We’ve seen an article or two telling everybody what a terrible problem young Ben Arfa had been at his previous clubs, Lyon and Marseilles.
Ben Arfa – if there’s trouble with the boy – he’s out
And one of the articles is forecasting the 23 year-old will become a problem before Christmas comes along.
Ben Arfa has a lot riding on how well behaved he is at the Newcastle club, and we think the lad will be OK, especially when we have Chris Hughton running the club.
It’s hard to not like the rather quiet and withdrawn Newcastle manager, who is as straight as an arrow, and it appears that Ben Arfa already admires Chris a lot, form what he has said.
But if Ben Arfa starts his antics at Newcastle, it’s easy to predict what will happen – Newcastle will not take up their option on him to buy for a low £5.5M.
Now while that will be a huge disappointment to Newcastle supporters, it’s also clear that the two coaches at Newcastle, Chris and Colin, put the Newcastle side first before any one player, however good he is.
And don’t get us wrong, we are the lad’s biggest fans, and certainly the interviews he has given so far have come across very good, and he’s always talking about the team. We’ll not even mention he’s looked fantastic on the pitch.
So our advice to Ben Arfa is to get things in order, and commit right now to becoming a great professional on Tyneside.
And if he does that everybody wins – the club wins, the fans win – but nobody wins bigger than Ben Arfa himself.
Comments welcome.
29 comments so far
G
Sep 24, 2010 at 11:23 AM
Comment #1So far his behaviour has been model, and in interviews he has made all the right noises. I agree with the policy CH and CC have in place, but I hope he does behave himself and we do get what could become the bargain of the century.
Davies
Sep 24, 2010 at 11:34 AM
Comment #2There’s something quite avuncular about Chris Hughton. He seems decent and is a very mild mannered man. I get the feeling he’s someone you wouldn’t want to let down and would feel incredibly guilty if you did.
Some managers come across as hard work, harsh disciplarians, and full of their own importance but this is one major area where our manger reminds me of Sir Bobby. He’s a nice bloke. That he has more tactical nouse than he’s given credit for is a massive bonus as well.
I think this is why players are so ready to do their best for him. Ben Arfa has been touted as one of the best signings Newcastle United have made since the days of Keegan, but I think you’d have to go a lot further back than that to find a better bit of business that getting Hoots as our manager. He is, simply put, brilliant.
austoon
Sep 24, 2010 at 11:41 AM
Comment #3Does anyone know how he actually misbehaved?
It would also be unfair to release him if he does misbehave as we still kept Barton didn’t we, after what he did. The club even payed for the chopper to take him to rehab and back here so he could train and play. And the club kept faith in him, so did some of the fans, and now he is playing some quality football. So even if he screws up we should give him a second chance, Barton has proven why he deserved his. But hopefully he doesn’t screw up..after all it was he who wanted to come here, turning down werder bremen and CL.
ben arfa in toon
Sep 24, 2010 at 11:58 AM
Comment #4I think its just circumstances and alot of pressure in france with HBA, we should ignore theses low quality articles Ed as they are just London based reporters looking to create trouble as we are a closed shop now for the press. HBA has been a model pro now and wants to just settle and let his football do the talking. We dont have any big personalities that cause disharmony in the dressing room nowadays and a manager in CH who instills quiet confidence in all his players with no ego ala Allardyce. No need for this until any trouble arises i think
Bao Zheng
Sep 24, 2010 at 11:58 AM
Comment #5The lads done absolutely nothing wrong and practically everything right. So why on earth are you joining the cockney press in trying to stir up trouble. Put the club BEFORE your sites hit count.
slazberger
Sep 24, 2010 at 11:59 AM
Comment #6he has done fine so far. it is important the players know no one is bigger than the club unlike some of the super eagos we had when we got relegated and before.
i haven’t seen these articles you refer to Ed but can i guess one of them is in the daily mail?
ben arfa in toon
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:02 PM
Comment #7theres no smoke or fire here in our club right now with HBA so i personally think this is a discussion we dont need yet. And I agree that with all our player we need to support them
dublin mag steve
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:03 PM
Comment #8i think weve enough problems with everyone else waiting for some1 at the club f**king up without waiting for it to happen ourselves. i say lets enjoy this good run of form and leave the anticipation of a fall for our players or management team to the begrudgers. heres to 3 points against stoke….
ben arfa in toon
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:05 PM
Comment #9agree dublin mags
Whats everyones predicted scores for the weekend
Theres a chap in our stoke office i just bet a tenner with that we win on sun.
ben arfa in toon
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:06 PM
Comment #10http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,15964_6378051,00.html
Free Sky sports on Sunday for anyone who doesnt have it Howay the lads
ben arfa in toon
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:08 PM
Comment #11http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/newcastle-united/nufc-news/2010/09/24/boss-backs-ben-arfa-to-thrive-at-st-james-72703-27334873/
Ch has faith in him i think
listie
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:17 PM
Comment #12Austoon
A lot seam to point ot this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqof0zIDMWs
but to me Diaby is as much to blame.
