Newcastle continue their French Revolution

Newcastle continue their French Revolution

Marc Fox

Mike Ashley has certainly had his share of critics in the North East since taking control of Newcastle United in 2007.

Ashley has indeed made some contentious decisions since buying a 100% stake in the club almost six years ago - most notably the naming rights fiasco which saw St James' Park briefly become known as the Sports Direct Arena as well as his doomed attempts to sell the club in 2009 after relegation from the Premier League.

But Newcastle's famed European scouting network might just be helping improve the standing of billionaire businessman Ashley in some fans' eyes despite the current disappointment of failing to build on last season's fifth-placed finish, after which Alan Pardew was crowned the Premier League manager of the year.

The club's chief scout is Graham Carr, who joined the Magpies in February 2010, when Chris Hughton was manager, and who last June agreed an eight-year contract along with Pardew to keep him at the club until the ripe old age of 75.

Carr is recognised as the premier English scout of French talent, and has already been credited with picking out the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Papiss Cisse and Sylvain Marveaux for Newcastle.

Another arrival at St James' Park during Carr's tenure was Senegalese striker Demba Ba, recruited on a free transfer 18 months ago after West Ham were relegated from the Premier League. A £7.5 million pound profit has already been banked following the sale of Ba to Chelsea at the start of the January transfer window. 

And the club have been performing further financial miracles this month by recruiting two more players - again French - approaching the ends of their contracts.

Midfielder Moussa Sissoko, who was schooled at the Toulouse academy, has agreed a deal for a bargain £1.8 million and even waived his signing on fee to force through the move after falling out with the Ligue 1 side.

Similarly, Yoan Gouffran has been recruited from Bordeaux to replace Ba in attack for an undisclosed fee thought to be just £1.4 million

The 26-year-old striker, a former France under-21 international, scored 40 goals in 179 appearances for Bordeaux and had only six months left on his current contract.

"I think with the players Newcastle have, we can realistically be aiming to finish at least in the top eight," Gouffran said at his unveiling

"I am not worried at all. I know the players who play here at Newcastle already.

"There are fantastic players here - Newcastle isn't in the position it should be in the league."

Following the Gallic theme, French defenders Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Mathieu Debuchy and Massadio Haidera have already joined from Montpellier, Lille and Nancy respectively during this latest window to bolster an increasingly French-influenced dressing room.

Cabaye and Ben Arfa were part of France's Euro 2012 squad last summer, while Newcastle can also count on winger Gabriel Obertan and midfielder Romain Amalfitano, although they did miss out on France striker Loic Remy, who opted to join bottom side QPR.

© Marc Fox & Soccerphile.com