Alan Pardew said those famous words last season "Thank God Newcastle United are NOT in Europe this coming campaign" ... showing how alienated he is from his players.
Yohan Cabaye left because he wanted European football, and others (Shola Ameobi, Steven Taylor, Tim Krul, Davide Santon and Moussa Sissoko) have voiced the same opinion.
Debuchy has been a consistent performer for an inconsistent Newcastle side and is currently chasing down global glory with his countrymen in Brazil.
Speculation is mounting that he could be on the move once his efforts in South America come to a close, with Paris Saint-Germain among those said to be keen, and Debuchy has hinted that he may be willing to consider a switch.
Mathieu Debuchy: "It’s great to play in this French team, as we’ve taken a huge step forward. The thing I love is our attacking play, it’s great to be a part of it.
“Personally, it’s a great adventure. I have discovered English charm, which is very hard, Newcastle and their extraordinary fans.
“It’s really incredible to play in that atmosphere.
“Having said that, I miss European football and the Champions League in particular.
"Of course the players want to be involved in it.
“For the moment, I’m concentrating on the World Cup. We’ll see about the rest afterwards.”