Ben Arfa

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

hello

excuse my poor english speaking, i'm just a froggy, OM's fan. I just registered to follow Ben Arfa with your comments and impressions about his actuations.

 

Firstable just one thing (because all I read on english websites is incomprehensible), so once for all : his first name is Hatem and his surname is BEN ARFA.

 

Don't worry he's a wonderful player you won't be disappointed. I believe NUFC paid less than 1K€ for the loan. And will have to pay automatically between 5 and 6 K€ (about 4.100.000 and 4.950.000 GBP) for playing 25 matches, and Hatem will be yours. It's almost a free gift at that price ! Hope you'll be wonderstruck with him as the OM supporters used to be.

if you have any question about him I can answer, (about football or his unusual behaviour).

one example of this typical behaviour, I don't know if you heard about this : Ben Arfa, substitute, is ready to enter on the ground. But the problem is that he doesn't wear his shirt ! He's wearing the shirt number 11 of the striker Mamadou Niang instead of his number 10 !

The coach Didier Deschamps did not laugh, but all the french television-viewers did laugh a lot !

 

The link :

Bonjour mon ami. If Ben Arfa is as good as the other two players to play for Newcastle and Marseille (Beye and Waddle) we'll be very happy.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Bonsoir Pedrito. Est Ben Arfa aussi capricieux que Robert et Ginola?

 

(Bonsoir Pedrito. Is Ben Arfa as temperamental as Robert and Ginola?)

[Gemmill 44878]

Bonsoir Pedrito. Est Ben Arfa aussi capricieux que Robert et Ginola?

 

(Bonsoir Pedrito. Is Ben Arfa as temperamental as Robert and Ginola?)

 

Bonnet de douche!

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Bonsoir Pedrito. Est Ben Arfa aussi capricieux que Robert et Ginola?

 

(Bonsoir Pedrito. Is Ben Arfa as temperamental as Robert and Ginola?)

 

Bonnet de douche!

Google Translate.

[ChezGiven 0]

Est-il flemmard en défense?

 

Is he lazy when it comes to defending?

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3894]

I am dissapointed by this lack of ambition by Ashley I say Ashley and Lambs arse. If Shepherd was still in charge we would have just bought him straight off and put him on a decent wage.

[Jersey 0]

I am dissapointed by this lack of ambition by Ashley I say Ashley and Lambs arse. If Shepherd was still in charge we would have just bought him straight off and put him on a decent wage.

 

Is this a wind up?

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3894]

I am dissapointed by this lack of ambition by Ashley I say Ashley and Lambs arse. If Shepherd was still in charge we would have just bought him straight off and put him on a decent wage.

 

Is this a wind up?

 

What do you think??

[Jersey 0]

I am dissapointed by this lack of ambition by Ashley I say Ashley and Lambs arse. If Shepherd was still in charge we would have just bought him straight off and put him on a decent wage.

 

Is this a wind up?

 

What do you think??

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3894]

I am dissapointed by this lack of ambition by Ashley I say Ashley and Lambs arse. If Shepherd was still in charge we would have just bought him straight off and put him on a decent wage.

 

Is this a wind up?

 

What do you think??

 

[pedrito 0]

Thanks for your welcome!

 

The only problem with Ben Arfa could be his adaptation (language, weather, food, joey barton...), it can be difficult for a young player. I don't know how is playing Newcastle but if it's like kick-and-rush it will be very difficult for him.

But if he fits to your town, to your team and your way to play football, he will be a great player for your squad. (and if you like Robert you will love Ben Arfa, Robert is a joke in comparison with him). And I'm sure he will love Saint James Park and the wonderful toon army

 

 

asprilla "I live in France myself, not too far from Marseille as it happens"

 

________Me I lived in Barcelona for two years and now I'm in Brittany, so you're nearer from Marseille than me ! I use to come to Marseille but I don't live there anymore, for many years.

 

 

Tuco Ramirez

________Ben Arfa is not as good as Waddle, who is a God in Marseille, but he's still young and can be better than Waddle in the future. But for the moment Ben Arfa lacks of regularity (or steadiness, don't know to choose the good word)

 

 

Dr. Kenneth Noise "Is Ben Arfa as temperamental as Robert and Ginola?"

________I think he's less temperamental than Robert and Ginola. But he's different than other players, he likes to be alone and he's introverted. He's not outgoing and effusive, and he needs confidence to be good on the ground.

