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Demba Ba 'doesn't understand' Newcastle United role

By Mike HensonBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments159

Demba Ba

Demba Ba's agent says that his client "does not understand the management" of Newcastle after starting the 2-2 draw with Everton on the bench.

The 27-year-old forward came on to score both his side's goals, saying later he was unhappy at being named as a substitute by manager Alan Pardew.

"Since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, Demba doesn't understand the management," said Alex Gontran.

"If he continues to be a substitute all season, we'll look at other solutions."

After Ba was named on the bench, but before his introduction to the action at Goodison Park, his brother Hamady wrote on Twitter that manager Pardew was "crazy" for leaving him out.external-link

"Demba is happy at Newcastle. He is playing in the Premier League, with lot of fellow French speakers and he loves the club's supporters," Gontran told BBC Sport.

"He would like to start every game but he respects the choice of the coach, even if he does not always understand or agree."

Pardew claimed after the draw that he could not keep everyone in his squad happy and that "sometimes players play better when they're angry".

Ba has started all three of Newcastle's previous Premier League games, but has been regularly deployed on the left since fellow Senegal international Papiss Demba Cisse was signed from Freiberg in January.

After scoring 15 goals in 19 Premier League games prior to the Africa Cup of Nations and Cisse's arrival on Tyneside, Ba found the net just once in his remaining 15 club matches in the 2011-12 campaign.

"How could you put your best striker with full confidence on the left wing?" added Gontran.

"The choice to put Demba on the left last season was good for the club, because Cisse scored 13 goals.

"But there was a lack of recognition for Demba. It is more difficult to play well when you don't have the confidence of your staff."

Speculation linking Ba with a move away from Newcastle in the last two transfer windows was fuelled by a now-expired release clause in his contract that would be triggered by a bid of about £7.5m.

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159 comments

  • Comment posted by GeordieLegend, at 16:31 18 Sep 2012

    As Demba Ba tweeted last night from his official account: "Good night people. So proud for that 1,000th goal. I'm not a legend like people say, but nufc is a legendary club!!!". Does this sound like an unhappy man?! He has distanced himself from people claiming to be his agent in the past and his £7M contract clause ran out on the 31st July so get used to him banging in goals for Newcastle. HWTL.

  • Comment posted by U15281619, at 16:17 18 Sep 2012

    Agents............the scum of football.

  • Comment posted by Patinho, at 15:24 18 Sep 2012

    Disgraceful.

    Pardew was manager of the season last season. Not sure he needs telling how to do his job by a moneygrabbing agent and hanger-on brother.

  • Comment posted by Jonny5Alive7, at 15:40 18 Sep 2012

    What a ridiculous story this is. He's only been on the bench for one game, its hardly a travesty. Last year when we played Spurs away we played 2 up front and got trounced 5-0, so theres nothing wrong with being a bit reserved.
    People seem to be forgetting Newcastle have 3 games this week, so its hardly unusual to have some people on the bench.

  • Comment posted by John_from_Hendons hypocritic oath, at 15:40 18 Sep 2012

    So, decent player starts on bench, comes on, plays a good game and reveals after he wasn't happy to start on bench. I'm sure Pardew knows what he's doing and would be disappointed had Ba not been unhappy to start on the bench.

    It's a non-story, unless you happen to be a sycophant, parasite agent trying to lever some more cash...

  • Comment posted by U14219283, at 15:32 18 Sep 2012

    Another BBC non-story on a slow news day i think.

    Think everyone should take note that this story is coming from his agent. Yes, his agent.

    All agents talk about is the unhappiness of their client. Nothing else.

  • Comment posted by heaton323, at 15:57 18 Sep 2012

    So no quotes from the player, just his 'agent'. Anybody remember back end of last season when his 'agent' claimed he was off, the major news sites picked it up... Only for Ba himself to come out and say he has no idea who this 'agent' is?

    The lad plays with a smile on his face, only quotes i've ever seen from him he sounds happy

  • Comment posted by U15059924, at 16:20 18 Sep 2012

    Do Ba's agent picks the team now?

    Agents should be subject to club and FA fines, the same as anyone else. They cause most of the problems.

  • Comment posted by Walks619, at 15:18 18 Sep 2012

    I like Demba Ba. Excellent player. But i dont see whats hard to understand.
    Great start to last season, scoring for fun and touted as the signing of the season. New striker comes in and hits the ground running, scoring for fun, also touted as signing of the season. Does Cisse not deserve to play based on his form?
    Ask Hugo Lloris, if the player in your position is in form, he will keep his place

  • Comment posted by NorthernCorrespondent, at 16:16 18 Sep 2012

    Sky were trying to blow this out of proportion. Look at the stats when Newcastle have tried 4-4-2 and they are not good. Ba and Cisse do not really work as a partnersip. They often compete for the same ball in the area and neither is a target man. Ba has gelled better with Ameobi. Can't blame Pardew trying to be a bit more solid at Everton. Games are coming thick and fast - rotation is the word.

  • Comment posted by U13812019, at 15:53 18 Sep 2012

    Non-story. Shouldn't the headline be "Ba's Agent Says That Ba Isn't Happy", or possibly "Ba's Brother Isn't Happy"?

    As others have pointed out, Newcastle's games are coming thick and fast. I'm not a massive admirer of Pardew for a number of reasons but the decision to leave Ba on the bench to start the game was perfectly understandable.

  • Comment posted by U14061168, at 15:25 18 Sep 2012

    Agent story = no story.

    The lad is good and will get his chances - everyone is left out occassionally.

    Toon, Toon, Black n White Army........

  • Comment posted by U14972306, at 19:38 18 Sep 2012

    Got to echo the sentiments that this is a tabloid non story and has no place on the BBC.

  • Comment posted by U10345228, at 19:26 18 Sep 2012

    Disgraceful article from the BBC. The agent's quotes are not bad at all but have been completely mangled and taken out of context to create artificial controversy. I'd expect this from the tabloids but not from the beeb. Poor.

  • Comment posted by U15413559, at 16:38 18 Sep 2012

    @44.

    Liverpool still think they are a "big" club in todays market. They still think they can lure players to their club just by being Liverpool.

    Doesn't work like that now, you need the £££ to compete with the richer clubs now. Not saying I agree with it, but it's what the football world has come to.

  • Comment posted by deanoj, at 15:25 18 Sep 2012

    @ #3:

    I'm sure he could be prised away for around the £35mil mark - I mean Liverpool has done it before - ahem :)

  • Comment posted by Will123bay, at 23:37 18 Sep 2012

    An absolute joke of an headline and accompanying article. Please stop writing this drivel! I know the minority of football fans are genuinely stupid but you're not getting away with this.

    A note to the BBC, I don't pay my TV license to have to put up with this. Please pass Mike Henson onto the Sun where he obviously belongs. In one word embarrassing!

  • Comment posted by UnderDefeat, at 18:11 18 Sep 2012

    Agents are a pox on the world of football and should keep their dirty mouths away from the press. Who could help by not publishing their drivel.

  • Comment posted by peter robinson, at 16:37 18 Sep 2012

    If Ba and his 'agent' do not understand that successful parallel Premiership and a European campaigns require rotation and some canny tactical choices then they are out of their depth. A draw at Everton ( even with a bit of help from the ref) is no mean feat and last season showed that Pardew is no mug. The grass may be greener, but LFC has hardly been a striker's paradise these last few years.

  • Comment posted by Stephen Marsh, at 20:35 18 Sep 2012

    I'd take him at Liverpool all day long.

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