French players and NUFC

[Cronky]

I think there's a cultural difference. In France, it's acceptable for a player to voice their individual grievances in public. Over here, it's considered bad for team spirit.

 

Personally, I think that we're right and they're wrong.

[mrmojorisin75]

I think there's a cultural difference. In France, it's acceptable for a player to voice their individual grievances in public. Over here, it's considered bad for team spirit.

 

Personally, I think that we're right and they're wrong.

 

don't they do that a fair bit in spain and italy too?  go to the press and start chelping about tactics and the like?

 

doesn't work with us, of course, but evidently seen as OK there...

[BottledDog]

I think there's a cultural difference. In France, it's acceptable for a player to voice their individual grievances in public. Over here, it's considered bad for team spirit.

 

Personally, I think that we're right and they're wrong.

 

don't they do that a fair bit in spain and italy too?  go to the press and start chelping about tactics and the like?

 

doesn't work with us, of course, but evidently seen as OK there...

 

Think Robert was a bit shocked at our reaction to his French website interviews.

 

/I was too considering they were all pretty much spot on.

[Guest Phil K]

Some regret it bitterly later (Bernard, Robert) which makes you think they're either bloated with ego problems or have an agent trying to get them to move. Just like Oba's agent in fact.

[merlin]

In my opinion, most of them are unsuited to life in the NE ; only Ginola and Robert could be classed as 'successes' and even then, only for a limited period.

Back in the late 60s. we had Benny Arentoft, a Dane, who settled in so well that he was an invaluable cog in the successful Fairs Cup side of 69 - before that, we had the Robledos from Chile, both of whom did well, esp George whose goal tally in one season was only surpassed by Andy Cole in 94...

 

All this in the days before most teams had ANY foreign players ; the French have something of a superiority complex about their culture, and they all fancy themselves as cool metropolitan types(heaven only knows why..!!).Most of them do OK in London because it is that sort of place, so they are round pegs in square holes in the NE.

 

Despite falling out with Gullit, and being unimpressed by the Board at the time, Didi Hammann settled well in the area and he, of course, was German...N.Europeans will always be a better bet in the NE than French players.

 

Marseille is one of the roughest cities in Europe. Huge working class population with its own distinct culture and accent at the opposite end of the country to the capital. Sound familiar?

 

There are SOME similarities but not enough - apart from the completely different climate(which southern frenchmen would hate in the NE - even Ginola had a little gripe about it), the culture is miles apart ; most Geordies would drink these 'rough, tough; Marseilles' guys under the table for starters, and there is a very strong N.African influence which is totally absent in the NE.

[OzzieMandias]

In my opinion, most of them are unsuited to life in the NE ; only Ginola and Robert could be classed as 'successes' and even then, only for a limited period.

Back in the late 60s. we had Benny Arentoft, a Dane, who settled in so well that he was an invaluable cog in the successful Fairs Cup side of 69 - before that, we had the Robledos from Chile, both of whom did well, esp George whose goal tally in one season was only surpassed by Andy Cole in 94...

 

All this in the days before most teams had ANY foreign players ; the French have something of a superiority complex about their culture, and they all fancy themselves as cool metropolitan types(heaven only knows why..!!).Most of them do OK in London because it is that sort of place, so they are round pegs in square holes in the NE.

 

Despite falling out with Gullit, and being unimpressed by the Board at the time, Didi Hammann settled well in the area and he, of course, was German...N.Europeans will always be a better bet in the NE than French players.

 

Marseille is one of the roughest cities in Europe. Huge working class population with its own distinct culture and accent at the opposite end of the country to the capital. Sound familiar?

 

The immigrant/French demographic is completely unlike Newcastle, though.

 

I wasnt drawing an exact parallel, just highlighting points of connection and saying that, unlike Merlin's view, i dont think all french people (especially from the south) can be characterised by the snobby attitudes of those in the North.

