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Opinion

Former French star says he had a ‘Nice Contract’ at Newcastle but didn’t like it there

7 years ago
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Former Newcastle star Sylvain Marveaux has been speaking about his time at Newcastle.

He arrived in summer 2011 from Ligue 1 club Rennes, after claims he had earlier failed a medical at Liverpool.

The then 25 year old midfielder had only managed nine league starts in his final season at Rennes and indeed had only once in his career managed more than 11 league starts in a season.

A typical Graham Carr/Mike Ashley signing, the hope was that Newcastle had picked up a ‘bargain’ from France, the midfielder out of contract but with a poor injury record.

Sadly, Newcastle fans were to find that as well as ongoing injury problems, Sylvain Marveaux had little heart either, at times his lack of effort was embarrassing.

Nevertheless he ‘bravely’ managed to see out all but the final few months of his five year Newcastle contract, until Rafa Benitez paid him and Gabriel Obertan early, just to get the wasters out of the club.

Despite only starting 13 Premier League matches (one goal!) in his five years on Newcastle’s books, I wonder what did encourage Sylvain Marveaux to ‘tough’ it out at St James Park?

In his latest interview, the player enlightens us.

Marveaux admits ‘I did not enjoy it there (Newcastle)’ but….’I had a nice contract’.

The Frenchman last played in the league for Newcastle in August 2013 yet stayed another three years.

In those three years Newcastle were desperate to get rid of him and Sylvain Marveaux could have walked away any time BUT it would have meant returning to Ligue 1 level wages rather than the relative fortune he was getting at NUFC for doing nothing.

Anybody who thinks it is some kind of a bad thing that Graham Carr has left, only needs to look at the list of players that Newcastle have end up stuck with, players signed who aren’t good enough but who can’t be ditched because nobody will come near to the wages and usually far too long contracts.

You had Marveaux and Obertan on five year contracts, now Riviere and de Jong on six year deals, the list goes on.

Sylvain Marveaux speaking to Ouest France:

“Everyone has his desires. I’m 31, I’ve had a career of ups and downs.

“I left France, not under the best conditions, at 25, but I had the chance to sign five years in England (in Newcastle).

“I had a nice contract but I did not enjoy it there.

“Last season, with Lorient, gave me a lot of fun, even if there was the relegation. To find the ground and the region, it made me bloom. I want to continue in that direction.”

A player of your calibre on a Ligue 2 field, this may sound a bit strange, right?

“I have never played in Ligue 2, I will discover. Of course, there will be fewer people in stadiums, I asked myself this question, it made me hesitate in my choice.

“Afterwards, Ligue 1 or Ligue 2, it remains the same sport (smile). But there were more important factors to make my decision.”

Did the interest in Ligue 1 (Toulouse, Bordeaux) and abroad (Spain, Turkey) make you hesitate?

“I did have interest in Ligue 1 – but mostly in Turkey.

“I could have gone to a big contract in Turkey and if I had waited, there would probably have been other tracks. But with all the factors, and after reflection, I thought that the best thing was to stay at the FCL (Lorient).”

(All contributions from Newcastle fans welcome, send articles (as well as ideas/suggestions) to contribute@themag.co.uk)

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