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.
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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…
“All I’ve ever wanted to do is play for Newcastle because they are and always have been my team”.
Sounds like my sentiments but at my age, unlike Shola, I’m honest enough to realise I’m no use to the Toon.
Shola has made 151 starts, so 49 goals in context while not great is better than a lot of people give him credit for.He is a squad player who has his moments,spurs, man utd this season. Who do we get to do his job for the money he’s on [and the positive attitude he has with the junior’s and club in general]Carlton Cole,Bobby Zamora,Kevin Davies? look at other scoring records and overall play before constantly getting on Shola’s back.
Wake up and smell the shit on the wall!! Shola Ameobi is a waste of friggen time money and a squad spot. A must get rid of. Has no place in this squad has and always will be a waste of time!!
Lazy, useless to say the least. One of the few remaining causes of why we have been so poor for close to the last decade. As you say no other Premier League team would have him. Says it all really.
Ditto!! 151 games for 49 goals, LAZY, taggled legs, losses possesion all the time, hogs the ball thinking he is Shearer or something, should be much better than he is, due to the fact he came through when Shearer was here playing. Get rid of him PLEASE! Think he must have some dirt on the club(or Ashley)and that is the only reason he is still here!!!
Agree with #2
Shola’s never consistently pulled up trees the way he always looked like he might be able to, but he’s always shown genuine loyalty and at least a desire to play for the team. Despite being a longtime Shola apologist, I have on occasion said with exasperation “That’s it he’s had his chips this time”: cue a series of important performances.
He will probably end up (rightly) being pushed back down the ranks when Double Demba return from ANC, but you can count on him not chucking his toys out like some would, and being around to provide cover when Ba is sold off or Cisse turns out to be a flake.
we have been loyal to him for far too long, see ya SA!!
Thanks for a few memories!
I, like every other fan have seen ‘the Stroller’ side to him; and I like every other fan have seen him come on and ‘totally’ change a game. Let us not forget one of our first wins in London where Shola terrorised a top class Arsenal defence and let us not forget the brilliant backheal that set up Shearers 200th goal. His goal against Tottenham this season was stupendous. I agree his goal to game ratio is not up to some other class prem strikers, but he serves an important role in the squad. If Pardew feels he is playing his part in the team and gives him a new contract, we as ‘fans’ should pay Shola back for his continued love and passion towards the Black and White with support, and not continued criticism. His current contract will probably see out the rest of his top flight career and I for one, will be sad to see the day when we no longer sing “there’s only one Shola Ameobi”.
I will always support him on the pitch, but question his role in the squad. Impact sub at the very best as 1 great performance in 5 isn’t good even at the top level.
It’s really sad when idiots like you drag up scribbling’s like this, you go on about his fitness when for a huge part of his time he played for the toon carrying injuries.
Necessary operations were put off as they did not fit in with the clubs requirement at the time, they were in need of a striker and he answered the call with the help of injections to kill the pain.
You bring up stats which basically shows you know nothing of the type of game he plays he’s not just a goal scorer he is a team player in the true sense of the word, he takes his lumps and bumps without complaint, he wears defences down and tires them out to enable his team mates to exploit the holes they leave as they tire.
Kevin Davies, Emil Heskey just two to mention in the same mould they do not have great scoring records but ask their team mates if they are valuable team members and you will get a resounding yes, they both have senior caps and rightly so they perform a mainly thankless task because if they are not scoring goals then bellends like you do not see the player.
Supporting your club is suppose to be just that supporting your club not slagging a player off because you are too stupid to see what he brings to the table.
Ten managers rated him you do not I think that says it all you moron.
better to have a young fella playing instead of an injured wannabe!!
Don’t want Heskey or Davies!:~
There are many leaders at nufc!
Will never doubt his commitment to the cause. Yes he’s not a typical goalscorer, but as a striker you HAVE to score goals and I wouldn’t want Heskey anywhere near Newcastle.
The whole point of this article was to stir a debate, which it’s done, and 10 managers can’t have rated him that much as he’s never been number one choice.
Also, nice name 😀
Cupiddstunt u spot on…10 managers have rated him, why not this moron
See above. I didn’t even think I slagged him off that much.
cupiddstunt Agree mate and after reading this crap got to admit the writer of this must be a proper plank who knows nothing about football.
Glad you like! :p
10 managers have rated him as a 4th choice striker which is exactly what he is. hes never been good enough to be a starter and those that think differently obviously no nothing about football cuppidshot.
Ditto
ditto x2
If a player sticks by a club should the club not stick by the player. He has his style, it has always been slightly infuriating but the club and managers keep picking him and he only wants to play for Newcastle. On the fan boards we discuss moving him on – if he was a great player and wanted to move to a better performing club (Champions league Serie A etc) we would be sharpening our knives. How hypocritical and impotent these chat rooms really are.
so you would of kept Titus Bramble if he wanted to stay and play for us, and never leave because he only wants to play for Newcastle? I THINK NOT!!
Or That french waste of space from Rangers that was just as good as Bramble who went by the name of Boumsong…would you want to keep him? Wake up…or Faye…or Luque…or I mean look at K Dyer we gave him so much time, he was supposed to be the answer to all our prays and he never came through with the goods!! Come on wake up Ameobi (shola) is crap…see ya big fella
So the reverse would be a young lad we bring up,train and turn into a superstar wants to win things and play in the Champions league. We have not been able to offer anything near that in some time – so the fans would be happy to say ‘Thanks and good luck’?
My point about Shola and this forum is managers keep picking him – which may be about to change – but until it does he wants to play for us and the managers want him to play for us. So surely we should support him.
Lack of other options and putting players in the shop window are reasons for a manager playing people he does not like. Just as reducing wage bills, personality clashes, injury records are all reasons for moving on a loyal player. Putting Shola in with Boumsong, Luque etc is I feel unfair.
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.
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!!
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
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.
No, keep him as back-up. Let’s face it, a lot of fans judge some players performances before they even take the field.
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.
At last, a bit of sense! Agree whole-heartedly with what you’ve said.
I do consider all of the ideas you have introduced in your post. They’re really convincing and will definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are very short for starters. May just you please lengthen them a bit from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.