Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa has struggled to get to grips with the English Premier League since he signed for us from Montpellier last January for around £6.5M, and while he may not be able to make it as a center-back, the French International could still make it at Newcastle in one of the full-back positions.
Louis Nicollin – the Montpellier President
But the Montpellier President Louis Nicollin didn’t approve of Mapou’s move to Newcastle, and he had this to say in L’Equipe in late January, when Yanga-Mbiwa chose Newcastle, with other clubs also interested in the player:
“He chose Newcastle? If so, he is an ass.” “It is not my fault but I think the manager (Alan Pardew) played a role.” “Newcastle, this is really not a good choice.”
“They will transfer him the next year.” “It doesn’t bother me. We’re not going to cry. He is not irreplaceable. The important thing is that we get money.’
The French defender recently lost his place in the Newcastle starting line-up to Mike Williamson, after the Frenchman gave a few poor performances in the center of the Newcastle defense, and it remains to be seen if he will be brought back on Saturday, if Coloccini cannot make it, because of the muscle injury he picked up while on International duty with Argentina.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa – has time to get accustomed to Premier League
So with the Montpellier President’s January statement in mind, it is not surprising that he had said this in L’Equipe today:
“I’m sorry for him. I love him a lot. He has followed the advice of his agent and he was wrong to leave.” “Don’t worry, he’ll come back to Montpellier.”
It’s far too early to call time on Mapou’s career at Newcastle – far too early – and if he can get to grips with the physical nature of the Premier League there’s no reason why he cannot have a good career on Tyneside.
And if the 24 year-old can do that, he will have become a much better player, and he could even be challenging for a place in the French squad for next summer’s World Cup in Brazil.
That’s the challenge for Mapou at Newcastle this season.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
73 comments so far
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 6:36 PM
Comment #41Now you’re getting it TDS 😉
Cool Hand Luke
Oct 15, 2013 at 7:25 PM
Comment #42From the last article.
“Ed knows about the march and is deliberately avoiding writing about it. Perhaps he thinks the fence that he is sitting on would collapse entirely if he clambered down off it and actually gave an opinion. Far be it of me to state that his style of writing is shockingly unimaginative at best.
Sour? No I’m inspired. If these articles can manage to reach thousands then I’m pretty sure I can match that 😉 ”
Ciaran, it seems your lack of respect has reached unprecedented levels with the bullsh!t you just spouted.
I must admit, I did briefly peruse the contents of your blog a number of weeks ago, out of curiosity you understand. Sadly I found its contents to be nothing more than a mere re-hash of the opinions of some of the posters on this blog. The most interesting thing I found was a little spelling mistake that had no doubt escaped your attention, but that’s not important right now.
Far from being the ‘inspired’ writing that you claim, I would describe it as the literary equivalent of a cup of tea that has had too much milk added, or a fat free yoghurt, ie, really quite bland.
Yes, Ed has his little follies, adding ‘and’ too many times in a sentence for example, however I would much rather read the opinions offered here than the pompous ramblings of an arrogant youngster. How it must pain you that to survive, your blog relies on second hand information from and shameless plugs on a blog that you claim to be ‘boring’.
Quite frankly Ciaran, you have a lot of growing up to do.
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 7:30 PM
Comment #43Cool Hand Luke
Concerns are noted buddy, thanks 😉
9
Oct 15, 2013 at 7:32 PM
Comment #44To rebalance the squad come January, could we have Ba back to replace the stunning – and soon to be Spurs- Remy?
clinath@ed
Oct 15, 2013 at 7:43 PM
Comment #45Anybody watching the England U21 game….some good youngsters coming through. Including young master Ince.
tequilamag
Oct 15, 2013 at 7:45 PM
Comment #469 would love Ba back. Plenty of posters slagging him off when he went and were telling us that Cisse would come into his own when he left.
As for Remy, he is on a season long loan regardless of whether he stays or not after that he is certainly not going to be going to Spurs or anyone else soon.
9
Oct 15, 2013 at 7:54 PM
Comment #47@Tequila.
Wish I had your confidence in the details and strength of our “season-long loan”. Do you think it is a bomb-proof arrangement?
Cool Hand Luke
Oct 15, 2013 at 7:55 PM
Comment #48Ciaran, glad to hear it.
9
Oct 15, 2013 at 7:57 PM
Comment #49By the way, brilliant to have 18,000 Poles in Wembley – these guys have the same mentality as Geordies, believe me, they’ll make one heck of an atmosphere – bring it on !
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 7:58 PM
Comment #50I won’t be changing any time soon though. Sorry to hear you think my writing is bland, swings and roundabouts and personal opinions and all that.
