Newcastle have officially unveiled their fifth signing of the summer in the shape of Florian Thauvin from Marseille. As part of the deal, Remy Cabella has joined the Ligue 1 outfit on a season-long loan, with a view to permanent.
While most fans are happy with the decision to loan out Cabella and replace him with Thauvin, some have voiced their concerns online. So, I caught up with Rich Allen from French Football Weekly to discuss our new recruit and the concerns some Geordies may have.
What are your general thoughts on the player and his potential? Is he good enough to cut it in the Premier League?
The word potential is key for Thauvin. Having seen him since he was Bastia, potential is the word people have used frequently to describe him. At Bastia, he was superb, full of running, trickery and most importantly an end product. Sadly it seems he hasn’t really progressed as people have expected. At Marseille, he seems to have lost focus, which in turn has seen his form take a significant dip. For the last 18 months it seems he has stagnated – Bielsa gave him so many chances last season but time and time again he looked disinterested or just simply not good enough. His trickery was still there but all too often it resulted in lost possession or a poor final ball – the lack of end product and poor decision making has been a real concern. The fact he was the most substituted player for Marseille last season speaks volumes.
Saying that at the age of 22, he still has time on his side and there is clearly talent there. He just needs to get his mind in the right place, focus on his game and I’m sure he can push on to the level we all expect him to be at. The Premier League is a step up in terms of exposure – that could either work for or against Thauvin. He has the level of arrogance that means the increased focus could help him thrive. Similarly though, if he doesn’t hit the ground running with his performances and the Newcastle fans become vociferous, I worry he doesn’t have the mental strength to turn it around.
In terms of what he can offer Newcastle, I should probably err on the side of caution. I have spoken to many Newcastle fans who believe he will come in and bomb up and down the wings delivering pinpoint crosses. That’s not the kind of player Thauvin is. On his day, he likes to use his skill to beat his man and then cut inside, normally off the right wing. If he can learn to look up and pick his pass instead of trying to take on the opposition by himself before trying the “Hollywood” pass then that would certainly be a significant step in the right direction.
Why didn’t it work out for Thauvin at LOSC Lille?
Plain and simply because he got a bit too big for his boots. He was bought by Lille in the 2013 January transfer window before being loaned back to Bastia for the remainder of the season. His performances in that second half of the season were sparkling – probably the best football he has played to date. He came back to Lille in the summer and wanted an improved contract. The fact that Lille had missed out on European qualification didn’t help. As Lille weren’t prepared to negotiate he went on “strike” and refused to train – the first sign of his questionable attitude. He eventually forced Lille into selling him without him ever making an appearance for the club.
Many people have identified his poor attitude as a weakness. Is this something Newcastle fans should be worried about?
His attitude is certainly something to be concerned about. He is reminiscent of the generation of French players who seemed to believe their own hype without justification. He is talented, that is a fact, but as was seen with the Lille debacle, he has the ability to throw his toys out of the pram when things don’t go his way. It still seems to be the case now. Frequently last season he would have a poor game, the crowd would get on his back and there would be no positive response from the player. He seemed to sulk on the pitch, running down bling alleys, making poor passes and offering little to the team. A lot of that was masked by the great start Marseille made but come to the turn of the year when things started to fall apart, he was not one of the players who seemed up for the fight. I worry that if the Newcastle fans don’t take to him immediately then he will struggle.
Assuming the €17million figure is correct, do you believe this fee represents value for money?
It seems a significant amount for a player who has proved little in the last 18 months. I would certainly put his current worth at closer to €10million, especially as Newcastle seem to be giving up Cabella (with a rumoured mandatory buyout clause). The price tag itself could have an impact on the player – his ego could take a boost from being valued so highly that we could see him perform. Equally though, it is a value he will be measured against and for that spend, Newcastle fans will expect an instant impact – one I am unsure they will get.
Newcastle fans are concerned by the departure of Remy Cabella. Are the players alike? If so, is Thauvin an upgrade on Cabella?
I am a big Cabella fan from his time at Montpellier where he played with so much joy and freedom. It doesn’t appear that has transferred to Newcastle for whatever reason – be that the position he’s been played in, tactics, the pace of the Premier League – it’s unfortunate that Newcastle haven’t seen the best of him on a consistent basis. Positionally, they are different players; Cabella is at his best in a free roaming role behind the strikers – Thauvin more suited to playing on the wing. They both have a bag full of tricks and run well with the ball. Both cut quite slight figures – something else that can often pose a problem in the Premier League. If you were to try and compare the 2 then I don’t particularly see Thauvin as an upgrade but I’m certainly open to being proved wrong!
Are Newcastle just a stepping stone for him?
I suppose it depends on his first season for the club. If he is prepared to knuckle down, work hard and get in the right mindset he could go on to something bigger but he can’t afford to think beyond Newcastle. I fear that the club (and fans) patience could run out with him before he reaches the stage to move on to a bigger club.
Lastly, where does he rank in terms of French wingers?
When you look at the current wingers in the French team there are Valbuena, Griezmann, even Newcastle’s own Sissoko has played there, now they have brought through Ntep (who played with Thauvin in the under 21s) and there are exciting players in the French youth system. Thauvin is a way off inclusion with the elite and until he can get his game sorted I doubt he will be part of Deschamps plans anytime soon.
