Most of the Newcastle first team squad will report for training this Thursday morning, but players who participated in summer tournaments, will get extra time off.
Hatem Ben Arfa – in action at Euro 2012
And that will include both Yohan Cabaye and Ben Arfa, who were in the French squad that reached the quarter final of the Euro 2012 tournament, before being eliminated 2-0 by Spain.
And the reigning Champions Spain went on to win their third major Championship in a row, by beating beating Italy 4-0 in what turned out to be a good final, and a great display form the Spanish side, in fact their best display of the tournament, when it really mattered.
That’s what Champions are made of.
John Carver has talked to the local press today about Ben Arfa, and he says he’s surprised the French manager Laurent Blanc, didn’t use the 25 year-old more during the tournament, especially in that last game against Spain.
This is what John said:
“I was surprised that Hatem didn’t get more of a chance at the Euros.” “In the quarter-final they were crying out for something different.”
“He can change a game very quickly and he certainly can run at a defence – something France were lacking in the quarter-final against Spain.”
“When you are chasing a game like they were then Hatem is the ideal player to at least come on for the last half-hour. He could have saved them – but I’m not the France manager!”
“He will come back full of confidence after last season. If he comes back with the same attitude he had last season, he’ll be a big player for us. We’ve qualified for Europe and that could really suit him now.”
“He was consistent last season for us and I thought he did really well, in and out of possession. It was an extra bonus for us.”
It seems that Ben Arfa and Yoghan Cabaye will not be back for training until July 23rd, as they will b given time to recover from their summer exploits, and the two lads must get a decent rest over the summer.
Ben Arfa was involved in a ruckus after th Spain defest, but we think his involvement was blown out of proportion a little bit, with Manchester City’s Samir Nasri seeming to be the main antagonist in the dressing room.
And with Laurent Blanc having given up the France manager job, it will be interesting to see who the new French manager will be.
It could be former France World Cup winning captain and Marseilles manager Didier Deschamps, and that could be bad news for Ben Arfa’s international career, because they didn’t really see eye to eye with each other at Marseilles.
We expect Ben Arfa to be as well behaved next season, as he’s been over the last two years at Newcastle, and we cannot wait to see this lad play again in the black and white stripes of Newcastle.
Howay The Lads!!
156 comments so far
ToonDownSouth
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:33 PM
Comment #121http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/19692/7861673/French-four-in-trouble
Oh dear oh dear. He doesn’t help himsef does he.
~Perchinho the Pheonix~
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:33 PM
Comment #122So
Toivonen,
Gudietti (however you spell his name)
Costaignos
The three other strikers that we have been linked with (that I can remember)
Which of the three would you prefer?
Personally I’d want Gudietti from Man City. But he might be costly as well.
LGFUAD21
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:35 PM
Comment #123PIBID (the poster formerly known as hattambenarfa)
If Chelski manage to pull that off then so long as they can replace Terry in the future they will dominate this league for some time.
Spain need to start selling the birth rights to some players. It’s silly that Mata made like 1 app in the Euros.
Valci
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:36 PM
Comment #124@ LGFUAD21
Hah, finally someone speaking my language. And i agree about italy too. IMHO they just had an off day against spain (much the same germany had an off day vs italy). Being a man down didn’t help.
I also like the idea of Jonas as more of a CDM. His work rate is impressive. I would hope we sign Anita for that position but Jonas would get the job done i’m sure. I could see Benny-Cabs-Marv playing behind Cisse quite well actually.
Valci
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:41 PM
Comment #125@ Perchinho…
Obvious by now but i’d go with Toivonen. Best cost to quality ratio i belive. 35 goals in 76 matches in the 2009-2012 period. Luuk de Jong has 39 in 76 matches over the same period with most of them coming in the last season which was an exceptional one where all of Twente was playing for him. Still don’t understand all the fuss about him.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:41 PM
Comment #126Yo Child Beater! Waving the anti hero flag!
On your earlier comment, not sure that’s a trend I want to be responsible for 🙂
~Perchinho the Pheonix~
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:41 PM
Comment #127@Beattie119
Maybe Guidetti and Costaignos if they were at 11mill total. But would they really cost that Much? I would think the minimum CIty would want for Guidetti would be like 10mill already. >.>
Beattie25
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:43 PM
Comment #128Sad face 🙁
LGFUAD21
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:43 PM
Comment #129~Perchinho the Pheonix~
I’ve never really understood the hype of Guidetti. Werent the majority of his goals penalties?
How much is Costaignos?
Because he does really look like some player. Really strong. Reminds me a bit of a young Johan Cruyff. I would take him in a heartbeat because I think we could keep him happy with the amount of football we can offer.
Really dont see how we can offer De Jong what he wants?
~Perchinho the Pheonix~
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:43 PM
Comment #130@Valci,
But he is also the oldest out of the three. The others may have the potential to become better then Toivonen.
