PSG's Hatem Ben Arfa hints at improved attitude in Instagram post
Paris Saint-Germain's Hatem Ben Arfa has taken to social media, seemingly to respond to coach Unai Emery's recent decisions to leave him out of the French champions' squad.
The France international posted on Instagram a clip from the 1982 film "An Officer and a Gentleman" of Richard Gere's character, Zack Mayo, being forced to do pushups by Louis Gossett Junior's Sergeant Emil Foley with a "determined" message.
"Paris was not built in a day," Ben Arfa said in his post. "Determined. #ChallengeAccepted."
A video posted by Hatem Ben Arfa New (@hatembenarfaofficiel) on
Ben Arfa picking the clip is likely a reference to the video that surfaced recently showing the player clearly not putting in much effort when his other teammates were doing pushups in training.
The former OGC Nice man has also wiped the rest of his account clean so that it is the only post for now, possibly indicating his willingness to make a fresh start.
Ben Arfa was first omitted by the Spaniard for the 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League and has since been dropped for the 6-0 win away at SM Caen, the 3-0 home win over Dijon FCO and Friday's trip to Toulouse.
Emery is thought to be leaving Ben Arfa out of his squads because he feels that the mercurial attacker is not making enough effort in training, and has stood firm in his position on the 29-year-old when questioned by the French press on his absence.
"I say the same thing -- every player is the same to me," Emery told journalists at Camp des Loges for his pre-Toulouse news conference on Thursday. "After that, I make my decisions concerning the team and the players on who is best prepared to play."
Ben Arfa, ultimately, did not make the Basque's squad and the last time he actually did feature in the 44-year-old's plans for a match was the 1-1 draw at home to AS Saint-Etienne after the most recent international break.
According to L'Equipe on Thursday, Emery has told Ben Arfa that he is "not Lionel Messi" and the reported rift has become a major topic in the French football press.
PSG travel to face Ludogorets Razgrad in the Champions League next week before hosting Girondins de Bordeaux, so Ben Arfa has two chances to win Emery over with his newfound determination.