 

 

(To understand his strange personnality you have to know that when he was a teenager he was already a star because he has been taking part in a TV programme following young football players in the Academy of Clairefontaine (the most prestigious academy for young players).

In this TV show all the players were born in the same year, except Ben Arfa, he was the youngest because he was too good for the child in his category.

(One of the other teenager in this program was Abou Diaby of Arsenal FC)

The problem is, being so good, he did not learn to work hard and believed he could become Maradona just playing like he used to play in the street.

And the TV programme did not help him because when TV viewers saw his magic skills he became instantly a star and the most promising french player . He was only 12 years old in the first season of the TV programme.

In the programme, we also saw Jean-Michel Aulas (awful chairman of Olympique de Lyon) coming in Clairefontaine to sign him a great contract to incorporate the Academy of Lyon. He was sure to be rich before the beginning of his career ! He was only 15 years old !!!

 

He was european champion with France U17 in 2004. This same year he played 9 matches with professional team of Lyon. he had his first selection for french national team (don't laugh, we were all victims of Domenech) when he was only 20 years old. First selection and first goal, in 2007. Elected best young player in 2008.

With Lyon he won the french championship 4 times ! And in 2010 with OM off course.

 

All was easy for him and he did not need to work. This is why he's different of other players and why he fails to become like a Cristiano Ronaldo or a Lionel Messi : he did'nt learn to work hard.

Now he has understood that he had to make efforts but he lacks of tactical knowledge : he did not learn during his formation because he just had to play as he played in the street to win, to score, to be a star and to win money.

Now he has grown up and he knows that he needs training and learning but he will always have lacks in tactic).

 

The other problem for him in France is that he was so expected, when he fails to dribble someone or when he plays bad in a match everybody criticize immoderatly. it's excessive, he does not have right to fail, when he fails a pass it's "the end of the world" for the journalists. They want him to be the best and don't understand that he's just a football player, not a God. I think playing in an other country will be good for him because he will be like a normal player, with the same judgements than other players.)

 

 

Gemmill "Bonnet de douche!"

 

________Shower cap !

 

 

ChezGiven "Is he lazy when it comes to defending?"

 

________When he's motivated he comes to defending (a little) but when he's in a "bad day", he wants to dribble all the opponents and playing for himself, and does not come to defend. He doesn't like to defend. You'll see, when the first dribble is achieved he can be unstoppable after, and being a wizard with the ball. But if he fails his first dribble or if he's in a bad day he can be dangerous for his team because he wants to play all alone and always loses the ball (after dribbling two or three players off course)

But don't worry, we can forgive his "bad days" because he just need one action to change a match with incredible assist or goal; When he has the ball, you can hear the crowd "whispering", waiting for unexpected and magic actions, and always wondering what is he going to do. He's unique.

 

Tecato "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?"

________Ce soir (tonight) it will be difficult but don't hesitate to invite me, if you want to discover french flair in the bed (or elsewhere)

 

 

sorry for being so chatty, i hope my english is not too difficult to read

[Besty 4]

Cheers pedrito, good read that!

[Park Life 71]

Thanks for your welcome!

 

The only problem with Ben Arfa could be his adaptation (language, weather, food, joey barton...), it can be difficult for a young player. I don't know how is playing Newcastle but if it's like kick-and-rush it will be very difficult for him.

But if he fits to your town, to your team and your way to play football, he will be a great player for your squad. (and if you like Robert you will love Ben Arfa, Robert is a joke in comparison with him). And I'm sure he will love Saint James Park and the wonderful toon army

 

 

asprilla "I live in France myself, not too far from Marseille as it happens"

 

________Me I lived in Barcelona for two years and now I'm in Brittany, so you're nearer from Marseille than me ! I use to come to Marseille but I don't live there anymore, for many years.

 

 

Tuco Ramirez

________Ben Arfa is not as good as Waddle, who is a God in Marseille, but he's still young and can be better than Waddle in the future. But for the moment Ben Arfa lacks of regularity (or steadiness, don't know to choose the good word)

 

 

Dr. Kenneth Noise "Is Ben Arfa as temperamental as Robert and Ginola?"

________I think he's less temperamental than Robert and Ginola. But he's different than other players, he likes to be alone and he's introverted. He's not outgoing and effusive, and he needs confidence to be good on the ground.