 

Yeah, I know what you're saying: they're not all Parisians. OTOH, if you're coming out of the North African milieu of Marseilles (or even the Paris banlieue, come to that), the north-east can't really seem that familiar either.

 

  pretentious?  me?

 

Moi? 

 

 

 

 

Ich!

[mrmojorisin75]

In my opinion, most of them are unsuited to life in the NE ; only Ginola and Robert could be classed as 'successes' and even then, only for a limited period.

Back in the late 60s. we had Benny Arentoft, a Dane, who settled in so well that he was an invaluable cog in the successful Fairs Cup side of 69 - before that, we had the Robledos from Chile, both of whom did well, esp George whose goal tally in one season was only surpassed by Andy Cole in 94...

 

All this in the days before most teams had ANY foreign players ; the French have something of a superiority complex about their culture, and they all fancy themselves as cool metropolitan types(heaven only knows why..!!).Most of them do OK in London because it is that sort of place, so they are round pegs in square holes in the NE.

 

Despite falling out with Gullit, and being unimpressed by the Board at the time, Didi Hammann settled well in the area and he, of course, was German...N.Europeans will always be a better bet in the NE than French players.

 

Marseille is one of the roughest cities in Europe. Huge working class population with its own distinct culture and accent at the opposite end of the country to the capital. Sound familiar?

 

The immigrant/French demographic is completely unlike Newcastle, though.

 

I wasnt drawing an exact parallel, just highlighting points of connection and saying that, unlike Merlin's view, i dont think all french people (especially from the south) can be characterised by the snobby attitudes of those in the North.

 

Yeah, I know what you're saying: they're not all Parisians. OTOH, if you're coming out of the North African milieu of Marseilles (or even the Paris banlieue, come to that), the north-east can't really seem that familiar either.

 

  pretentious?  me?

 

Moi? 

 

 

 

 

Ich!

 

maaaaaaaaaaaaaaan, you really have to spell things out to some people...

[Filflop1]

All the French are moaning Cnuts FACT

[TRon]

Everything depends on the manager for me. Spanish players could never have excelled at Liverpool if Phil Thompson was the manager, and Arsenal's foreign legion would be lost if someone like Tony Adams was in charge. Very few British managers have what it takes to get the best of foreign stars, Alex Ferguson being an outstanding example of one who can.

[Guest Ebolarama]

Some real intellectual titans coming out of the woodwork in this thread. Hoooooo boy...

[Guest elbee909]

Cause they're whinging surrender monkeys!   (Oh and before any of you jump on a racist bandwagon then that last bit is not aimed at black players)

 

Oh, that's ok then, racism only applies to blacks.

 

FFS.

[mrmojorisin75]

Cause they're whinging surrender monkeys!   (Oh and before any of you jump on a racist bandwagon then that last bit is not aimed at black players)

 

Oh, that's ok then, racism only applies to blacks.

 

FFS.

 

in this case it does surely?  whinging surrender monkey would be a slight on their culture, not their race i'd suggest

 

people often confuse racism with other things

[OzzieMandias]

Calling a people "monkeys" certainly suggests that they are subhuman -- Untermensch.

 

Not that the Nazis were racist or anything. After all, Jews aren't black. 

[stalker]

Cause they're whinging surrender monkeys!   (Oh and before any of you jump on a racist bandwagon then that last bit is not aimed at black players)

 

Would agree with this, surely we're all just being xenophobic not racist.

 

Oh, that's ok then, racism only applies to blacks.

 

FFS.

 

in this case it does surely?  whinging surrender monkey would be a slight on their culture, not their race i'd suggest

 

people often confuse racism with other things

 

Would agree with this, surely we're all just being xenophobic, not racist.

[mrmojorisin75]

Calling a people "monkeys" certainly suggests that they are subhuman -- Untermensch.

 

Not that the Nazis were racist or anything. After all, Jews aren't black. 

