10 Idiotic Decisions Made By Former Newcastle Players

2. Hatem Ben Arfa Went To Hull

Obviously there has to be some understanding in Ben Arfa's decision to cut his losses and leave Newcastle at the end of the most recent transfer window, but did it really have to be Hull? Over the course of the window the player definitely turned down Birmingham City, probably turned down an unnamed Middle Eastern side (where he'd have been given lots of money probably) and allegedly turned down Besiktas after Demba Ba recommended him (though the Turkish club countered by saying they were the ones who turned him down). And with other options presumably available - he's got a good agent after all - what on Earth possessed Ben Arfa to go to Hull, where he wouldn't be guaranteed any first-team football thanks to an over-packed midfield, and where he was unlikely to be put in the shop window for a bigger move this summer? If Ben Arfa's end-game is for another big money move at the end of this season, he would have been better served moving to Birmingham City where he could have been the best player on the books - the same way Tom Ince chose to go on loan to Palace last season. He might as well have stayed at Newcastle for all the good the Hull move will do him.