 

 

(To understand his strange personnality you have to know that when he was a teenager he was already a star because he has been taking part in a TV programme following young football players in the Academy of Clairefontaine (the most prestigious academy for young players).

In this TV show all the players were born in the same year, except Ben Arfa, he was the youngest because he was too good for the child in his category.

(One of the other teenager in this program was Abou Diaby of Arsenal FC)

The problem is, being so good, he did not learn to work hard and believed he could become Maradona just playing like he used to play in the street.

And the TV programme did not help him because when TV viewers saw his magic skills he became instantly a star and the most promising french player . He was only 12 years old in the first season of the TV programme.

In the programme, we also saw Jean-Michel Aulas (awful chairman of Olympique de Lyon) coming in Clairefontaine to sign him a great contract to incorporate the Academy of Lyon. He was sure to be rich before the beginning of his career ! He was only 15 years old !!!

 

He was european champion with France U17 in 2004. This same year he played 9 matches with professional team of Lyon. he had his first selection for french national team (don't laugh, we were all victims of Domenech) when he was only 20 years old. First selection and first goal, in 2007. Elected best young player in 2008.

With Lyon he won the french championship 4 times ! And in 2010 with OM off course.

 

All was easy for him and he did not need to work. This is why he's different of other players and why he fails to become like a Cristiano Ronaldo or a Lionel Messi : he did'nt learn to work hard.

Now he has understood that he had to make efforts but he lacks of tactical knowledge : he did not learn during his formation because he just had to play as he played in the street to win, to score, to be a star and to win money.

Now he has grown up and he knows that he needs training and learning but he will always have lacks in tactic).

 

The other problem for him in France is that he was so expected, when he fails to dribble someone or when he plays bad in a match everybody criticize immoderatly. it's excessive, he does not have right to fail, when he fails a pass it's "the end of the world" for the journalists. They want him to be the best and don't understand that he's just a football player, not a God. I think playing in an other country will be good for him because he will be like a normal player, with the same judgements than other players.)

 

 

Gemmill "Bonnet de douche!"

 

________Shower cap !

 

 

ChezGiven "Is he lazy when it comes to defending?"

 

________When he's motivated he comes to defending (a little) but when he's in a "bad day", he wants to dribble all the opponents and playing for himself, and does not come to defend. He doesn't like to defend. You'll see, when the first dribble is achieved he can be unstoppable after, and being a wizard with the ball. But if he fails his first dribble or if he's in a bad day he can be dangerous for his team because he wants to play all alone and always loses the ball (after dribbling two or three players off course)

But don't worry, we can forgive his "bad days" because he just need one action to change a match with incredible assist or goal; When he has the ball, you can hear the crowd "whispering", waiting for unexpected and magic actions, and always wondering what is he going to do. He's unique.

 

Tecato "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?"

________Ce soir (tonight) it will be difficult but don't hesitate to invite me, if you want to discover french flair in the bed (or elsewhere)

 

 

sorry for being so chatty, i hope my english is not too difficult to read

 

Thanks for your comments, they are very welcome and as you can imagine we are very excited, to us having been starved of real flair for a few years it is like waking up from a bad dream. This kind of player is for me what Newcastle is all about, having taken risks with to other tempremental French players in the past, don't worry as long as there is some magic we are very forgiving.

 

I said on another Newcastle forum that he has the potential to be better than Beardsley (I should have in hindsight said Waddle) and as you can imagine this caused some stirrings, so I am relieved that someone who knows the player very well agrees with this.

 

It is interesting that you mention Messi, cause I'll share a secret with you, Messi bores me. He has all the technical gifts of a natural, but he plays like a child. He plays just for fun, football is easy for him, but he has no personality on the pitch, he is too pure for me, he is lacking of a dark soul. This is why Bafra exites me, for he has the skills, but he also has 'the shadow'.

 

Pedrito, are you saying that his performance depends on how his first few touches in a match go? If he feels comfortable on the ball early on things are normally fine? Is this something to look out for? That either the football gods are with him on the day or not? You must know that this is a very important sign and one of the hallmarks of players who can be really great - change a game - carry a team alone when the side is under pressure. Did he have a free role at OM and OL or does he like to come in from the left?

 

Cheers again.

