By Tyne-Talk
March 11 2011

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has confirmed that Hatem Ben Arfa is a way off returning to action and that he will not rush the 24 year old in his recovery. Ben Arfa broke his leg in October of last year during the game against Manchester City and had been eyeing up an early April return.

Pardew however, has dismissed this possibility, instead suggesting that the delay could stretch beyond May.

He said;

"He's still some way off. The most important thing is Hatem is 100 per cent when he plays. I think that's going to be late April, early May, if then."

Pardew granted the French winger permission to spend his rehabilitation time in France and as a result Ben Arfa has been based at Clairefontaine, the French FA's headquarters since October, only briefly returing to the North East last month.

Pardew said of this decision;

"We’ve questioned whether to bring him back at times and have his treatment here and get him embedded into the city a little bit more, but I think the personal issue he had with what happened in Tunisia with his family and him, as a person, we just think it’s better that he stays there.

It’s nothing to do with the French national team or anything like that - you have to take on board that he’s a foreign player, newly arrived in the country and the injury happened so early for him, would you really want to be stuck here with a broken leg with people he doesn’t really know? He’s been brought up there, he knows the doctor and everything else."

"It’s a moral debate that me and the club doctor have had - shall we bring him back? - and we just keep coming to the same decision - let’s just leave him there, he seems to be progressing well.

Other than being in the city and getting used to the restaurants and God knows what else, there’s no other benefit for us at the moment.

He’s on constant attention at Clairefontaine, he seems to be enjoying the treatment and everything else and our doctor travels over and makes sure. The facilities there are absolutely brilliant."

Pardew added;

"I’ve always said with that kind of injury, and getting confidence back, I still think it will be the back end of April, if at all this season. If I get him back, it’s a bonus for me."

Ben Arfa Stays In France As Comeback Is Delayed

Discussion started by TyneTalk (IP Logged), 11/03/2011 10:38

TyneTalk
11/03/2011 10:38

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tunyc
11/03/2011 17:33

Riiiiiiiiiight...whereas now he's a half hour's drive from Paris. No trouble to be found in that podunk, 1-horse town.


He's pretty much out for the season, he's being treated by professionals, and he's just going back to where he's spent most of his time since the injury. I don't see why this needed any explaining.

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