There have been no offers this summer so far for Newcastle’s French winger Hatem Ben Arfa, who is available for sale with one year left of his five year contract at Newcastle.
Hatem Ben Arfa – still on his way out of Newcastle?
And Ben Arfa’s time seems to have come to an ignominious end this year, after a number of arguments with manager Alan Pardew in the dressing room after games we lost – and there were a lot of them – and it seems those old questions about the Frenchman’s temperament have resurfaced.
That may be why no club is rushing in for the 27 year-old 13 times capped French International, but maybe his wage demands are also high – according to the Sunday Sun today.
But Hatem Ben Arfa has made it clear to anybody who will listen, that he still wants to stay on Tyneside, and when Newcastle are really short of creativity and flair in the side, we are selling our most creative and skillful player this summer.
There’s something wrong with that somehow.
Ben Arfa has been offered for sale by Newcastle to European clubs, and it seems the only current interest is from the Qatar Stars League, where the main draw is the money – and it’s hardly the standard of the football there, which is poor.
Not much could happen in the next four weeks as the World Cup goes on in Brazil and everybody is concentrating on that, but we still think a Champions League will come in for him this summer.
But if nothing happens by say mid-August, we suppose Ben Arfa could even be sent out on loan, to at least recuperate some of his wages in the final year of his contract.
It’s difficult to see how he can play for Newcastle again as long as Alan Pardew is the manager.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
106 comments so far
~Anita One Bites The Dust~
Jun 15, 2014 at 11:43 AM
Comment #1Glen Johnson imho is an average Right Back. Not good enough to be first choice for england.
Our biggest liability in defence. That being said, no one else comes to mind in terms of usurping his spot in the starting 11
theartfuldodger
Jun 15, 2014 at 11:45 AM
Comment #2I wish someone had a count ..
Attacking players IN (10) – Cabaye,Ba,Remy,Obertan,Marveaux, Sissoko,Gouffran, DeJong,Cisse,Amalfitano..
Attacking players OUT(17) – Nolan,Barton,Cabaye,Ba,Remy,Caroll,Best, Gutherie,Lovenkrands,obertan,gosling,marveaux,benny(almost out those 3), Gutierrez,Shola,DeJong,Amalfitano…
Look at the difference since we went down and came back up..Numerical difference + No of cheap flops…
(Left out Abeid)
Defensive players IN – Mbiwa,Tiote,Hiadara,Elliot,Anita,Debuchy ,Colback,Bigirimana,santon
Defensive players OUT -Simpson,Enrique,Perch
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jun 15, 2014 at 11:47 AM
Comment #3Ed…most of us think nothing on the matter cause we know absolutely nothing!
…they feed us lines but we won’t act!
sweendog
Jun 15, 2014 at 11:48 AM
Comment #4Keep him and get him to work for the team .. Its a win win for both of us .. He has too much quality to throw away .. He just needs managed correctly
sweendog
Jun 15, 2014 at 11:49 AM
Comment #5Maybe when Percy gets sacked after 10 games next season a new manager will be able to work with him … De boer etc .. Maybe I’m dreaming
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jun 15, 2014 at 11:55 AM
Comment #6…it’s all just hear say and speculations!
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jun 15, 2014 at 12:06 PM
Comment #7It seems we indeed are in for Lasogga!
welshgeordie9
Jun 15, 2014 at 12:12 PM
Comment #8jesperfuglsang – captain of the lemon crew
where did you get that from and is he any good
cestriasteve
Jun 15, 2014 at 12:35 PM
Comment #9Captain,
He is an exceptional player and perfect for the EPL
theartfuldodger
Jun 15, 2014 at 12:39 PM
Comment #10jesper,
Surely we cant compete with HerthaBerlin and Hamburg..
Jail for Ashley
Jun 15, 2014 at 12:40 PM
Comment #11Slank // Jun 15, 2014 at 8:47 AM
”So, Newcastle have tried to highjack a Chelsea target.
