Ginola Backs Pardew When Others Question His French Obsession

25 January 2013 14:59
While some have voiced concern, David Ginola has praised the recruitment of French players to the Newcastle United squad.

We covered the story yesterday (online below), with some players suggesting the French often form a clique and don't mix with the others.

But Ginola feels that they will bring something to the club.

Speaking to French radio station RMC the former France international believes that the players who have been brought in from France will have the talent to succeed in the Premier League.

Ginola was one of first players from France to arrive in England and said that he likes the way manager Alan Pardew is trying to form a kind of French team.

He doesn’t think it is a fad as the reinforcements coming in are good enough to have an impact on the club's fortunes.

David Ginola: “I find it very good. I would not say that I was a pioneer. If all these players are in Newcastle, they owe it to their talent and because they have the qualities to bring to the club.

"I was one of the first to arrive in England and it is very nice to see them form a kind of French team. They are very good reinforcements and not just a fad. They will bring to the group.

“It is obvious already because of the language barrier. There is a change of culture and life. It is important to forget about it and concentrate on work.

"In England, football is not only on the green rectangle. It is also in the stands and in everyday life. Football is king and players are adored. There is no equivalent."

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Ex-Mackem midfielder Steed Malbranque said on Wednesday that the large colony of French players at Newcastle will be a problem for the Premier League club.

It takes Alan Pardew's squad to ten French speakers, including Cheick Tiote, Gael Bigirimana and Papiss Cisse.

Lyon's Belgian midfielder Steed Malbranque: "It will be a problem, I think, because without meaning to, at the beginning, the French players will stick with each other.

"If some of them don't speak any English then they will only talk to the other Frenchmen.

"That could lead to the creation of cliques and could create problems in the squad. I hope not for them but there is a risk.

"At Fulham, we didn't have any major problems, but it is true that we French often kept to ourselves.

"There was a little bit of tension, but once the French coach left things were different.

"The coach must fix the rules. Tigana made us speak English to the other French players to show the English guys that we were making the effort.

"There were little things like that. I don't know Alan Pardew, but if there are no rules then there will be problems."

Malbranque knows the north-east of England well after his spell with Newcastle's local rivals Sunderland, and he joked that the new recruits will need time to adjust to the climate.

"They are going to be cold! It will be tough! The atmosphere in Newcastle is good but they will still feel the cold

 

Source: Newcastle United Mad

Source: FOOTYMAD