Valci
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:47 PM
Comment #131@ Perchinho
True…they can also flop badly. We’ve all seen it time and again over the years. Crapload of talent shamelessly wasted. Al i have to do is turn on the news and see my fellow countryman (though it shames me to say so) Adrian Mutu who squandered his talent with drugs and such after being purchased by Chelsea.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:50 PM
Comment #132Que Pasa Beattie?
Beattie25
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:51 PM
Comment #133By the way, now that de Jong might not be coming if one person mentions Jordan Rhodes or Gary Hooper I’ll blow my load.. I mean top!
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:52 PM
Comment #134Hey Beattie…what do you think about getting in Rhodes or Hooper?
Come on now man, why would you ask people not to do something like that? Too easy 🙂
Valci
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:53 PM
Comment #135@ Beattie
Literally laughing out loud while reading that. Still at the office so you can imagine my co-workers looking at me in a “what’s wrong with you” sort of way.
Beattie25
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:53 PM
Comment #136Nada Ibiza
Mi perro is muy loco
LGFUAD21
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:54 PM
Comment #137Valci
Italy just had a mare. But there were still points int he game where even at 1-nil down I could see them coming back. BBC went on and on about how great Spain where but there were also times when Italy actually had Spain on the back foot.
I appreciate this Spain team is something special but its being over hyped. The Dutch team with Cruyff were amazing ok they didnt win anything but watching them they were just as talented. Even the France team 96-2000 were something special in my opinion.
LGFUAD21
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:55 PM
Comment #138Beattie25
Im with you re: they who shall not be named
PIBID (the poster formerly known as hattambenarfa)
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:55 PM
Comment #139I think that this season we need a left back (although would sign debuchy if we had the chance) a cb a cm a lw and a striker and gk. Seems like a lot but considering all the players we have lost…
Players i would sign…
Gameiro
Hoilett
Alderweireld
Anita
Debuchy
A young gk prospect
by my reckoning that would cost maybe 22m we could do it
No Plain Saylor
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Comment #140Whoever thinks toivonen would be a better signing than gamiero at the same price I just dobt know… losing my faith in humanity 🙁
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Comment #141Oh well, glad you got yourself a date at least 😉
LGFUAD21
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:57 PM
Comment #142Perchino and Valci
Who remembers Freddy Adu the “next pele”?
Twatter
Jul 3, 2012 at 1:58 PM
Comment #143Fat Mike’s Mystic Emporium has a few surprises for all of the NUFC punters, fear not… Charnley’s on the tombola, while Dekkah operates the ghost train…
WWYCD
Jul 3, 2012 at 2:01 PM
Comment #144Ibiza
Aww man but I just tipp-exed Cabaye on the back of all my shirts 🙁 I just wanted to be cool
Hugh Jorgan
Jul 3, 2012 at 2:09 PM
Comment #145Dontmesswith….
I live in Spain and watch every Toon game at a local bar on Sky and Abu Dhabi tv.
Where are you moving to in Spain ?
davybtoon
Jul 3, 2012 at 2:09 PM
Comment #146Wwycd yea mail linked all 3 but they all signed when no one expected them 2 n mail running weve got Douglas so there’s hope yet, don’t get these fans who hav a meltdown if a player ain’t signed within a few hours
WWYCD
Jul 3, 2012 at 2:15 PM
Comment #147davy
Aye fair one, though I’d say Santon was expected to sign by the time he actually did but Cisse and Marv were out of the blue
Haha thats the because people are impatience by nature 😉
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Jul 3, 2012 at 2:16 PM
Comment #148Yo…you’re already to cool for school
WWYCD
Jul 3, 2012 at 2:18 PM
Comment #149Ibiza
Aw shucks
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Jul 3, 2012 at 2:22 PM
Comment #150too cool* Can’t mention school and then use the wrong words now, can we? tut tut 🙂
Ketsbaia9
Jul 3, 2012 at 2:24 PM
Comment #151Wigan are after Rod Fanni. Think it’s worth a bid.
Not sure about this Guidetti. He can’t get in the Man City first team. Wouldn’t mind it if we went for Castagnos.
I would like us to capture Luuk De Jong though mostly.
We need to make a bid for Vertonghen and forget about Douglas.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Jul 3, 2012 at 2:29 PM
Comment #152Pardew….When you next check in on here, Ketsbaia is after fanni.
That is all 🙂
jakesome
Jul 3, 2012 at 2:34 PM
Comment #153@151 they mostly come out at night mostly
toonincheek
Jul 3, 2012 at 3:09 PM
Comment #154Just wondering –
If LDJ put in a transfer request, how much would he give up as a percentage of the fee?
(assuming we offered £10 million)
If he really wanted to join us, he could give up his percentage.
Newcastleforlife
Jul 3, 2012 at 4:10 PM
Comment #155Thomas Muller warming the bench in Munich
Cheeky bids??
geordiejamie89
Jul 4, 2012 at 9:31 PM
Comment #156More of the same from Hatem Ben Messi and he’ll be in the squad properly eventually.