Ben Arfa has been out since September and probably won’t be fit enough to play a large part in our run in, but the fact that he will be back on Tyneside will hopefully give the squad a boost ahead of the next eight games as they look to ensure Premier League football for next season.
Indeed it also appears that Newcastle have managed to garner some positive press back in Ben Arfa’s homeland due to they way that they have handled the injury situation and the commitment that they have shown to the 24-year-old. Apparently, NUFC are now viewed as a caring club over The Channel, but don’t take my word for it. Here is what Hatem’s English advisor, Simon Stainrod has been saying to the Sunday Sun:
“Newcastle supporters probably won’t be aware of the reaction that there has been in France to the way Hatem has been cared for, but it has certainly been noted,” he said. “The newspapers have carried the story but I think other professionals can’t believe it either.”
“The France national team was at Clairefontaine and the players – and these are top players at big clubs – are amazed at the commitment that Newcastle have made to Hatem. From the chairman and owner coming out to see him to the club signing him when he was out with a serious injury, it is just something that you wouldn’t get at a French club.”
“It has made an enormous impact on players in France. The fact that they’ve shown such respect for such a high-profile player, of course it adds to the reputation of the club. From a Newcastle point of view they could not have been any better with Hatem.”
“From the manager, to the owner to the directors to the other players getting messages to him, they could not have handled the situation any better. Mike (Ashley) is one of the most important businessmen in the UK so to take time out of his schedule to visit Hatem – well, it just shows how valued he is as a player.”
“That is the measure of the man – he wasn’t looking for publicity, he just did it because he wanted to find out how Hatem was. But that kind of thing gets out there and Newcastle’s reputation in France has been helped by it, undoubtedly.”
Hopefully our enhanced reputation will enable us to sign some of the better players from the French league over the summer, and hopefully they will want to come if what Stainrod said has any truth behind it. It’s about time that Newcastle started developing a good reputation, and if it’s a good reputation for treating players well then it can only be a good thing in my opinion.
In a way it’s almost like we’ve never had Ben Arfa. It took an age for his loan move to materialise but once it did he only managed a handful of appearances for the club before Nigel de Jong’s callous scissor-tackle put an end to any impression that the lad could have made on the Premier League.
Ben Arfa could return before the end of the season although I feel it’s best that we don’t rush the lad back from what was a very serious injury. However, Stainrod has revealed that Hatem is desperate to help out Newcastle in the final few weeks of the season. He added:
“He’s been working very hard after the initial setbacks and the staff at (French national football centre) Clairefontaine have been great, Newcastle have been great and it’s just a case of playing it by ear now.”
“Getting back to Newcastle is a big step for Hatem. The doctors are just telling him to take it one day at a time but I can speak for him when I say he’s desperate to help Newcastle in any way he can.”
A bit of good news at last!
Great news! It’s all about making sure he’s 100% for pre season now I rekon – no point rushing him at all just look at Gosling.
Sounds like we have given off a very good impression in France then which can only be a good thing if we want to sign a French player. 😀
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
aye first thing ashley has got reet..
😉
hitman(Quote)
Great news! Be great to see him back hopefully get some game time this season and then be ready to go next season!
Johno Toon(Quote)
i knew mike ashely is a nice guy. 😆 😉
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Depending on where we are in the league will dictate when he comes back in.
If we’re close to getting relegated we need to get him in the side and forget about next season.
Stuart79(Quote)
This Monday (March 28th) sees Newcastle boss Alan Pardew appear as a studio guest for BBC Radio Newcastle’s Total Sport programme, answering questions from supporters.
😯 🙄
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Cashback! Can’t wait to see him back here, will surely give fans and players a much-needed lift. Glad to hear of Ashley’s exploits abroad as well, good on ya fatman you’re not all bad. I’m pretty impressed Dezza wasn’t all over it with a statement like;
“What the fans don’t realise is just how committed Mike is to NUFC- many fans still taunt him at home games but how many of them know he was in France personally attending to Hatem Ben Arfa and his recovery last week? That is the sort of guy Mike is and it’s a shame few people seem to acknowledge this bla bla bla bla bla”
Good work NUFC
DevonMag(Quote)
Yeah that would have left a good impression for sure on the French teams and the league 1 players. Hopefully people like Tiawo Marvaux and Gervinho would have seen that, it just makes Newcastle look like an all round better club.
On the return of Ben Arfa, if rather make sure he is fit and not risk him, even if it means he doesn’t play this season, maybe it’s for the best, look at Thomas Vermaelen when he came back from his achilles operation, he only needed to rest for another month but he came straight back and hasn’t featured all season.
Make sure he is 100%.
Davidtoon4life(Quote)
Just like a new signing. So there’s one in already. Gosling is another. Two new signings and we haven’t even made sure we are in the premier league. Imagine what’ll happen when win the next 2 games.
