Alan Pardew plans to speak with Newcastle's Hatem Ben Arfa to ensure he is in the right frame of mind when the new season gets underway.
Manager wants midfielder in 'good place' ahead of new season
Alan Pardew plans to speak with Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa to ensure the Frenchman is in the right frame of mind when the new season gets underway.
The France international is facing disciplinary action from his country's Football Association following a dressing room altercation in the wake of Les Bleus' defeat by Sweden at Euro 2012 last month.
It is thought Ben Arfa was involved in a bust-up with then France coach Laurent Blanc after reportedly finding himself in trouble after using a mobile phone at a team meeting.
The midfielder and international team-mate Yohan Cabaye have both been given extra time to recover by Newcastle and are yet to meet up with the Magpies squad for pre-season.
Manager Pardew fears the events in Poland and Ukraine could have affected Ben Arfa and will speak with the 25-year-old ahead of the new campaign.
Good place
The boss is keen for the midfielder to start the season with a good mind-set after helping the club to a fifth-place finish in the Premier League last term.
He told the
Daily Mail: "I haven't really studied what went on with France at the Euros and I won't get the real version until I speak to Hatem.
"He doesn't come back until a lot later in pre-season because he and Yohan Cabaye need some rest.
"Certainly I will have a conversation with him because I want him to pick up where he left off for us, which was in a good place."