I have an opinion on Ed’s articles, which some may dislike, but if many can criticise my own writing – such as yourself – then surely I am allowed to criticise Ed’s? Free speech and all that jazz.
tequilamag
Oct 15, 2013 at 7:59 PM
Comment #519 absolutely bombproof. It was reported at the time it was for the full season with an option to buy. I have seen nothing to contradict that. Not to say he will definitely sign at the end of the season. Remy is keeping his options open. I had big doubts about him but he has shown to be a class player. Of course if the CPS decide to prosecute then all bets are off.
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:04 PM
Comment #52But if he does score goals and does well for us, Alan will be happy with our end of the deal; the player will be happy because he will come into contention for a World Cup place with France; if both things happen, Remy will go back to QPR as a World Cup player with a higher value than when he joined them, so everybody will come out of it well”
There you go, there is something to contradict it.
Cool Hand Luke
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:04 PM
Comment #53Ciaran, its your complete lack of respect that prompted my response, not the fact that you have a negative opinion on Ed’s writing.
9
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:07 PM
Comment #54Correction. Make that 28.000 Poles. What a racket they are making! Great. It’s up to us to get on top of them ( I bet the fans can’t – no chance ) so, over to the players.
9
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:10 PM
Comment #55Hi Ciaran.Remy will not be going back to QPR, ever. Think it through, chap – this man has top talent.
tequilamag
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:21 PM
Comment #56Ciaran my comment about nothing to contradict it was clearly referring to we have him on a season long long. If you read my post again you will see I said that Remy is keeping his options open. Whether he stays with us goes back to QPR or any other team or HMP is still to be decided.
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:24 PM
Comment #57Tequila
You claimed we had am option to buy him, but Kinnear’s comments indicate that we don’t
tequilamag
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:28 PM
Comment #58are you saying there have been no reports saying we have an option to buy? Pardew said on Sunday there was a deal in place but it was complicated. For someone with so little time for JFK you seem strangely selective when you choose to reference him as a reliable source.
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:31 PM
Comment #59Tequila
He’s the man supposedly in charge of the deal. Why would I think he isn’t privy to that sort of information?
tequilamag
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:39 PM
Comment #60Ciaran, have you considered the possibility that the we have agreed a deal with QPR but there is a third party involved ie the player. It`s one thing for the clubs to arrange deal but if Remy is indeed keeping his options then decides he wants to play for Spurs or whoever else there is nothing the 2 clubs can do about that. If JFK had came out and said it was done seal then it went tits up it would be another huge own goal for the MA and JFK. It`s better to dampen expectations and sign him than to promise something which is ultimately beyond their control
John Tudor
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:50 PM
Comment #61bingo bango bongo
tequilamag
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:52 PM
Comment #62JT incisive and to the point as ever.
lesh
Oct 15, 2013 at 8:52 PM
Comment #63UpAndHatem.
A good club would be expected to have Category 1 status and there’s thus no need to announce it
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 15, 2013 at 9:10 PM
Comment #64Welbeck……………Smalling………….England Squad……………..How?
mattnufc
Oct 15, 2013 at 9:12 PM
Comment #65Play for Man Utd, of course. To be honest, hardly any competition on left hand side of the team.
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 15, 2013 at 9:16 PM
Comment #66Mattnufc
Just can’t understand it! We have lads like Barkley Wilshere Sterling Defoe on the bench would rather see any of these lads over Welbeck!
Seriously Welbeck makes shola look like Messi
mattnufc
Oct 15, 2013 at 9:21 PM
Comment #67Haha I dislike Welbeck as much as you. Should have scored at least one already. Would have preferred Jones at RB but probably wouldn’t have been much of an improvement over Smalling, No-one else to chose from, really..
jimmysmith
Oct 15, 2013 at 9:37 PM
Comment #68A third of the team is “adjusting” to the EPL, which isn’t great for our present, or augur particularly well for our future. Good players often hit the ground running, others take longer and others don’t step up. There is a more than reasonable chance that we are carrying at least two who aren’t going to consistently deliver. Add that to the 2 or 3 positions we lack quality cover in and yes we do clearly still lack depth and consistency despite having been reshaping this team for 3 to 4 seasons. This seems the biggest problem and consequence of our lean and restrictive transfer policy.
low fell mag
Oct 15, 2013 at 9:57 PM
Comment #69By that Ciaran bloke talks some shite!
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 10:07 PM
Comment #70Football is amusing as so many fans seem to think they know more than the managers! Makes me laugh…
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 15, 2013 at 10:38 PM
Comment #71TDS
Fcuk me, so not only are fans not aloud to criticise there club in anyway now there not aloud to air an opinion on players either!
Rotonda heights
Oct 16, 2013 at 9:25 AM
Comment #72tads
allowed even!!
GarethGNUFC
Oct 16, 2013 at 12:31 PM
Comment #73To say that MYM only has a future as a fullback at NUFC and has ‘struggled to get to grips with the premier league’ is a little harsh I feel. Sure he was very poor against Everton (as were a number of players) however in the past I’m sure I remember people singing his praises. I have every faith in him to become the class central defender that he has the potential to be