Time for Newcastle Stalwart to be Shown the Door?
Shola Ameobi, the stroller, is now 30-years-old. Yes 30, and still he is yet to score his 50th league goal for Newcastle United, which in itself is quite an achievement considering that he’s now in his 13th season at Newcastle. For those of you who don’t see maths as your strong point, that’s about four goals a season, and in this campaign Ameobi has got just the solitary strike in 16 appearances. Hardly glowing stats for the Nigerian striker, so is it time that Shola is shown the door?
Players don’t get much more frustrating than Shola Ameobi. He has plenty of talent, but sometimes you have to question his application, and then of course there’s his poor fitness record that has blighted him over the years. This might be a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to the events of last week, which started with seeing Newcastle sign another striker in the form of Papiss Cisse, and ended with Ameobi putting in a truly terrible performance against Fulham, but I think his time is up.
Ameobi clearly has other ideas and upon the arrival of Cisse told Sky Sports that “Cisse is a top player, so, like everyone else, I’m excited. You would think, in a way, it would disappoint me he has signed but, really, it doesn’t. We have had numerous strikers come in since I have been here. It makes you work harder. If you are playing well, you will be in the team. I can’t see that changing.” The thing is, though, Ameobi just isn’t playing well.
As always the glimpses have been there. He was a force up front against Manchester United, providing a good flick on for Demba Ba’s opener, and his equaliser against Tottenham was out of the top drawer, but those glimpses are too few and far between. When the Dembas return Shola will be fourth choice again and up until that moment I think Leon Best deserves to be employed through the middle.
The one thing about showing Ameobi the door is that I’m not sure any other Premier League club would have him. He’s got a contract until 2014, which he signed last summer, so I guess we’re going to be stuck with him for another couple of years. The one redeeming feature about Shola is that he loves the club, as he told the Evening Standard last year, saying: “All I’ve ever wanted is to play for Newcastle. Newcastle is, and always will be, my club and I’m looking forward immensely to the next three years.”
I suppose he’s alright as a back-up, but I can see me getting frustrated by Shola on more occasions this season and probably more frequently than I’ll see him finding the back of the net. Here’s hoping Sami Ameobi’s Newcastle career runs a slightly different path.
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Here are the top 100 goals of 2011. See if you agree with Cheik Tiote’s position…
Newcastle News 24/7
January 24th, 2012
Amble your way through the year without much effort, spend a good chunk of it on the treatment table, pop in the odd goal or two (just to let people know you’re still there and pick up your wages for another season.
Nice work if you can get it.
January 24th, 2012
I would have played for the club for next to nothing, for a mere messle wage that I get at work…but this guys gets his chance and holds onto it somehow…god give me strenght because I don’t know how or why he wasn’t given the arse ten seasons ago!?!?!?!?!?! I AM BAFFLED!!!! Bye shola!!
January 24th, 2012
Cupiddstunt. Spot on. Love it. Sick of reading these pages where ******* like tom jones doesn’t knw what he’s talking about, he jst picks the easy target. I’d like to bet he didn’t actually watch the fulham game where shola had a brilliant game. Anyone watches every minute of every match knows that shola gives all he has and he should get some respect for that. He’s endured some of the worst delivery a forward can receive over the past 12 years and he’s worked with scraps, played thru injuries and lost his teeth jst to help nufc. So tom jones, how about u jump on the bandwagon when he undoubtedly scores a couple more beauts against the scum? Remember his goals past chelsea? Man u? Barca? 5under1and? Love these ‘fans’ on these chatrooms who don’t knw how to support their own players. Well done you muppets
January 24th, 2012
Watched the Fulham game mate. Would disagree he had a ‘brilliant game’ – don’t remember him scoring or creating any goals or holding the ball up particularly well and bring teammates into play.
I respect that he gives everything all the time but wouldn’t expect anything less from any Newcastle player.
Will always remember his goals against Sunderland, but you can’t live on the past forever or a couple of games from last season.
January 24th, 2012
No, keep him as back-up. Let’s face it, a lot of fans judge some players performances before they even take the field.
January 24th, 2012
I had quite a heated debate about Ameobi with a mate of mine who rates him (mainly due to goals against the mackems i think). I’ve never rated him and never will. Someone already posted that he is one of the few remaining reasons why Newcastle has had no recent success and i couldn’t agree more. Just imagine who gutted you’d feel if there were 10 Ameobi’s in toon shirts every week. Christ, I’ve literally just scared myself!! Look everyone, the kid is a nice lad he really is and he’s done his best for us and love’s playing for us. At the end of the day he’s just a fan like you and me and for this reason (and maybe this alone) i think we should all have a little respect for him. Sadly his love for the toon not enough. Not at this level of professional football anyway.
January 24th, 2012
At last, a bit of sense! Agree whole-heartedly with what you’ve said.
April 8th, 2012
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