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It's Yohan Cabaye


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Pardew: New boy Cabaye is Newcastle's Mr Sensible

 

 

Yohan Cabaye is explaining, in French, his modest interests.

 

Reading autobiographies. Watching films. His family.

 

He plans to explore his new home region following his move to Newcastle United.

 

He doesn’t have a Twitter account.

 

He’s not shouting about how good he is, or stirring up a storm over who the club should sign next.

 

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew describes Cabaye as “a sensible, grounded type”, and after the summer's shenanigans at St James' Park, the French midfielder is the antidote at a club that too often courts trouble.

 

Pardew adds with a smile: “He’s a stereotypical Newcastle player, isn’t he!”

 

Cabaye is, to date, Pardew’s most expensive signing of the summer at £5million.

 

He has quit trophy-winning Lille, and the chance of Champions League football, for a new start on Tyneside.

 

His first experience of life in Toon came during a friendly at Darlington last month - when 6,000 Geordies turned up and there was a chaotic pitch invasion.

 

Bienvenue a Newcastle!

 

"I was blown away," said Cabaye. "In France, we’d get maybe 200 people at a friendly match like that.

 

"Since that moment, I’ve never regretted my choice. Now I’m just excited about feeling the atmosphere at St James’ Park against Arsenal [in Satiurday's opening game of the new season].”

 

He is learning quickly too.

 

Asked about Newcastle’s second game of the campaign, he replies: “Ah, the word ‘Sunderland’ has been mentioned. Only once or twice, but with real disgust at the name!”

 

Cabaye impressed immediately after signing.

 

Wearing a suit, he visited staff around the club and training ground, quietly introducing himself and taking an interest in their jobs.

 

Aston Villa had been in for him until Gerard Houllier left, and former Newcastle winger Charles N’Zogbia told him all about life at St James’ Park, advising him that it would be a good move.

 

At Lille, Cabaye was a busy play-maker and his style fits with Pardew’s hope of creating a more fluid passing game.

 

"I genuinely think that Johan is going to play for France for the next five or six years," said the Magpies boss. "I’ve talked about changing our style and that’s very much linked to him.

 

“He’ll give us control in games - an intelligence on the ball, a knowledge of when to go through the middle, when to speed things up. That was a bit of an issue for us last year.

 

“He can fill two different roles; playing deep, orchestrating the play, but also moving forward, getting closer to the strikers, influencing the seven or eight moments that can win a game for us.

 

"We’ve now got a nice creative mix in the middle of the park. Last year, that was a weakness.

 

“He smiles a lot, but he seems a really sensible, grounded type, too.

 

"I’ve been really impressed with him. I showed him my tactical game-book and he was very attentive - understanding and getting a grip of things very quickly.

 

"That really buoyed me, I have to say, because his ability speaks for itself.”

 

Cabaye added: “I love passing the ball, the passing game. I love the ball at my feet, shooting at goal, defending, tackling. Sometimes I score goals, too.

 

“Newcastle have a proud history of attacking football and I relate to that. I adore that. For three years at Lille, we worked hard at playing that kind of football and it brought us the championship. I hope it’s the same at Newcastle.

 

“ Looking after the ball is the best way to play the game, because you have the pressure, the advantage.

 

“Of course, players like [Newcastle icon David] Ginola have been here and done very well and it would be good to emulate his success. We’ll see.

 

“My first ambition is to give my best possible performances on the pitch, the second is that it should be possible for Newcastle to look at qualifying for the Europa League.

 

"The club has always had the potential to be at that level. We have to show a fighting spirit, as a collective, if we want to get there.”

 

But why leave the comfort zone in France?

 

Cabaye, who was on duty for France last night as they played Chile, has been at Lille all his life.

 

He explained: “This is the first time that I’ve changed clubs and, of course, countries. I could only question how that would be, how it would feel.

 

“Newcastle offered me the chance to play in the Premier League, which I believe is the best competition in the world.

 

"I want to prove to myself that I can succeed away from Lille, in a different culture and environment, that me and my family can adapt. I want to go to the next level.

 

“It was the right moment for me to leave Lille.

 

"I wanted to try something new and Newcastle offered me that opportunity. They’re a big club and although not all results were as good as they could have been last season, I see this as a big step in my career - a big stadium, a huge fan base - and I didn’t hesitate joining.”

 

Settling has been made easier by the fact that five of the club’s six new signings are French speakers.

 

Cabaye insists he is not here to replace Kevin Nolan, last season's captain and top scorer who has controversially been sold to West Ham. He’s a different personality.

 

“Being a leader isn’t my natural role," he said. "I’m not the kind of player who shouts, goes around speaking to everybody, but I know that I can show I can play.

 

“I hope that by integrating completely into the team and the city I can have an important role to play for Newcastle.”

 

So far, he has enjoyed the “hard working fighting spirits, and good humour” of the Toon dressing room.

 

He added: "What I really like about England and the English people is that they don’t seem to complain too much.

 

“What I’ve found in the city is a wonderful spirit, a working spirit, and it makes me want to be part of it, to mingle.

 

"I love that mentality.”

 

Simon Bird - Mirror

 

:icon_lol::lol::icon_lol:<_<

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Watched him for France last night and on the ball he looked very much what I'd expected of him after hearing what others on here had said. But it was in the tackle that he impressed me more. He certainly doesn't look like he's afraid to get stuck in which bodes well.

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I had a long conversation about him last night with a French lad and he was waxing lyrical about him. Made me very confident he will make it in the premiership too. I think Tiote & Cabaye is going to be an immense central midfield.

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He really does seem to have everything, hell of an engine, coupled with good marking and understanding of the game. He really doesnt seem to have any weaknesses except maybe his heading since he's so small. Nailed on to be our signing of the season imo. And im really looking forward to him and Tiote in the middle. Its gonna be interesting when we play Liverpool when they field Henderson and Adam. Our midfield could just rape that overpriced lot. :lol:

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Yohan Cabaye was blown away by the St. James' Park atmosphere as the midfielder made his debut against Arsenal on Saturday.

 

The summer signing from Lille was impressive alongside Cheik Tiote in the middle of the park as Newcastle secured an opening-day point with a goalless draw.

 

And Cabaye, 25, admitted that running out in front of a bumper crowd was a memorable occasion and is now looking forward to the Wear-Tyne derby at Sunderland next weekend.

 

"It was nearly 47,000? Wow. At Lille it was normally 15,000!" he told nufc.co.uk after the final whistle.

 

"For me that was perfect. I love the English atmosphere, the English fans. Newcastle fans are brilliant.

 

"I am happy to start in the team, in the Premier League, and with the atmosphere. That was fantastic.

 

"It was a good first game for me and for the team because Arsenal are a good side. I am very tired. It was very tough, but when I play more games I will get better and it will be okay for me. I will work a lot to get fitter.

 

"We have played one game and got one point - a good point - and now we have to work for Sunderland next week. We have to win there."

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