Edited August 30, 2010 by Park Life

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

I am dissapointed by this lack of ambition by Ashley I say Ashley and Lambs arse. If Shepherd was still in charge we would have just bought him straight off and put him on a decent wage.

I'm disappointed Ashley is still in charge, but if we get the dutch bloke and/or Keane, you have to say FMA has done well this summer for us, far more than we were led to believe or could've hoped for in June. So my key point is here, you're talkin shite.

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

Thanks for your welcome!

 

The only problem with Ben Arfa could be his adaptation (language, weather, food, joey barton...), it can be difficult for a young player. I don't know how is playing Newcastle but if it's like kick-and-rush it will be very difficult for him.

But if he fits to your town, to your team and your way to play football, he will be a great player for your squad. (and if you like Robert you will love Ben Arfa, Robert is a joke in comparison with him). And I'm sure he will love Saint James Park and the wonderful toon army

 

 

asprilla "I live in France myself, not too far from Marseille as it happens"

 

________Me I lived in Barcelona for two years and now I'm in Brittany, so you're nearer from Marseille than me ! I use to come to Marseille but I don't live there anymore, for many years.

 

 

Tuco Ramirez

________Ben Arfa is not as good as Waddle, who is a God in Marseille, but he's still young and can be better than Waddle in the future. But for the moment Ben Arfa lacks of regularity (or steadiness, don't know to choose the good word)

 

 

Dr. Kenneth Noise "Is Ben Arfa as temperamental as Robert and Ginola?"

________I think he's less temperamental than Robert and Ginola. But he's different than other players, he likes to be alone and he's introverted. He's not outgoing and effusive, and he needs confidence to be good on the ground.

 

 

(To understand his strange personnality you have to know that when he was a teenager he was already a star because he has been taking part in a TV programme following young football players in the Academy of Clairefontaine (the most prestigious academy for young players).

In this TV show all the players were born in the same year, except Ben Arfa, he was the youngest because he was too good for the child in his category.

(One of the other teenager in this program was Abou Diaby of Arsenal FC)

The problem is, being so good, he did not learn to work hard and believed he could become Maradona just playing like he used to play in the street.

And the TV programme did not help him because when TV viewers saw his magic skills he became instantly a star and the most promising french player . He was only 12 years old in the first season of the TV programme.

In the programme, we also saw Jean-Michel Aulas (awful chairman of Olympique de Lyon) coming in Clairefontaine to sign him a great contract to incorporate the Academy of Lyon. He was sure to be rich before the beginning of his career ! He was only 15 years old !!!

 

He was european champion with France U17 in 2004. This same year he played 9 matches with professional team of Lyon. he had his first selection for french national team (don't laugh, we were all victims of Domenech) when he was only 20 years old. First selection and first goal, in 2007. Elected best young player in 2008.

With Lyon he won the french championship 4 times ! And in 2010 with OM off course.

 

All was easy for him and he did not need to work. This is why he's different of other players and why he fails to become like a Cristiano Ronaldo or a Lionel Messi : he did'nt learn to work hard.

Now he has understood that he had to make efforts but he lacks of tactical knowledge : he did not learn during his formation because he just had to play as he played in the street to win, to score, to be a star and to win money.

Now he has grown up and he knows that he needs training and learning but he will always have lacks in tactic).

 

The other problem for him in France is that he was so expected, when he fails to dribble someone or when he plays bad in a match everybody criticize immoderatly. it's excessive, he does not have right to fail, when he fails a pass it's "the end of the world" for the journalists. They want him to be the best and don't understand that he's just a football player, not a God. I think playing in an other country will be good for him because he will be like a normal player, with the same judgements than other players.)

 

 

Gemmill "Bonnet de douche!"

 

________Shower cap !

 

 

ChezGiven "Is he lazy when it comes to defending?"

 

________When he's motivated he comes to defending (a little) but when he's in a "bad day", he wants to dribble all the opponents and playing for himself, and does not come to defend. He doesn't like to defend. You'll see, when the first dribble is achieved he can be unstoppable after, and being a wizard with the ball. But if he fails his first dribble or if he's in a bad day he can be dangerous for his team because he wants to play all alone and always loses the ball (after dribbling two or three players off course)

But don't worry, we can forgive his "bad days" because he just need one action to change a match with incredible assist or goal; When he has the ball, you can hear the crowd "whispering", waiting for unexpected and magic actions, and always wondering what is he going to do. He's unique.

