The way the Pardew/Ben Arfa clash has very much been reported in the media as a manager finally losing his patience with a frustrating player and failing to get any kind of positive professional response out of him. In the process, Pardew unwittingly turned the player into a martyr in fans' eyes, prompting songs in support of the Frenchman even after he was sent out to Hull on loan. And no matter how many stories appear in the press about Ben Arfa's behaviour it's hard not to believe Pardew was the guilty party. Inevitably, the breaking point came and Ben Arfa was sent off to Hull on loan, and even though he has subsequently offered his support to Pardew, rumour has it the pair clashed physically as well as over Ben Arfa's attitude. The claims were denied, but Richard Keys helped spread rumours that Ben Arfa had chinned Pardew in an dressing room altercation, which would explain why so many of his team-mates seem to have sided with Pardew. Either way, Pardew's alienation of Ben Arfa upset the player massively, with rumours that he was almost in tears when moving to Hull.
