It’s good to know that after Ben Arfa arrived at Newcastle in August, French manager Laurent Blanc sent the Newcastle star a congratulatory text message.
Ben Arfa – good start at Newcastle has not gone unnoticed by Laurent Blanc
A source close to Ben Arfa on Tyneside, told the Evening Chronicle today:
“Laurent Blanc was among the first to text Hatem to congratulate him on his move to Newcastle United.” “He texted him on the day Newcastle played Wolves to wish him good luck at the club.”
“Laurent told him he was an important player for the France national team, and he’d only been left out of the last squad because he hadn’t been playing games.”
Ben Arfa of course played and scored a cracking goal in France’s 2-1 defeat against Norway in August, but the player was then left out of the last round of European qualifying games because, as the source points out, he was not match-fit.
At the time there had been the long drawn-out move to Newcastle and Ben Arfa had not played for a while, but it will be interesting to see whether Blanc picks him for the upcoming games next week – presumably he will if this news is true.
Ben Arfa is still considered a top young player in France and it’s hardly surprising that Blanc wants to use him as a key player in France’s future, and the news about Yven Movo signing for the Magpies suggests that other French youngsters may be on their way to Tyneside in the future.
The source added:
“He sees Hatem as a very exciting player, and he is glad he has the chance to shine in the Premier League.” “He believes the move can help him improve as a player.”
Most Newcastle fans will be very pleased with what they’ve seen from the young French International so far on Tyneside, but we also have to ensure the boy has enough time to get acclimatized on Tyneside.
We also hope he will sign full time for the famous Newcastle United club – and sooner rather than later.
Howay The Lads!!
9 comments so far
NUFC_Richyg01
Sep 29, 2010 at 1:15 PM
Comment #1Off topic but NOT WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR:
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6407469,00.html
GeordieGerman
Sep 29, 2010 at 1:22 PM
Comment #2Not something that we wanted to hear, but something that we all knew.
Davies
Sep 29, 2010 at 1:50 PM
Comment #3Couple of things:
Just because Nolan isn’t Ben Arfa, it doesn’t mean that we should now drop him. He is still effective on the pitch and has a habit of finding himself in the right place at the right time. Bit like Owen, but with commitment. His contribution off the pitch is one of the factors that has us playing Premier League football now.
Ben Arfa, as Ed, and several others have pointed out today, needs time to get used to the team, league, country and language. Let’s not expect him to win games for us straight away.
CH’s tactics beat Everton and Chelsea in their own back yards. It’s one thing to criticise a player for his own mistakes, but it’s unreasonable to blame them on the manager.
If HBA or Carroll cocked up the way Perch did on Saturday, I would expect a lot more symapthy for them than Perch is getting, and a lot less criticism of Hughton’s tactical abilities.
Funny, people don’t seem to like Perch, so they look at his mistakes in a completely different way to the way they look at others. Did Carroll score? No (Nolan did, albeit from the spot), but nonbody’s giving him a hard time for not doing his job.
Support the team and stop whining because our season isn’t going as well as you’d like.
tjshawsey
Sep 29, 2010 at 3:07 PM
Comment #4I agree in parts, although I actually think perch had a fair game in comparison to the team. Also, the ‘cock’ up you mentioned, I actually thought there was little he could do. He could have left it, and let the stoke player score, or try to deal with it as best as he could. But the ball had a lot of pace and he simply wasn’t able to direct it away from goal. Also i think the season is going well so far… Just me?
lesh
Sep 29, 2010 at 3:10 PM
Comment #5Off topic but NOT WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR:
Have faith and just like Blackadder, it’s a cunning plan to deceive the opposition. Let them think we’re playing to ultra-sautious plan A, and hit ’em for six using plan B!
Cunning, cunning, cunning!
lesh
Sep 29, 2010 at 3:10 PM
Comment #6* ultra-cautious
shearermania
Sep 29, 2010 at 3:14 PM
Comment #7ah it makes me sick listening to these comments…..:he is not ready yet, give him time, we all make mistake……yhis is bloody buisness – if you dont do your job at work you get the sack – its that simple…..
if they dont cut the mustard – see y0u later…
ill challenge all of you to come up with great excuses why we went down this year after actually having a good crop of players in our squad…….im always backing our club….but certain individuals not – not if they are not good enough (in my humble opin ion)
but dont you come shouting abuse after we’ve been relegated cause thats where we are going at this rate – make no excuse about that
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Spoonz13
Sep 29, 2010 at 3:56 PM
Comment #8@ Shearermania
Get the sack for not cutting the mustard in one game? I’d hate to work where u do mate. Sounds like you’re out on your ear if you do so much as fart in the lunch room.
This season is going well in my opinion. For one we’re doing a lot better than liverpool, everton and the SMB’s.
Yes we should have picked up points against Stoke and Blackpool but we’re still managing ok and it’s been half and half really if you take into account the Chelsea game.
Yes we need more consistency but that will come with playing a regular team and intigrating Ben Arfa and Tiote in. People say they need time to settle and accept that so why can noone accept the same from Perch? He’s still a new signing is he not?
GeordieToon89
Sep 29, 2010 at 6:41 PM
Comment #9our season isnt even going tht bad to be fair wher no exactly bottom wa 10th fair enough only 2 points above 18th but so wher not ther, yes weve lost 2 home games on the bounce stoke are a good team and blackpool could be a suprise package but overall im quite happy with the start weve made this season is all about survival anything else is a bonus the players and CH hav already said that.. i admit im not one of his biggest fans at the moment and i hav slated him before but james perch could easily turn out to be a good signing for wah he can tackle he has proved tht on occasions he just needs to get used to the pace of the league its a whole new game coming up from the championship its like coming from a different country..hes only young and got plenty of guidance ther in sol campbell and CH maybe we should giv taylor or simpson a chance just to take some pressure off perch bt he can only learn by his mistakes.. look at enrique he was pretty awful in his first season we got relegated and he was unbelievable last season and he’s started this season the way last season finished. just giv him time to settle and giv the lad a break