He claimed we have earned the title "Little Arsenal" in London, because of the French Connection ... so loved by Arsene Wenger.
I must admit - Little Arsenal - is a new one on me (but, then again, I don't live in London).
Romain Amalfitano is the latest player from France to move to Tyneside, and he says the success of Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa persuaded him to snub other teams and join Newcastle.
The highly-rated 22-year-old was attracting the interest of a number of clubs from across Europe, with St Etienne, Nice and Lille in Ligue 1, Malaga and Sevilla in Spain and Fulham and Swansea from the Premier League all thought to have made enquiries.
Amalfitano: "I was surprised at Newcastle United's ability to able to pick me out.
"They have got a scouting system that is absolutely top class to be able to find me in the league I was playing in.
"I could have gone to French top division sides but when I knew Newcastle were paying attention to me, I only wanted to join one club.
"I have been watching Newcastle United matches ever since their interest first became known.
"I have watched nearly every game and I have been really, really impressed by the way the fans treat the French players in the team.
"They seem to love Yohan (Cabaye) and Hatem (Ben Arfa), and that support would excite any player in the world."
So ... is this French Connection a bad thing? The fans certainly don't think so, and the results have shown the team seems better for it.
But a word of warning from our ex-Toon boss: "Clubs can develop 'clans' that tend to happen when a club signs a lot of players from a certain country.
"Those players naturally come together, they speak the same language; and tend to stick together.
"That can distance them from the others, and that can create a division.
"I would only buy two players from the same country."