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Mehdi Abeid joins Panathinaikos

Colocho

by Colocho
in Football

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Greg

Greg

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I thought he played well, a few of nice touches and kept it pretty simple, got around the pitch well and put in a few tackles. Considering that was his professional debut I thought he did pretty well. He was blowing out of his arse by the end but most of the team was to be fair.

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taxfree

taxfree

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Aye, I was.  He had a few alright touches but I honestly haven't got a clue what anyone's on about here. :lol:

 

Didn't see the match myself, but you're the only one I've seen not raving (to some extent) about him. It was a long game, and the first senior game for the lad. He was bound to fade, but from what I've read and heard elsewhere, you're being a bit "harsh" all in all.

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Interpolic

Interpolic

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Aye, I was.  He had a few alright touches but I honestly haven't got a clue what anyone's on about here. :lol:

 

Didn't see the match myself, but you're the only one I've seen not raving (to some extent) about him. It was a long game, and the first senior game for the lad. He was bound to fade, but from what I've read and heard elsewhere, you're being a bit "harsh" all in all.

 

Ah well, as I say I'm very surprised at the other views then.  I was at the match with 2 others (one a Newcastle fan and one a neutral) and the best any of us came up with about him was that he looked fairly tidy and kept out of trouble.  Not having a go at him at all like, just surprised at the gushing praise.

 

I don't think I'm being that harsh - it was exactly the sort of performance I expected from a youngster coming into our side tbh, no more and no less.  A bit like a few of Vuckic's early Cup performances where he didn't do a lot wrong but was hardly involved despite the fact he was in the middle of the park.

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Teasy

Teasy

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From what I heard he kept it simple like you say (not a bad thing  tbh) but always wanted the ball and seemed very confident in his play.  Considering he's just turned 19 and it was his debut that's probably why he's getting praise.

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eliassenfredrik

eliassenfredrik

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http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/News/Features/0,,10278~2463475,00.html

 

Mehdi's Ready

 

By Dan Sheridan - Newcastle United Managing Editor

 

SUMMER SIGNING MEHDI ABEID MAY ONLY BE 19-YEARS-OLD, BUT THE YOUNGSTER IS ALREADY FEELING AT HOME HAVING SWAPPED HIS NATIVE PARIS FOR THE NORTH-EAST OF ENGLAND

 

It's only been three months since Mehdi Abeid arrived from Lens, but far from feeling homesick, the French youth international has quickly found his feet here on Tyneside.

 

The Paris-born teenager only signed on the dotted line at Newcastle on July 1st this year, but has wasted little time in settling down at his new club, having sought advice from the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa ahead of his move.

 

Despite having a number of offers for his services during the summer, Abeid, who is already fluent in English, is now enjoying himself after receiving rave reviews about life as a United player.

 

And after making his debut for the Club at Nottingham Forest in the Carling Cup last Tuesday night, the midfielder is now dreaming of an appearance on the biggest stage of all in the Barclays Premier League.

 

"I feel very good here," says Abeid, who signed a five-year deal with United just three months ago. "I have made a lot of friends and every single person at the club has been great with me, so that's good for me and good for my career here.

 

"I spoke to Cheik (Tiote) and Hatem before I joined Newcastle in the summer, and Yohan Cabaye called me before he signed as well, so they helped me to make my choice and now I'm really happy to be here.

 

"We also have a few people at the club that speak French and they have helped me a lot. Sometimes we speak French and other times we speak English, so that really helps me.

 

"I wasn't so good at English when I was at school, but we have a house in Spain where I used to spend the holidays and there were a lot of English-speaking people there, so that is where I learnt the language.

 

"It was a difficult decision to leave my family and friends but now I feel like nothing has changed and I have adapted very quickly. I don't feel like much has changed and I feel very at home here.

 

"Compared to Paris, it is really different. Here it is very relaxed and in Paris there is a lot of stress because it is such a big place and there's always something to do.

 

"Before I was playing in Lens, which is only two hours from Paris, so I was a bit nervous about leaving to go to another country.

 

"But my family are really happy for me and they are happy that I'm here. I had a lot of choice in the summer when I left Lens, but we decided as a family and I chose Newcastle.

 

"They come and visit me here and they really like the place as well, so that is important."

 

Abeid didn't have to wait long for a taste of first-team action, appearing as a second-half substitute in the mid-July friendly at Darlington before travelling to the US for the Club's summer tour.

 

But nothing in pre-season could prepare the teenager for the full St. James' Park experience, and despite being used to the big game atmosphere as a boyhood Paris Saint-Germain fan, his first visit to the home of Newcastle United left him gobsmacked.

 

He said: "I was shocked when I watched my first game at St. James' Park - shocked in a good way! I wasn't on the pitch but I felt the same pressure and the same excitement, so it felt like I was playing.

 

"Before I signed for Lens I used to go to every home game at the Parc des Princes to watch Paris Saint-Germain. It was a good time because Ronaldinho was in the team at the time and he was a great player to watch.

 

"Paris Saint-Germain were my team and everything about it was exciting. It is a massive stadium and to see so many people making so much noise was incredible and really made an impression.

 

"But I can't wait to get the opportunity to play here and to show the supporters what I can do. I'd like the fans to know who I am and I'd love to play in front of them at St. James'."

 

After being spotted playing for his local boys club at the age of eight after swapping tennis for football, Abeid was quickly snapped up, and moved to Lens at 11-years-old.

 

And after developing his skills as a versatile, box-to-box midfielder, the youngster is ready to test himself in what he describes as the most challenging league in the world.

 

"I am a midfield player that likes to get on the ball and attack quickly," said Abeid. "I like to pass and look to create, but I can play defensively as well and I enjoy working very hard out on the pitch.

