Saturday 8 November 2014 07:15, UK
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew says Remy Cabella must toughen up if he wants to make it in the Barclays Premier League.
The midfielder, who has lost his place in the France squad after finding himself sitting on the bench for his club in recent weeks, has struggled to get to grips with the physicality of English football since leaving Montpellier.
Pardew is confident Cabella has the talent to make an impact – but only if he learns to deal with the rough and tumble of English football.
Pardew said: "His conduct and professionalism are very, very impressive. That gives you heart that he's going to be a success.
"Obviously he's definitely got technical quality, but he's got to get a grasp. I don't think he really gets referees. He moans (in training) when me and (assistant) John (Carver) ref - and we're better than Premier League refs!
"He goes down and he thinks some of the challenges in this division should be fouls. He genuinely believes that - but they're not."
Cabella started the first six league games, but was eventually taken out of the firing line for the trip to Swansea on October 4.
He has been used as a substitute in each of the last three, all of which have resulted in victory for the Magpies, and Pardew is confident he is quietly learning his trade in a new environment.
He said: "I think he's beginning to get the intensity of the division. The cameos he's done have been significant - Spurs, Liverpool, they were significant.
"He's on the cusp of starting again now as he comes to grips with what this division's about.
"It's about physicality and mentality, about where you should be on the pitch at a particular time, about how you can affect the opposition best."