But maybe ben arfa will be off in the summer. All it needs is somebody to make an offer.
Brisvegas(Quote)
I’ll be very, very interested to hear what Pardew has to say.
Stuart79(Quote)
Aye Bris. Its the regime fattening him up for the summer sale…. 😉
toonsy(Quote)
toonsy @ 11…. 😥 😥 😥 ..
Munich Mag(Quote)
http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/sport/newcastle-united/nufc-news/2011/03/27/tv-loophole-lets-ricardo-fuller-off-the-hook-79310-28410063/? <<< aboot right c@nts
batty(Quote)
MM – Purely tongue in cheek my friend. Ben Arfa will be here if he wants to be here 😉
toonsy(Quote)
AOD…..
“This Monday (March 28th) sees Newcastle boss Alan Pardew appear as a studio guest for BBC Radio Newcastle’s Total Sport programme, answering questions from supporters.”…
In theory this Pardew interview could be a good thing, what with the complaints from the fans regarding lack of communication from the club etc… At the same time, we know that he has been proven to be out of the loop in certain ongoings at the toon…it could all be hot wind anyway.. 🙄
Either way, it would be great if one of you guys in the UK could post a link to this discussion some time this week, I cannot personally access the BBC sites from abroad…maybe I’m too thick to work it out.. 😥 😳
Munich Mag(Quote)
batty@13…sounds to me as if those dodgy vids have gone missing somewhere mate… 😈
Munich Mag(Quote)
toonsy…I know mate 😆 😆 😆 ..still sensitive from last nights sesh… 😎 😎
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM – Depending what time it’s on I’ll try and grab the audio of it 😉
toonsy(Quote)
excellent mate…you’re a star ! 🙂
I would have preferred it if he had of saved this interview for a couple of weeks time when safety was assured, not sure what’s to be gained distracting attention and perhaps alienating the fans in the build up to an extremely important week for the toon. There again, if he gets it right it could be a real rallying call for the fans….or a complete foo pah…
Munich Mag(Quote)
where’s Richietoon at …did the kebab get the better of him last night …? 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM – Rich will be in bed sleeping it off I’d imagine. It takes him a while to recover at his age 😛
toonsy(Quote)
toonsy… 😛 😛
Munich Mag(Quote)
Must admit, I’m feeling a bit tired myself like 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Tired from the advertising work 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
see Toonsy…you’re not the energetic young wippersnapper you think you are… 😛 😛 … but you’re one of the few wake on here today… 😛
Munich Mag(Quote)
Yalreet Big Dave… 😉 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
Dave – Advertising? 😯 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Toonsy’s knackered from counting his wedge… 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
Munich – That wedge took a hit last night. It always costs me double what I spend on a night out as the mrs wants the same amount so she can fritter it away on shiny, glittery things and *****.
toonsy(Quote)
MM alls good mate hows yersel
Toonsy and good old Richie getting all radged the internut
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave – 😆
toonsy(Quote)
toonsy…sounds like a brutal agreement mate…Mrs Toonsy’s got you stitched up… 🙁 ……glitter things and ***** are mega important in the womans portfolio 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Aye glittery things etc are cheap and well worth it if it keeps them quiet 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Big D…toonsy needs to defend his corner cos he feels he’s been indirectly blamed for the sad demise of certain blogs……and he has to put up with Mrs Toonsy’s love for diamonds and pearls…. 😆
Toonsy, I’m gonna negotiate with wor lass to see if I can get the same pocket money as her…it’ll be like going ten rounds with Mike Tyson…but I’m gonna give it a try… 👿 👿 👿 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
Munich Mag
Posted March 27, 2011 at 1:12 PM
“Big D…toonsy needs to defend his corner cos he feels he’s been indirectly blamed for the sad demise of certain blogs”
Hit. Nail. Head.
Nothing more, nothing less.
And as for diamonds and pearls, the closest she’ll get to that off me is Imperial Leather 😆
toonsy(Quote)
toonsy…treat ’em mean and keep ’em keen they say…….never worked for me though 😥 😥
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM the sad truth is that certain blogs need to try to blame others when infact their downfall is of their own makings 😆
Re treat them mean and keep the keen, treat them like a garden, a good digging twice a week 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Munich you need to buy her a pressie to show her who’s boss!
For her birthday buy her a pair of socks n a ***** , if she doesnt like the socks she can go f**k herself? 😉
That will show her 😆
Johno Toon(Quote)
🙄 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Johno Toon….I’ll give it a try and keep you posted mate !! 😆 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Ben Arfa will stay and with him playing a CF role hes going to be awesome!!!!! Should get 20 goals atleast!
TIOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IM DRUNK SZ!!! XD XD
TOON TOON!!!!!
FujiMAG(Quote)