So, it’s a mid table team with a middle ranked manager that haven’t won a trophy in 50 years located in a provincial backwater”
Slank,
I’m not sure where you’re from or what your reasons for supporting Newcastle are, but are you sure you are a fan ?
cyprus
Jun 15, 2014 at 12:51 PM
Comment #12Sometimes we stumble on players we don’t really deserve (Ginola, Robert, Bellamy, HBA etc.) who can and do take us to another level, but someone stupid in management finds a fault (e.g. can’t defend) and gets rid.
It’s like you finding a girlfriend way out of your league. Instead of enjoying her incredible attributes you dump her because she doesn’t clean the dishes. Fool. You could’ve bought a dishwasher.
cyprus
Jun 15, 2014 at 12:54 PM
Comment #13Now let’s see, HBA or AP. Tough one that.
theartfuldodger
Jun 15, 2014 at 12:57 PM
Comment #14I see no one here is raving abt Lasogga…Not enough evidence on youtube..
Looks like a Cisse replacement 😛
Stronger then cisse but needs service..
But then its just youtube..
beermonkey
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:03 PM
Comment #15theartfuldodger
all strikers need service
cisse didn’t become pants over night the team stopped creating for him lack of service lack of goals
so unless we buy the players to go with a new striker then we will still struggle, this will also need a change play as well
or we buy a remy type that can create there own and we might be ok
cheapest option is for us to find the new remy
Mister Tuff
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:06 PM
Comment #16cyprus – interesting girlfriend analogy – but what would you do if she cannot do the housework or do the gardening or decorating.
beermonkey
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:11 PM
Comment #17mr t
what if she is a shocker in the sack
musomag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:15 PM
Comment #18Q “interesting girlfriend analogy – but what would you do if she cannot do the housework or do the gardening or decorating?”
A: move back in with your MA
beermonkey
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:16 PM
Comment #19pardew has a colum in the independent for the wc
how did he blag that
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/alan-pardew-world-cup-2014-column-italy-deserved-to-beat-england–now-roy-hodgson-must-make-a-decision-on-wayne-rooney-9537831.html
Blackley and Brownlie
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:18 PM
Comment #20So we’re going to buy players for a manager whose team don’t know the process and who has science against him, his great strategy to replace the likes of ben arfa and marveaux with dependable tommies like colback, shelvey and snodgrass.
expatmag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:19 PM
Comment #21G/day from sunny Melbourne
How are we all today?
musomag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:23 PM
Comment #22In seriousness, APs poor management is the problem.
We need Ben Arfa now more than ever. The lad is absolutely right to be pi55ed off, we certainly are. Freezing him out and not even trying to resolve glaring issues is nothing short of idiotic.
Fight for your right to play Hatem, you still have a contract
expatmag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:27 PM
Comment #23On the subject of HBA, there has to be a compromise reached between both men.
HBA has to become more team orientated and not try to be a world beater all the time. He needs to see the better options available rather than trying to dibble past half the opposition.
Pardew needs to play to his strengths and play him in the hole where he can do more damage up front and not be required to chase back and defend.
beermonkey
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:28 PM
Comment #24I would chuckle some what if benny leaves on a free next year
mindcompressor
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:29 PM
Comment #25can we send pardew on loan instead of ben arfa? during war pardew should be dropped behind enemy lines – to make mess in enemy tactics…
expatmag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:30 PM
Comment #26BEERMONKEY
That is a distinct possibility
expatmag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:33 PM
Comment #27Just wondering if poor old MISTER TUFF has gone off for his sunday afternoon nap………………….poor old sod
musomag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:33 PM
Comment #28APs World Cup column prob bought by Ashley purely as a tactic to de-value Rooney & Co prior to us offering paltry £1.5 million bids for them, meanwhile raising the profile of all NUFC players likely to generate a profitable sale.
