Ben Arfa and Marveaux told to train with the reserves at Newcastle HATEM Ben Arfa and Sylvain Marveaux have been frozen out at Newcastle United – and told to train with the reserves. Alan Pardew’s players were put through their paces yesterday on the first full day of pre-season training. But Ben Arfa and Marveaux – who the club are looking to sell this summer – didn’t train with their senior colleagues. Instead, the Gazette understands pair worked with the club’s development squad. Fans’ favourite Ben Arfa sat out the final few weeks of last season after suffering an injury and falling out of favour, and was disciplined for holding an impromptu Press call in which he told of his “frustration” at a lack of first-team starts. The forward also claimed he wanted to stay at St James’s Park – and denied suggestions he had been a disruptive influence behind the scenes. Ben Arfa, 27, has a year left on his United contract, and the Gazette reported in May that he was available for as little as £3m. However, Newcastle have not, as yet, received a firm bid for the club’s most gifted player. Ben Arfa – who could lose his No10 squad number to summer arrival Siem de Jong – remains hugely popular on Tyneside, where he has spent the last four years. Marveaux, meanwhile, has two years left on the lucrative United deal he signed when he joined as a free agent in 2001[sic]. The 27-year-old midfielder, pictured, only made a handful of appearances last season, and he has been told he doesn’t feature in manager Alan Pardew’s plans. Newcastle published a series of photographs of the first session on their official website yesterday. But Ben Arfa and Marveaux were conspicuous by their absence. It is unclear whether they will travel to New Zealand next week for the club’s pre-season tour of the country. Cheap, creative, not in a position to demand high wages, familiar to the area and with premiership experience. Could be a nice cheep little player to baulk out our tiny squad out. If Gus could keep him fit then we'd have him through his prime. Would you take him?
In a blink mate. Ability wise he is very close to the top, top players in the world. Marveaux is, has always been, and always will be, ****.
Ashley and Pardew has dragged his rep into the mud. Instead of a dream move, huge fee and massive pay rise, it'll be cut price deal, possibly a wage cut and a side step in club. I'd like us to be that club. Still enough time for us to get some use out of the lad and turn a profit. He's been very badly managed imo.
I would take him just to wipe the smiles off the faces of my marras still purring at taking C*ntback off us!
Ben Arfa has always flattered to deceive in my opinion. Although I agree that he does have ability, but the trouble is that he doesn't deliver it on a regular basis..
Agree with both, but there genuinely is a match changing, match winning footballer there, and he'd cost little. I think they WOULD sell to us, whether HBA would come is another thing. I'd wager that many clubs would take a punt on the lad. Working under Pardew could **** anyone's head, lets be honest. For 2/3 of a season 2 years back he ripped the league apart.
Not sure about this. The only person who seems to be putting this about is an absolute **** of a man in Pardew. I have watched Ben Arfa play and he has unbelievable ability. Is have him
He aint no Jonno so why go there….he"s one of them, have you heard some of you ? FFS ? Let's get Taylor while we're on !
Anyone with that ability who can't bring it out more often has a problem upstairs in my eyes mate. Same with Sess and AJ.
I think you're being a bit harsh on Pardew here lads, for all his faults he's not done too much wrong with Ben Arfa. I don't agree with freezing him out in pre season but Ben Arfa is nearly un-manageable. He was massively over weight last season too. My main point is Ben Arfa has now fallen out with managers at Marseille (he went on strike), Lyon (again he went on strike), Newcastle and France. There was a trend before he worked under Pardew so for once I'm not sure our esteemed leader has done much wrong. A truly great player on his day, it's just these are few and far between and trying to find out what makes him tick is near on impossible I'd guess. Having said that I still get excited whenever he's on the ball so this post is a bit of a contradiction
Aye for Pardew. Never been known for his people skills himself. Difficult players are hard work and need the right man management, Pardew isn't the right man for anything. Lee Cattermole picked up 3 booking last year, didn't even make the top 20 in terms of bad discipline, it is possible to get the best out of the difficult players, but Pardew will never be one of those managers. I'd fancy Poyet to get more out of the lad myself. Pardew can get the most professional of players looking for the exit they don't need to be 'problem' players with him.
Talent-wise he has to be worth a shout, but I can't see the mags selling to us. I mean, if Gus got him fit and motivated and he tore them a new one in a derby game, wow! The rioting and damaged horses would be something to behold...
To be fair Bri, a mouldy old slug with a nail through it's head would probably get more out of a player than Alan Pardew. There's one thing I can't understand about Newcastle at the minute, maybe GCB can shed some light: If Ashley's hell bent on turning over players for profit, then why is he letting them 'flourish' so to speak under the worst manager in the league? Surely for the sake of a few quid, he could get a better manager (like Martinez prior to Everton) who would probably make the likes of Tiote £15m players, possibly... he once was for about a year, a class player, total boss on the pitch by all accounts and now he's not. Is there nobody at the club who could advise him that players will thrive under better management and be worth a lot more? It's like putting great clothes on the shelves of a shop in the high street then making your shop keeper a stinking old tramp, who pisses and ****s on all the clothes when customers come in.