 

"At Lens, sometimes I would play on the left, on the right, in the centre or even up front - I played in a lot of different positions. That is good, because it means I can be used all over the pitch.

 

"The game here is very different to what I'm used to. In France, the game is a lot more tactical and the pace is quite slow, but in England it is a lot more direct and there is absolutely no time to stop.

 

"You need to be a lot stronger here, but I prefer the game in England because it suits me better because the pace of the game is much quicker here. That was the challenge - to come here and do well - so it is very exciting."

 

And of his footballing influences growing up, he adds: "I have never really had what I would call heroes, but like so many people, I used to love watching Zinedine Zidane. He was a very special footballer and a huge player in France.

 

"After his career ended I started watching people like Xavi and Kaka, because I like to watch great midfield players. Watching players like that inspires me."

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taxfree

taxfree

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"I spoke to Cheik (Tiote) and Hatem before I joined Newcastle in the summer, and Yohan Cabaye called me before he signed as well, so they helped me to make my choice and now I'm really happy to be here."

 

Like how we use our senior players to get talents.

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Sifu

Sifu

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http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/News/Features/0,,10278~2463475,00.html

 

Mehdi's Ready

 

By Dan Sheridan - Newcastle United Managing Editor

 

SUMMER SIGNING MEHDI ABEID MAY ONLY BE 19-YEARS-OLD, BUT THE YOUNGSTER IS ALREADY FEELING AT HOME HAVING SWAPPED HIS NATIVE PARIS FOR THE NORTH-EAST OF ENGLAND

 

It's only been three months since Mehdi Abeid arrived from Lens, but far from feeling homesick, the French youth international has quickly found his feet here on Tyneside.

 

The Paris-born teenager only signed on the dotted line at Newcastle on July 1st this year, but has wasted little time in settling down at his new club, having sought advice from the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa ahead of his move.

 

Despite having a number of offers for his services during the summer, Abeid, who is already fluent in English, is now enjoying himself after receiving rave reviews about life as a United player.

 

And after making his debut for the Club at Nottingham Forest in the Carling Cup last Tuesday night, the midfielder is now dreaming of an appearance on the biggest stage of all in the Barclays Premier League.

 

"I feel very good here," says Abeid, who signed a five-year deal with United just three months ago. "I have made a lot of friends and every single person at the club has been great with me, so that's good for me and good for my career here.

 

"I spoke to Cheik (Tiote) and Hatem before I joined Newcastle in the summer, and Yohan Cabaye called me before he signed as well, so they helped me to make my choice and now I'm really happy to be here.

 

"We also have a few people at the club that speak French and they have helped me a lot. Sometimes we speak French and other times we speak English, so that really helps me.

 

"I wasn't so good at English when I was at school, but we have a house in Spain where I used to spend the holidays and there were a lot of English-speaking people there, so that is where I learnt the language.

 

"It was a difficult decision to leave my family and friends but now I feel like nothing has changed and I have adapted very quickly. I don't feel like much has changed and I feel very at home here.

 

"Compared to Paris, it is really different. Here it is very relaxed and in Paris there is a lot of stress because it is such a big place and there's always something to do.

 

"Before I was playing in Lens, which is only two hours from Paris, so I was a bit nervous about leaving to go to another country.

 

"But my family are really happy for me and they are happy that I'm here. I had a lot of choice in the summer when I left Lens, but we decided as a family and I chose Newcastle.

 

"They come and visit me here and they really like the place as well, so that is important."

 

Abeid didn't have to wait long for a taste of first-team action, appearing as a second-half substitute in the mid-July friendly at Darlington before travelling to the US for the Club's summer tour.

 

But nothing in pre-season could prepare the teenager for the full St. James' Park experience, and despite being used to the big game atmosphere as a boyhood Paris Saint-Germain fan, his first visit to the home of Newcastle United left him gobsmacked.

 

He said: "I was shocked when I watched my first game at St. James' Park - shocked in a good way! I wasn't on the pitch but I felt the same pressure and the same excitement, so it felt like I was playing.

 

"Before I signed for Lens I used to go to every home game at the Parc des Princes to watch Paris Saint-Germain. It was a good time because Ronaldinho was in the team at the time and he was a great player to watch.

 

"Paris Saint-Germain were my team and everything about it was exciting. It is a massive stadium and to see so many people making so much noise was incredible and really made an impression.

 

"But I can't wait to get the opportunity to play here and to show the supporters what I can do. I'd like the fans to know who I am and I'd love to play in front of them at St. James'."

 

After being spotted playing for his local boys club at the age of eight after swapping tennis for football, Abeid was quickly snapped up, and moved to Lens at 11-years-old.

 

And after developing his skills as a versatile, box-to-box midfielder, the youngster is ready to test himself in what he describes as the most challenging league in the world.

 

"I am a midfield player that likes to get on the ball and attack quickly," said Abeid. "I like to pass and look to create, but I can play defensively as well and I enjoy working very hard out on the pitch.

 

"At Lens, sometimes I would play on the left, on the right, in the centre or even up front - I played in a lot of different positions. That is good, because it means I can be used all over the pitch.

 

"The game here is very different to what I'm used to. In France, the game is a lot more tactical and the pace is quite slow, but in England it is a lot more direct and there is absolutely no time to stop.

 

"You need to be a lot stronger here, but I prefer the game in England because it suits me better because the pace of the game is much quicker here. That was the challenge - to come here and do well - so it is very exciting."

 

And of his footballing influences growing up, he adds: "I have never really had what I would call heroes, but like so many people, I used to love watching Zinedine Zidane. He was a very special footballer and a huge player in France.

 

"After his career ended I started watching people like Xavi and Kaka, because I like to watch great midfield players. Watching players like that inspires me."

 

Nice interview :thup:

 

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