Don’t laugh….who in their right mind would want AP’s insight into football tactics?
beermonkey
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:35 PM
Comment #29expat
I kind off hope he does although if we aint gonna use him I would rather he was sold more for him to get back to playing its a shame we haven’t found away to get some use out of him
beermonkey
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:36 PM
Comment #30musomag
have a read its an insight into a great man lol
expatmag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:38 PM
Comment #31BEERMONKEY
I read somewhere recently that Ashley was supposed to have issued an instruction to Pardew to either play or sell Steven Taylor which would lead me to believe the same instruction would have been given for HBA, Marveaux, Guti, Oberttan etc.
Why would be paying these guys 50K a week if we are not going to use them? I can see Ashley’s point here, if true.
Mister Tuff
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:39 PM
Comment #32expat -g/day cobber -ya liddle reepa.
I do not do afternnoon naps -I’m bloody decorating and the missus if off shopping for some bloody wallpaper.
As for the football -we didn’t get off to a good start -but neither did you. Do you not think that the socceroos are pretty much rubbish -leads me to suggest maybe you should revert to your National pastimes of shark hunting and dwarf throwing.
beermonkey
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:42 PM
Comment #33expat
one of my biggest hates about pards is his unwillingness to rotate players
Ashley aint wrong in that if you take benny marveax obatan taylor that’s the best part of 200k a week sometimes not on the bench doing nothing
whats that about 9mill in wages a year on players that aint making the bench bit of a waste
Ericles
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:43 PM
Comment #34We must keep Ben Arfa. He is the most skilfull player we have. The problem lies fairly and squarely wit Pardew who cannot manage players to the best of their potential. or ability. Ben Arfa is not the liability it is Pardew!
expatmag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:46 PM
Comment #35TUFF
Then I hope C brings back enough wallpaper to keep you occupied for the remainder of the world cup.
As for the Socceroos, apart from the first 15 mins, we dominated Chile and deserved at least a pojnt. Timmy was unlucky with his offside goal, and should also have had a penalty for a blatant push in the back at 2-1.
We are a young squad with a new manager and we are gearing up for the Asian Cup next year which we are hosting. If we can keep these lads together and bring through a few more decent youngsters including Good, we will do OK in the next WC.
Keep an eye on the future of Bailey Wright. He is a left back in the squad and currently plays for PNE in England. I coached him as a kid when he was at Langwarrin, over here near Melbourne.
As for Shark Hunting, been there, done that and as for dwarf throwing, I have a fondness to meet the little fellah from Game of Thrones……………..LOL
expatmag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:49 PM
Comment #36BEERMONKEY
Agreed. He fails to make best use of his squad and this is despite an often lengthy injury list.
Mister Tuff
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:54 PM
Comment #37Just watching Sky News – there was a report from the French camp -via Deschamps to the effect that they were being spyed upon -as they had spotted a drone in the sky.
Percy Parsnip -will latch onto this new excuse for next season.
Mike's Iron Curtain
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:54 PM
Comment #38Wow. Can’t believe some are still rattling on in the same vein as at the season end. Give it a rest. There’s no need to constantly reinforce the same points ie Pardew being total crud. It’s widely accepted already, but will never be unanimous, such is football and people.
expatmag
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:56 PM
Comment #39TUFF
On the subject of England, I watched the game at 8am here this morning and to be honest, I thought they did quite well in the first half but what I couldn’t understand was the amount of space they gave to Pirlo.
Furthermore, the two full backs were the week points and Italy really played on that. Baines should have closed down and [prevented the cross for Balotellis header. I am no lover of Ashley Cole as a bloke but I am sure he would have done a better job than Baines.
A donkey would have been better than Johnson.
All in all, whilst Italy were frightened of Englands pace in attack, their experience adjusted to that ploy and won over youth on the day.
I don’t think England will make it out of the group now.
Mister Tuff
Jun 15, 2014 at 1:58 PM
Comment #40expat -whats this tosh about you being a football coach. Did you get you coaching badges on Ebay from an address in Ulan Bator in Outer Mongolia.