 

the always reliable wiki take on it...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_monkey

 

only read the first bit but it'd make more sense than use of monkey as subhuman

 

pc brigade do my head in sometimes man

[mrmojorisin75]

Cause they're whinging surrender monkeys!   (Oh and before any of you jump on a racist bandwagon then that last bit is not aimed at black players)

 

Would agree with this, surely we're all just being xenophobic not racist.

 

Oh, that's ok then, racism only applies to blacks.

 

FFS.

 

in this case it does surely?  whinging surrender monkey would be a slight on their culture, not their race i'd suggest

 

people often confuse racism with other things

 

Would agree with this, surely we're all just being xenophobic, not racist.

 

indeed! 

[Swissmag]

Cause they're whinging surrender monkeys!   (Oh and before any of you jump on a racist bandwagon then that last bit is not aimed at black players)

 

Oh, that's ok then, racism only applies to blacks.

 

FFS.

 

This

[gazza ladra]

Oh, FFS. The "surrender monkeys" thing is a joke. It is a parody of bigotry. The fact that some on the right embraced the phrase and used it in earnest just shows what a bunch of clowns those people are.

 

 

[Fatwax]

what is it about French players and Newcastle? Just about every one we sign ends up moaning to the press (bar Sibierski!), complains about something , request transfers and end up leaving in 1 way or another. Something about their mentality when they come here or the north east air?

 

Didier Domi, Franck Dumas, Sylvain Distin, Stephane Guivarc'h, David Ginola, Laurent Charvet, Laurent Robert, Charles N'Zogbia, Olivier Bernard, Alain Goma, Jean Alain Boumsong...

 

Sibierski was FRENCH?!

 

No, no this doesn't add up at all.

[mrmojorisin75]

Oh, FFS. The "surrender monkeys" thing is a joke. It is a parody of bigotry. The fact that some on the right embraced the phrase and used it in earnest just shows what a bunch of clowns those people are.

 

 

 

can you explain the history of the term, as you appear to know...genuine interest

[Fatwax]

Oh, FFS. The "surrender monkeys" thing is a joke. It is a parody of bigotry. The fact that some on the right embraced the phrase and used it in earnest just shows what a bunch of clowns those people are.

 

 

 

Apparently, despite being famous for running away, the French are some of the best fighters that you'd want on your side in a war. I can't remember where I saw this little snippet or the details of it though, and it's really bugging me. Sure I saw it on a documentary/programme recently.

[ChezGiven]

Well our lass is French and when she came to Newcastle with me she was really nice about the city (loved it), the stadium, the matchday experience, the people, the sense of warmth despite the cold and the beautiful region so the least we can do is return the favour and be pleasant about these players who are coming to the club.

 

Thats not being PC, its just being decent.

 

[khay]

Well our lass is French and when she came to Newcastle with me she was really nice about the city (loved it), the stadium, the matchday experience, the people, the sense of warmth despite the cold and the beautiful region so the least we can do is return the favour and be pleasant about these players who are coming to the club.

 

Thats not being PC, its just being decent.

 

 

That's how it started with Zoggy and Robert to.

[Dokko]

We've had some rotten luck with the French.

 

We've had the same with Spanish, i've said before, i wish we'd never buy Spanish again after Luque, i stand by that.

 

The French should work out better here, but they don't.

 

Think from now on with should buy Scandinavian, German & Eastern Block (Russian, Ukraine etc..) ...they have the right mental attitude, are big, strong and don't give a fuk about the weather, exact opposite of what comes out of Spain these days.

[gazza ladra]

Oh, FFS. The "surrender monkeys" thing is a joke. It is a parody of bigotry. The fact that some on the right embraced the phrase and used it in earnest just shows what a bunch of clowns those people are.

 

 

 

 

can you explain the history of the term, as you appear to know...genuine interest

 

Look at the wikipedia article. The phrase was first used in a Simpson's episode. It was used by some on the right to discredit anyone questioning the rush to war.