Hatem Ben Arfa's smile is as wide as the Tyne Bridge
It's been a recurring theme during the Chris Hughton era as manager and it continued again this week with the arrival of Hatem Ben Arfa.
For almost every single player that has been signed by the Magpies in recent times has looked like a player who desperately wants to be here.
Danny Simpson got the ball rolling when he signed on loan last August while in January the shrewdest of swoops to bring in Wayne Routledge and the then virtually unknown Mike Williamson underlined that signing players hungry for success has to be the way forward for the Magpies.
Yes, we can't forget Leon Best, who has been struck with injury woe and not yet had a real run in the team to show what he can do, although I know a lot of people have already made up their minds on the Eire striker.
This summer, bringing in James Perch, at 24, Cheik Tiote, also 24 and Dan Gosling at 20 to go with 23-year-old Ben Arfa, shows that Hughton is keen to build a team for the future.
Sol Campbell is no spring chicken at almost 36 but if he can help Hughton's side climb up another couple of rungs on the Premier League ladder, it will be classed another shrewd move.
Don't forget Arsene Wenger wanted him at Arsenal, if it was good enough for them surely it's good enough for us.
On meeting Ben Arfa this week, the confidence of the young gun is clearly evident but it was his hunger and passion to pull on the black and white shirt that stood out the most.
Too often at Newcastle we've had players who are prepared to talk the talk but then fall shockingly short when it comes to walking the walk.
It's just a hunch, and I know he comes with baggage, but when a player tells you how impatient he his to get out on the St James' Park pitch and show what he can do, you have to feel intrigued and in my humble opinion I think Ben Arfa can be the success we all hope he can be.
And if the prospect of playing for the Mags has him wearing smile that stretches ear to ear, the reaction to his first goal for United will be something to see!
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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While I'm more than happy that we've signed some players (as earlier in the summer, it looked like there'd be no new signings at all), to say that Hughton is building a team for the future is, in my very humble opinion, wide of the mark. The policy at NUFC, as outlined by the FCB, is to buy in young, hungry players for a small fee and then sell them on for a much larger one within 2-3 years. This is the business model that has been put in place - unless of course, like our transfer policy, that too has changed!
@Geordie Lee
No one has ever stated that we have a policy of buying cheap young and selling for a high fee. You are exactly the person we don't need at this club at the moment. When everything is looking better than it has since BR was sacked you manage to find something to whine about. You will be the first out with the bed sheets when we lose a few in a row this season. Give the club a break and support the team for a change. You never know you might find its actually fun.
well said roscoe, sick of people being negative, for years newcastle fans have had false hopes and high expectations and i think that is why a lot of players failed when they came here, you could feel the pressure in the stadium which affects performances! my opinion is that relegation has been a blessing, lowered the expectations and give the team a togetherness and winning mentality! the club is starting to take shape, and can start looking forward! reckon a lot of people will be suprised by newcastle this season, the togetherness of the team is second to none, dont think any team will have an easy game at st james this season, it will be a fortress once again! TOON TOON
I really think we gonna surprise a lot of people and all the doubters this season. Chris Houghton has shown he is some manager with his buys. They boys are ready to sweat blood for him and us the fans and we are right behind you boys. TOON FOREVER!!
What's the point in being neagtive, houghton has shown he is some manager with his shrewd signings. I'm more positive for this season than ever before and I for one will put my neck on the line and say we will finish top six, EASY. COME ON THE TOON!!
can people spell HUGHTON'S name right?its even written up above in the article but agree with all the comments though d toon are looking good cant wait to see ben arfa let loose on blackpool and tiote maybe puttin in a few crunching tackles!!!
I think we defiantely started the season to sheepishly and let Man U od with and easier opener than I think even they they would get..we seemed very nervous and couldnt find the solidness we had all last season. Dont get me wrong Man U played well but we were way to causious. Now we seem to have found the form we had last season, play badly and still get a point, thats what got us prompted..I think Top 6 is still a way off but with the team Houghton is putting together and the mentality he has instilled in the team from last season I will be happy with perhaps mid table or atleast not involved with the religation battle at the end of season. We did well last season and we are looking solid this season so far, but lets not get carried away, this is the premiership now and we will get top quality players up against us every week now. Lets have a solid season and then have a look at what we can do..one step at a time..going down definately helped us. TOON ARMY
All I ever asked for was faith, hope and clarity with a lot of ambition, desire and effort from players who wanted to play for the club.
We appear to have that now and with CH at the helm I am truly optimistic for the season ahead.
The only prediction I will make is that we will not go down this season (barring financial irregularities and/or collapse) but that isn't going to happen...
Don't know how long this kid will stay at NUFC but I think it'll be a laugh watching him while he's here.
As for buying young players then selling them on at a profit what's wrong with that? Lets face it NUFC will only get decent players either before they've made it or once they're past it, if they're at their peak they'll go to one of the big boys or even abroad. If NUFC keep making a good few bob & spending it on more good young players to sell on again that sounds like a decent business model to me. Unless your MCFC clubs are going to have to genereate their own money from now on as the gravey train is over!
Aww, bless you roscoe! Having been a season ticket holder since the 70s, I'm EXACTLY the sort of person this club needed then, needs now, and will need in the future. Someone who can look at things objectively as opposed to subjectively. Wouldn't it be nice to develop and also buy a load of young uns and mould them into a side that could play together for 8 - 10 years, adding one or two better players every year?
This link to nufcblog.com ought to clarify our transfer policy - only buy players under 26 and who have a resale value, ie buy em young and sell em on:
http://www.nufcblog.com/2010/02/14/newcastles-new-transfer-policy-makes-lots-of-sense/