Thump
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:18 PM
Comment #13Speaking of the Stoke game, I won two tickets to it earlier on! First game this season (second game will, of course, be the mackem’s – finance permitting). Well chuffed 😀
Thump
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:19 PM
Comment #14@listie: I had a friend who speaks French watch that video for me. He turned it off halfway through, turned to me and said “That lanky bugger is an utter c*ck” – says it all, really. Diaby instigated it because of something that happened on the pitch.
ben arfa in toon
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:20 PM
Comment #15nice one thump well done
ben arfa in toon
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:20 PM
Comment #16Off topic, With Barton’s reform growing in stature, do we think he could be vice captain next season if he carries this on or even captain one day. A good example to kids on how to tun your life around if he does it. Bit premature at the moment but you never know
ben arfa in toon
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Comment #17And back to your point thump your right with Diaby, Both sides to every story and we dont know HBA’s
Thump
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Comment #18If Barton keeps up his current attitude? Definitely. I can’t see Smudger being kept around much longer (January transfer window or summer window to an emergency ‘lectric side maybe?) and unless “vice captain” is mentioned in S. Taylor’s contract talks I don’t see why he shouldn’t be. Only problem with Joey being given the arm band is his ability to stay fit. Every time he goes down my heart’s in my mouth!
Thump
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:26 PM
Comment #19Oh of course, but that video most certainly paints Diaby in a bad light. What everybody needs to remember with those videos is that both of them were around 16 – of course there’s gonna be handbags now and then, it’s what young lads do in a competitive atmosphere!
ben arfa in toon
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:34 PM
Comment #20I think CH has shored our ship up with regards to the press. they need to bring these dregs from the past up as ammo is sparse for NUFC these days.
On Taylors contract any news. Hopefully our attitude and success will keep him with us, it could however drive him away as the competiton hots up
ben arfa in toon
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Comment #21Ed – have you heard anything about taylors contract pls
toondra
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:38 PM
Comment #22hi guys, most of things said about ben arfa are bullshit or over exagerated by the medias,just to sell. all the lad want is to play. Last year, dechamps didn’t make him play coz he didn’t like him. magic on the bench and average robot footballers on the pitch, but he didn’t day everything. Like the diaby story, he was thirteen lol. when he was on “strike” last summer, it’s because the marseille leaders wanted to throw him like a piece of shit.
i think that by writing such things about ben arfa on a good and interesting blog like this is just renforcing the wrong bad image he have.
i mgonna support newcastle this year, and ben arfa of course (no one is perfect, like my english :))
Thump
Sep 24, 2010 at 12:48 PM
Comment #23Last I heard he was targetting next month to come back and (quote) “force his way back into the starting XI”.
Mags
Sep 24, 2010 at 5:25 PM
Comment #24He has come here and should be allowed to start with a clean sheet Ed. Whatever went before should be left in the past.
As some of the other posters have commented, it will be the southern press getting on our case.
They should be ignored.
IF, and I repeat IF, he steps out of line, then this is the time to report, not before.
MOONDUST
Sep 24, 2010 at 8:37 PM
Comment #25there was me thinking it was mostly the southern rags that caused us shite. but sadly Ed with this Edline you have helped the rags hammer us again
geordie deb
Sep 24, 2010 at 10:12 PM
Comment #26Agree with other posters. Ben Arfa has come here to start a new part of his career. We know how accurate the rags are with their reporting so I would imagine a lot of the reporting on Ben Arfa is untrue. Think this is really wrong Ed to be bringing this up. The lad wants a fresh start. He’s done nothing wrong but want to play for the Toon, he’s enthusiastic, done well on the pitch, but you come out with this sort of crap to rock the boat. Very bad form. We expect it of the press but don’t add fuel to their fire
baro
Sep 25, 2010 at 1:47 AM
Comment #27Hatem Ben Arfa is going to turn into a different man if he decides to stay in Newcastle. There in France, nobody likes him, because of his attitude, here he is becoming a fan favorite. A brilliant dazzling player. Chris Hughton will change his attitude and make him a better player and person.
arcarius
Sep 25, 2010 at 6:35 AM
Comment #28like others,
stop bringing Ben Arfa down, he has done nothing wrong so far.
Robby Bobson
Sep 25, 2010 at 10:45 AM
Comment #29Look hes not like joey barton, he had a violent history (but he now one of the most model professionals around), ben arfa has just fallen out with managers.
He went on strike because a deal was agreed and marseille changed their mind.
So unless highton and ben arfa fall out, then yeh i can see him leaving, but cant see that happening.
However, iof he has a few bad games, which he will do over the season, we have jonas so its how he reacts to getting dropped that will be the big testing point.