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Mehdi Abeid joins Panathinaikos


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From a couple of weeks ago: -

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-newcastle-united-youngster-mehdi-6724244

 

By Neil Cameron

 

How Newcastle United youngster is becoming a big name out on loan in Greece

19 Feb 2014 11:37

 

Panathinaikos want Newcastle United loan star Mehdi Abeid to sign for them - but can't afford the fee

 

If only poor Panathinaikos could afford to pay their electricity bill then maybe Newcastle United would be in line for a windfall.

 

Well, not a windfall as such. But they would be certain to receive a modest fee, if they indeed wanted it, for their out-on-loan midfielder, Mehdi Abeid.

 

The Algerian has been a revelation in the Greek Super League for the Athens club since signing a season-long deal last summer.

 

The 21-year-old has five goals this season, plus two man of the match performances from the last five games.

 

His slick passing, work rate and intelligence in attack has made him a big favourite of fan and pundit alike.

 

Panathinaikos manager Yannis Anastasiou, the Chronicle understands, wants to keep Abeid for one more season and will inform Newcastle of this over the next few weeks.

 

In fact, the Greek club would prefer to get one of their brightest stars on a permanent deal. Their first choice is to make him their player.

 

And it seems to be Abeid’s preference as well.

 

He said: “I feel perfectly fine here. I want to continue my adventure with Panathinaikos, but as everyone knows, the decision is not mine.

 

“The directors of Pana will negotiate with Newcastle to redeem my contract.

 

But this is Greece in the year 2014. A country that has been brought to its knees because of the financial crisis.

 

Football, yes even football, has been forced to cut costs, and none more so than one of the country’s most famous sporting names.

 

And poor Abeid is stuck in the middle.

 

Panathinaikos, a 20-time title winning club and not so long ago a decent Champions League side, are so skint that they cannot play every scheduled night game because it costs too much to turn on the floodlights.

 

So they have played many games at the much smaller Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium. Construction on a new home has been halted. Brand new football stadiums in a bankrupt city would be seen as unnecessary.

 

The Greek Super League team currently have arrears on their power bill at the 70,000-seater Olympic stadium, which they rent from the government, who in turn don’t have a pot in which to pour water into.

 

Four years ago they spent £35m in one summer transfer window. Now they are struggling to put together a deal for Abeid, who has yet to play a league game for United.

 

Any transfer fee is hardly going to run into the millions.

 

None of this is Newcastle’s concern. However, what will be is the fact that one of their many loaned out players is having the season of his life.

 

His manager Anastasiou, a fine striker with Ajax in his day and first-team coach at Reading until last year, never misses a chance to talk up Abeid and his contribution to the team, who sit fourth, but 25 points behind runaway leaders Olympiakos.

 

Greek football is struggling, although their international side will be in Brazil this summer.

 

The SuperLeague is not what it was. Attendances are down, understandably, and there are fewer recognisable names outside of Olympiakos who can boast former Barcelona and Real Madrid star Javier Saviola in their ranks, and face Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League.

 

But it’s not completely rubbish. There are some fine players still and a Newcastle United man has been one of the best performers this season.

 

Indeed, Abeid is one of the few United loaned players getting regular game time, along with Conor Newton and Adam Campbell at St Mirren.

 

And this is a top-flight European league. Panathinaikos may not be the club they once were, but they remain a big name and with that comes pressure and attention, all of which Abeid has been able to cope with.

 

Perhaps it will be to Newcastle’s good fortune that the Greeks can’t afford their man.

 

Would it really hurt to take another look at the young Algerian in the summer to check up on how much he has come on?

 

From 2 days ago: -

 

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/mehdi-to-go-abeid-is-playing-his-way-back-into-pardew-s-plans-at-newcastle-1-6469997

 

Mehdi to go! Abeid is playing his way back into Pardew’s plans at Newcastle

 

by MILES STARFORTH

 

MEHDI Abeid’s playing his way into Alan Pardew’s Newcastle United plans on Tyneside – 1,600 miles away in Athens.

 

The midfielder is on a season-long loan at Panathinaikos.

 

It was felt the 21-year-old’s temporary move to the Greek Super League club was a precursor to a permanent switch away from St James’s Park.

 

But United manager Alan Pardew has been impressed with the reports he has had on Abeid from Greece.

 

Abeid’s raw talent was evident when he joined the club from French club Lens in the summer of 2011, but he made just five appearances – all in cup competitions – in his first two seasons at the club.

 

However, Pardew feels he could yet make a success of his Newcastle career when he returns to his parent club next pre-season.

