De Jong wants Ben Arfa meeting

Pardew holds talks with Frenchman amid fears of 'demons'

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has discussed the subject of facing Manchester City with Hatem Ben Arfa after Nigel de Jong asked to meet the Frenchman.

Ben Arfa suffered a double leg fracture in a challenge by the Holland international the last time they went head-to-head on the pitch at the Etihad Stadium in October last year.

The 24-year-old has only just returned to action and manager Pardew has asked him if the psychological impact of returning to the scene of his agonising misfortune was a concern.

Pardew said on Thursday: "I had a conversation with him this morning about it because I think you could carry some demons when you have an injury like that.

"But he was absolutely clear to me this morning that he has no problem about going back there, no problem about facing their particular player.

"The player (De Jong) has contacted him, which I appreciate as the manager of the other team, and he wants to see Hatem. We have said after the game would be a good time, not before. Hopefully, that will then come to rest.

"At the time, I thought - and I wasn't the manager at the time - it was a bad tackle, but they do happen in the game and unfortunately Hatem suffered a severe injury.

"What I do know is, a year down the line - and it has taken that long - he is back somewhere near his best, and that's good news for us."

 

pretty pathetic mind games from de jong, he's had plenty time when he was injured to contact ben arfa..........

 

Surely De Jong should have made an effort to contact or see him when it first happened.

Seems a bit strange he wants to meet him now after a year has passed.

Unless he's trying to syke him out before the match!!!!!

 

Hopefully HBA will skin him for every goal in his first hat trick for us tomorrow

 

This would be an amazing, amazing win.

Would be fitting if HBA, picked up his form at City.

 

You'd think any normal person would have, wouldn't you.

 

What have they remade his legs of to survive a nuclear blast

 

We're talking about a guy that was then found to be making derisive jokes and laughing about it less than a week later.

He shouldn't be allowed on the pitch.

He is blatently trying to psych him out. I'm sure Hatem is bright enough to know this and just ignore it.

I'm sure he's also sharp enough to work out that if De Jong did do anything in-game he would probably get banned from football. You would certainly hope so anyway.

 

Shameless mind games from De Jong, by all means meet up after the game, De Jong can even sign his matchball

 

I think Pardew has dealt with it well. There is no point in whining about the past. Everyone has their own opinion on the incident, but for me it was an overly aggressive dangerous challenge. Is it worth holding grudges and gripes about for ever more? No probably not and it will actually be good for Benni to put everything in the past. Shake hands and move on, its not like you have to be best buddies. Maybe it'll be a bit of closure on the incident for Benni and allow him to focus on the future.

 

totally agreed RE Pardew. handled it well, there's no call for a meet before the game and will only be a distraction. all the boys need to stay focused

 

Word has it they've rebuilt HBA's legs with adamantium. Hopefully he'll go past De Jong and take his ****ing head off with Wolverine type claws