 

Tecato "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?"

________Ce soir (tonight) it will be difficult but don't hesitate to invite me, if you want to discover french flair in the bed (or elsewhere)

 

 

sorry for being so chatty, i hope my english is not too difficult to read

Merci, booooooooooooon homme. I read somewhere like Waddle is regarded by some of the OM fans as their best ever player. I was excited about the Ben Arfa signing before I read this, cos I've seen him on occasion but even more so now

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Found quite an interesting artcile on Ben Arfa:

 

Most transfer sagas, like soap operas, stretch themselves out to a ludicrous degree before finally reaching a thoroughly predictable conclusion. But Hatem Ben Arfa is a master of the unexpected on every level, and his long-awaited transfer to the Premier League has been to a surprise destination.

 

Many believe that the arrival of the French international heralds a marriage made in hell, the combination of a temperamental overseas player and a club only recently delivered from perpetual melodrama by the steady hand of phlegmatic head coach Chris Hughton. What is clear is that this unlikely alliance promises to evolve into one of the more intriguing subplots of the English season.

 

The foundations of Ben Arfa's enfant terrible reputation were laid in 2002's A La Clairefontaine, a fly-on-the-wall documentary about the young prospects coming up through France's fabled national academy. The precocious youngster, the junior in his age group, was shown rowing with Abou Diaby in one ugly scene.

 

It didn't seem to harm his considerable self-regard. In fact, the perception in France was that that the national television exposure had only inflated his burgeoning ego. After leaving Clairefontaine and joining Lyon's youth system, he remained the centre of attention - this time, for his extraordinary talent.

 

His pace, balance and ability to weave around defenders at will saw Jose Mourinho make extensive efforts to persuade the 17-year-old Ben Arfa into becoming one of his first signings for Chelsea before he finally inked his maiden professional contract for the then-French champions.

 

Ben Arfa made his debut for the first-team shortly after, on the first day of the 2004-05 season, but despite sporadically participating at Ligue 1 and Champions League level didn't become a regular until some three years later. Along with fellow youth-team prospect Karim Benzema, Ben Arfa suffered in the Gerard Houllier reign (2005-07) from the former Liverpool coach's reluctance to trust the club's youngsters.

 

Questions about his demeanour became commonplace as he established himself under Alain Perrin in 2007-08 (on the left side of a front three), especially as the relationship between Ben Arfa and Benzema came under increasingly close scrutiny with the team now revolving around them.

 

The pair had played together for years, both having had important roles in France's 2004 European Under-17 Championship victory. As they enjoyed an excellent technical understanding on the field and were both from north African families, nobody (outside the club, at any rate) had really considered that these two divergent personalities didn't really get on off the pitch.

 

They never had clicked on a personal level. Ben Arfa had crossed words with Benzema's mother at a youth team game at Lyon, and the temperature between the two seldom rose above frosty in the subsequent years.

 

When Benzema failed to shake hands with Ben Arfa as the latter replaced the former as substitute in a match against Lille in March 2008, the speculation hit fever pitch. It was suggested that this shared enmity authored Ben Arfa's Lyon exit, with Benzema indispensable and thus the clear winner in a straight-up choice between the two.

 

In fact, Ben Arfa had sealed his own fate. Encouraged by Perrin, he had made fine strides over the early part of the campaign and his useful contributions included a stylish brace in the Champions League against Stuttgart and six league goals. But even Perrin became exasperated with him in the second half of the season, feeling that he wasn't pulling his weight, and Ben Arfa didn't start a game after February. A dressing-room punch-up with Sebastien Squillaci after training one day in April signalled the end.

 

Rumours of interest from Real Madrid and Arsenal morphed into the reality - a move within Ligue 1 to Marseille, with Ben Arfa requiring the assistance of the league's board to finalise an acrimonious departure. He was soon up to his old tricks, scrapping with Djibril Cisse in training before the season had even begun, but started the season strongly, scoring a flurry of goals and pulling the strings from a more central position.

 

However, Ben Arfa yet again failed to continue a promising beginning, incensing coach Eric Gerets when he refused to come on as substitute in a match against Paris Saint-Germain and failing to score at all after November. He almost came to blows with a team-mate again, this time with Modeste M'Bami during the warm-up for a crucial Champions League clash with Liverpool.