 

United’s preference was to loan Abeid to a Championship team.

 

But surprisingly there was no interest in Abeid from English football’s second tier, and he made the long journey to Greece for regular first-team football.

 

“I sent Mehdi there because he needed to play at a high level, and the Championship teams didn’t know him,” Pardew told the Gazette.

 

“We couldn’t get him on loan to a Championship team. No one seemed to know too much about him.

 

“Fortunately, we got that move to Panathinaikos.”

 

As for Abeid’s future, Pardew maintains the door at Newcastle was never going to be closed on the gifted Algeria Under-23 international, who has won praise from Panathinaikos manager Giannis Anastasiou for his performances over the past few months.

 

“It wasn’t a case of Mehdi going there because he was finished,” said Pardew.

 

“We wanted him to prove he was a good player. He’s done that. He’s done very well for them.”

 

Fourth-placed Panathinaikos would love to make Abeid’s move permanent, but the club – whose technical director is former United defender Nicos Dabizas has financial difficulties.

 

And Dabizas could attempt to secure him on another year-long loan.

 

Speaking recently, Abeid said: “I feel perfectly fine here.

 

“I want to continue my adventure with Panathinaikos, but as everyone knows, the decision is not mine.”

 

Abedi – who has scored five goals for Panathinaikos so far this season – had a loan spell at Scottish Premier League club St Johnstone last term.

 

He is under contract at Newcastle until the summer of 2016.

 

Twitter: @milesstarforth

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Wasn't he St. Johnstone's player (or young player) of the year last season too? surely need to keep him come next season.

 

Aye. Got young player of the year and was only there for the second half of the season  :notbad:

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Judging by his Facebook account he seems to really like it over there. I can't see him wanting to come back really

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Guest taps01

Judging by his Facebook account he seems to really like it over there. I can't see him wanting to come back really

 

He doesn't really have a choice if we want him back.

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Well, this is the second time he's been out on loan for us having never appeared for the 1st team in the league. A start against Forest in the cup and a goal in a friendly against Fener man :lol:

 

I like the him, he's still 'learning' but unless he fancies sitting on the bench or stagnating in the reserves, I just can't see why at the age of 21 if you're getting first team football and doing quite well for Pana, you'd want to drop that completely afterwards. I can't see NUFC considering him a big loss and doubt his transfer would cost that much, relatively speaking. Unless he was to come back and be guaranteed plenty of playing time and actually starting games for us, why he would come back 'in a heartbeat'?  :icon_scratch:

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If his loan had only been till January he'd probably be getting games now man :lol:

 

What makes you think Pardew would play him ahead of Tiote / Sissoko / Anita / Gosling ? This is Alan Pardew man :lol:

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If his loan had only been till January he'd probably be getting games now man :lol:

 

http://i2.chroniclelive.co.uk/incoming/article4053001.ece/BINARY/BL8y7WxCEAE9wL6.jpg

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Should be given a chance along with Connor Newton when back next season, not like we are flush with centre midfielders, only gosling behind Tiote and Anita as Sissokho clearly not seen as option in there

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Well, this is the second time he's been out on loan for us having never appeared for the 1st team in the league. A start against Forest in the cup and a goal in a friendly against Fener man :lol:

 

I like the him, he's still 'learning' but unless he fancies sitting on the bench or stagnating in the reserves, I just can't see why at the age of 21 if you're getting first team football and doing quite well for Pana, you'd want to drop that completely afterwards. I can't see NUFC considering him a big loss and doubt his transfer would cost that much, relatively speaking. Unless he was to come back and be guaranteed plenty of playing time and actually starting games for us, why he would come back 'in a heartbeat'?  :icon_scratch:

 

:thup: The league might be s**** but Panathinaikos is still a massive club. He's a guaranteed starter there, doubt he wants to come back and sit on our bench.

 

 

Edit. Average home league attendance 9,571. Should've checked before posting. :lol:

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They are a big club there- along with AEK they are the second biggest in terms of following and coverage. 4 or 5 years ago they were neck and neck with Olympiakos. So certainly more attractive than our reserves, or even our bench I would suggest. Plus it's not a bad part of the world!

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Just before we get too carried away, in the 7 games Darren Ambrose has played since going to the Greek top division, he has 5 goals and 2 assists. :lol:

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Just before we get too carried away, in the 7 games Darren Ambrose has played since going to the Greek top division, he has 5 goals and 2 assists. :lol:

 

Had no idea about that like.

 

Playing under a certain Lawrie Sanchez.

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