How many people actually 'hated' him though? Most of his critics, self included, would have loved to have seen him fulfil his talent, and felt very exasperated when it didn't happen.
The difference is whether you see the problem as being with Ben Arfa, or with the various managers that he's fallen out with.
Do you think Ben Arfa was more to 'blame' for how his Newcastle career went or Pardew?
Ben Arfa has to take responsibility. His talent is obvious and I think Pardew, like a string of other managers, would have loved to have made use of it.
Pardew seems to have taken a lot of the blame for demoralising Ben Arfa by dropping him. Whether or not the dropping was justified, surely the reaction of a winner in that situation is to prove the manager wrong? The problem with Ben Arfa is that the minute anything goes against him, he falls into victim mode.
Pardew has the managerial ability of a condom. Once scorned you've no way back from that clueless narcissist. Doesn't excuse him elsewhere. Bad mix.