 

Gerets' successor Didier Deschamps never really took to Ben Arfa, and tried to ditch him during the winter 2009-10 transfer window. With Deschamps unsuccessful, Ben Arfa (along with fellow persona non grata, Mathieu Valbuena) came back to figure heavily in Marseille's late season surge to a first league title in 18 years.

 

He has the support of his national coach, at least. Laurent Blanc selected Ben Arfa for his first match in charge of France, against Norway in Oslo, and the 23-year-old responded by scoring a stupendous long-ranger within minutes of coming on as substitute. Blanc has also made it clear that he has only left Ben Arfa out of the squad for the upcoming Euro 2012 qualifying games because of his lack of training during his bitter dispute with Marseille.

 

The pattern of his problems - and his triumphs - suggests that Ben Arfa responds best when he is made to feel important and loved; the brash exterior masks a degree of insecurity. Feeling unwanted is what made his final fallout with Marseille so irreversible, and prompted him to go on strike to force a move.

 

He could well find his perfect match with Newcastle, and Hughton. The coach has promised to build his team around Ben Arfa, who should occupy a central playmaker's role in an area where an admirable but essentially limited team lack pace and guile. The player himself has already shown on the south coast of France he can handle the expectations of a football-obsessed city. Newcastle aren't renowned for picking up bargains on the continental market, but if they can coax anywhere near Ben Arfa's best out of him, they will have hit the jackpot. And he will find the respect he has always craved.

 

I think (and hope) the last paragraph could be very important, that he might just have ended up with the right club, fans and manager for him to be happy and show exactly what he can do. If he shows some of the play we've seen on youtube etc consistently he will be loved up here like a player has't for along time.

[ChezGiven 0]

Where's that from pissy-knickers?

[LeazesMag 0]

I am dissapointed by this lack of ambition by Ashley I say Ashley and Lambs arse. If Shepherd was still in charge we would have just bought him straight off and put him on a decent wage.

I'm disappointed Ashley is still in charge, but if we get the dutch bloke and/or Keane, you have to say FMA has done well this summer for us, far more than we were led to believe or could've hoped for in June. So my key point is here, you're talkin shite.

 

it's a daft wind up aimed at me Stevie

 

KCG lived through the 80's though, or says he did, so should know better.

 

Never mind. Lets hope this guy is a good player and he stays at the club for a long time......

[ChezGiven 0]

Ben Arfa "I'm not a kid, i'm 23. The decisions came from me and me alone.... i've got a country to conquer, its a great challenge"

 

twitter.com/tomwfootball

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Where's that from Papa Lazaru?

 

It says it's from Soccernet.espn, guess its just a bloke there who's done some research and wrote an article, but seems to know his stuff on Ben Arfa!

[ChezGiven 0]

Big interview in L'Equipe, most important thing for me is that he says we were his first choice. Turning down the champions league to come and play for us, the lad deserves a huge reception in 2 weeks time and plenty of patience for him to settle in.

 

Says that the atmosphere before kick-off at Wolves was giving him the shivers.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Thanks for your welcome!

 

Ben Arfa is not as good as Waddle, who is a God in Marseille, but he's still young and can be better than Waddle in the future. But for the moment Ben Arfa lacks of regularity (or steadiness, don't know to choose the good word)

Consistency? (Your English is superb by the way).

 

Where in Brittany are you? I spent a bit of time in Finistère in my younger days.

[PaddockLad 17257]

Big interview in L'Equipe, most important thing for me is that he says we were his first choice. Turning down the champions league to come and play for us, the lad deserves a huge reception in 2 weeks time and plenty of patience for him to settle in.

 

Says that the atmosphere before kick-off at Wolves was giving him the shivers.

 

Strange as it may seem, I think we just offered him the most money and the deal is flexible enough so now that he'll be playing in the worlds biggest shop window he may be able to go for big money next summer, if he's any good like. I don't buy the bollocks about the atmosphere on Saturday either, it wasnt bad and there were some toon ultra types singing songs about him but anyone who's been to the Velodrome in Marseille will know he's used to big atmospheres most weeks.

 

I think he's trouble, but we haven't paid a fee and hes ours for season. Could be worse but I'm not building my hopes up.

[ChezGiven 0]

You think we offered him the most money? On what basis? What information are you using to form that quite startling opinion?

 

Dont tell Leazes we are offering better financial terms than CL clubs around Europe.