he was pushed.

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  5. @Andrew

    I will never convince you.

    You will never change my mind with your interpretation of circumstances .

    It’s been discussed a thousands times and we will have to agree to disagree.

    I’m right tho. 😆

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  6. @Bobby

    You say ‘I’m right tho.’ Do you have a insight to the club? Do you know what goes on behind doors?

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  7. Good point andrewNUFC. there’s no reason to go into that **** again. It’s just frustrating to see fans be the stereotypical idiots that the London press try to make us out to be as a whole.

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  8. @ Spencer

    He’s was pushed.
    @ Spencer

    He’s was pushed.
    @ Spencer

    He’s was pushed. @ Spencer

    He’s was pushed.
    @ Spencer

    He’s was pushed. :grin

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  9. Maybe you are right Bobby, maybe you arn’t, I still want to hear Carroll come out and say what happened for himself – the so called texts Steve Wraith recived don’t count.

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  10. Bobby-

    That wasn’t even the point of that comment… pushed out, wanted out, greedy, not greedy, it doesn’t matter. He’s gone. We should all get past it. That would be the “realistic” thing to do, now wouldn’t it?

    Man, you’ve seriously got a way of pissin’ in everybody’s cheerios. Why not just sit back and let things that are out of your control fully unfold and develop, and THEN pass judgement. Also the “realistic” thing to do.

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  11. JG- you are either taking the ****, or being gulible your self, I dont really belive he has a insight to the club 😆

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  12. Bobby is just heartbroken on Carroll because he loved his dreamy eyes, strong “bone” structure and his long flowing locks 😉

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  13. Spence he’s just taken the **** and you are just eating it all up 😆
    I had so much hope for you but your starting to worry me… 😐

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  14. @ohurley

    Hmmm. 🙄

    If you actually read the posts you will understand I did not bring it up and did not want to discuss it.

    Now get back to your cheerios and pour yourself a huge mug of coffee but take a big sniff before you post.
    🙄

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  15. ‘I wonder if he could have a word with some more of his countrymen? ;)’

    Matuidi 💡

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  16. JG- Im saving all my anger up, so when I blow im like a 9.0 magnitude and not just a 1.0 every now and again, you know what I mean, the small ones divint cause no trouble.

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  17. Dan- and you were talking about me and Jozy 😛
    Your borderline obsessed 😆
    Do you honestly in your heart think the club will pay 10+ mil for another CDM?

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  18. Spence idk… You need to go back to the toon to fill your street smarts meter back up.

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  19. Bobby,

    Hmm. Interesting. I actually was NOT the one who brought up Carroll. Maybe YOU should take a sniff, mate. All I mentioned was a “Judas stabbin’ the club in the back”. You’re the one who read between those lines and *assumed* I meant Carroll. I could have been referring to people from the past, or possible people from the future, and those not even neccessarily wearing the number 9 shirt (though that WAS somewhat implied).

    Point is, YOU brought up Carroll in response to my assertation that I prefer to get only the number 9 on the back of my shirt, sans nom. That was the point of my entire post, but you’re SO eager to put some kind of argumentative, negative spin on everything lol!

    It’s called analytical thinking, mate. Maybe you should go back and take a few courses on logic lol 😉

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  20. Good evening all 😉 well who have we signed today ❓
    Bobby did anyone get hurt in the train crash or was it only the driver on it 😆

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  21. JG-

    Yeah, Trenton is a sh!thole lol! Great Italian food though. Best pizza I’ve ever had, actually. There’s this little place called DeLorenzo’s up in Chambersburg. Freakin top notch ****, man!

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  22. OH if you think that pizza is good, you’d pass out have the pizza up here.
    I’ll bring you some to Columbus 😉

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  23. @103, it only had the driver on it, oh wait, this has to be all football talk 🙄

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  24. JG-

    I’ll hold ya to that offer, mate. But DeLorenzo’s is quite famous, and is no doubt Trenton’s finest 😉

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  25. Ice not bad mate i’m just on for 10 mins then back to do a bit mate, but I hope to get finished for about 9 – 9.30ish 😉

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  26. I doubt Ben Arfa will play much next season. Put Ba and Marveaux in the same category.

    There will be huge periods of next season where we have Perch at left back, Gutherie on the right wing or Ryan Taylor, Shane Ferguson on left wing or Lovenkrands and Shola upfront on his own.

    I thought Keegan was wrong but now everything he said is coming true.

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  27. @ohurley

    You were really struggling there with that comeback. Woo hoo hoo hoo 😆 😳

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  28. Bobby-

    Really? LoL, judging by your lack of follow up points, I don’t think I’m on the losing end of this argument, mate. That’s ok, I’ll concede defeat if it helps your giant ego stay intact 😉

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  29. Lacedaemon…..
    Absolutely – we’ve bought nobody, sold everybody – Keegan is such a prophet!
    (Or maybe I’ll just wait and see)

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  30. Maybe he could put in a cheeky word to Malouda about us..or Anelka, or Benzema, I’m not too picky 😆

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  31. I tip my hat to Ben Arfa for taking a proactive approach and doing a bit of PR. Indeed, he is known to be somewhat mercurial, but it is best for us to bask in the sunlight of his good graces while it lasts. 🙄

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