Newcastle flop opens up over torrid stint

 

France international Hatem Ben Arfa has finally revealed all about his nightmare stint at Newcastle United.

 

Ben Arfa, 28, spent four largely unsuccessful years at Newcastle before finally returning to France this season, where he has begun in blistering form for Nice.

 

The troublesome wideman capped an incredible turnaround in his career by being named in the France squad for the first time in three years last week and has described his stint at Newcastle as the “worst moment in his career”.

 

“ It was a very, very difficult period,” Ben Arfa told France Football about his Newcastle career. “The worst of my career. It was as if (my) hell began (at) Newcastle.

 

“There, on the first day back in August 2014, I was placed directly with the reserves. A terrible humiliation. Weeks passed and I was always with these young 16 and 17-year-olds on land away from those pros.

 

“I did not understand. They gave me a nightmare. It was full of little cheap shots.”

 

Newcastle flop opens up over torrid stint

 

Life could not be more different for the Nice winger, who is currently the joint-fourth highest goalscorer in Ligue 1 (7).

 

For more stats on Hatem Ben Arfa, click here to visit his WhoScored player page