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http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastl...-name_page.html

 

SHOLA Ameobi could be on his way to Bolton Wanderers in January as a number of Premier League and Championship clubs prepare bids for the out-of-favour Newcastle striker.

 

United manager Sam Allardyce has not received any enquiries for the former England Under-21 international, as yet, but Ameobi was watched by a number of scouts during Newcastle’s reserve game against Everton on Tuesday night, in which he scored a penalty.

 

Ameobi has only started one Premier League match under Allardyce, against Derby back in September, and is thought to be growing increasingly concerned about his position at the club.

 

Although the Nigerian-born centre-forward has also started two Carling Cup games, he has not played a single second of first-team football since September 25 and has not even been able to make the bench in recent games, despite an injury to Mark Viduka and Alan Smith’s one-game suspension.

 

The 26-year-old’s cause was not helped by a poor performance in that 1-0 defeat to Derby, but he has largely been a peripheral figure under Allardyce at a stage of his career when he, by his own admission, needs regular first-team football.

 

Newcastle have a fierce competition for places up front with Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins, Alan Smith and Mark Viduka all battling with Ameobi for a place in the side.

 

As a result, Newcastle would be unlikely to prevent the former Academy prospect from leaving the club if an acceptable bid of around £2m was made in the New Year and a move to Bolton could appeal to the player, despite their lowly position in the Premier League.

 

The Journal also understands that Norwich are interested in taking Ameobi on loan for the rest of the season to boast their bid to get out of relegation trouble in the Championship.

 

Norwich manager Glenn Roeder was a huge admirer of Ameobi when he was in charge of United and the forward played arguably the best football of his career under the former Magpies skipper – scoring at a ratio close to a goal every other game – before a serious hip injury forced him to miss two thirds of last season.

 

It remains to be seen whether Ameobi is willing to drop down a division when there are likely to be a number of top-flight clubs interested in recruiting him for the second half of the season, but Roeder will hope his special relationship with the player will swing things in his favour.

 

Ameobi has made 166 appearances for Newcastle since he made his debut against Chelsea in September 2000, but 72 of those have come as a substitute and the former Walker Central Youth Team prospect has struggled to establish himself as

 

a first-choice striker under four different Newcastle managers.

 

In an ideal world, Ameobi would prefer to stay in the North-East and may hope Middlesbrough’s lack of options up front this season persuades Boro manager Gareth Southgate to also make an offer.

 

Meanwhile, Allardyce has admitted he has to take responsibility for the 4-1 home defeat to Portsmouth last weekend as he prepares for his first taste of a North-East derby against Sunderland on Saturday.

 

And the former Bolton boss, who was assured he is under no immediate pressure as manager by chairman Chris Mort this week, hopes Newcastle fans never have to see a performance like that again while he is in charge.

 

He said: “The players have to accept responsibility, but I have to accept responsibility more than anyone else because I’m the manager. The buck stops with me. I have to tell the players what they are doing right and what they are not doing right this week and make sure they are ready for Sunderland.

 

“I never expected to see what I saw against Portsmouth, that sort of thing should not happen against Newcastle at St James’s Park. I have to make sure the fans never see that sort of result and performance again.”

 

FORMER United manager Sir Bobby Robson believes a limit on the number of foreign players in the Barclays Premier League is key to a successful national team.

 

Robson backed moves by Sepp Blatter to stem what the Fifa president called “the overwhelming presence of non-national players in club leagues”.

 

“Whether Fifa can win the battle to implement this five-player limit, I don’t know, but it’s a battle worth fighting,” Robson said.

 

“We need to keep the door open for more English players to play in the Premiership.

 

“What’s got to happen is that our academies, which every club has, have got to function better.

 

“We’ve got to find better young players, better coaches, good facilities, maximise our time and produce some good English players over the next few years.

 

“Fifa’s plan will certainly help the development of English players, which is what we need. That’s the one thing that will stop this huge influx of foreign players.

 

“The big clubs will still look for star players regardless of where they’re from, but we have to produce more of our own.”

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Fair play to the lad but I reckon he should jump at a move and promise of first team football. He never reached the heights he promised with us, a better player in Europe than in the Prem I reckon.

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Incredible how long he's actually been at the club when you think about it. Never looked like being good enough after some early promise.

In my opinion, he peaked (in overall play etc...) during the 03/04 season, culminating in that goal he scored at home vs Chelsea in 2004.

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Incredible how long he's actually been at the club when you think about it. Never looked like being good enough after some early promise.

In my opinion, he peaked (in overall play etc...) during the 03/04 season, culminating in that goal he scored at home vs Chelsea in 2004.

 

Was that the one where he turned Dessaily, Shearer scored that day as well? If it was that was the only time I've ever seen Shola hit the ball cleanly and firmly in all his time here.

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Matt's Football Wishlist:

[ ] NUFC wins the League
[ ] NUFC wins Champs League
[ ] NUFC wins FA Cup
[ ] NUFC wins League Cup
[x] Shola fucks off
[ ] England win WC
[ ] Robben's legs fall off

 

:razz:

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Matt's Football Wishlist:

[ ] NUFC wins the League
[ ] NUFC wins Champs League
[ ] NUFC wins FA Cup
[ ] NUFC wins League Cup
[x] Shola fucks off
[ ] England win WC
[ ] Robben's legs fall off

 

:D

 

Thought it would have been higher on the list the way you carry on. :razz:

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Incredible how long he's actually been at the club when you think about it. Never looked like being good enough after some early promise.

In my opinion, he peaked (in overall play etc...) during the 03/04 season, culminating in that goal he scored at home vs Chelsea in 2004.

 

Was that the one where he turned Dessaily, Shearer scored that day as well? If it was that was the only time I've ever seen Shola hit the ball cleanly and firmly in all his time here.

 

iirc, Sherla scored a pretty good goal in Barcelona as well.

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Roeder was on LookEast tonight saying he's not planning on signing Shola, clearly he's not as dumb as we thought. :razz:

He'd do well for them but as you alluded to a few days ago, I doubt they'd be able to afford him.

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http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_2887949,00.html

 

Shola Ameobi will not be allowed to leave Newcastle in January, according to manager Sam Allardyce.

 

Norwich, now managed by former Toon chief Glenn Roeder, unsuccessfully tried to take Ameobi on loan this week, whilst Middlesbrough, Bolton and Birmingham are all believed to be keen on the 26-year-old.

 

However, Allardyce insists that when the transfer window opens Ameobi will not be sold.

 

"Shola is going absolutely nowhere, he remains very much a part of my plans and we are not interested in selling him in January," Allardyce told the Journal.

 

"I don't want to lose him, he is a very talented player who has an important role to play in the squad.

 

"We've got a small squad here that can just about cope with injuries and suspensions, but we cannot afford to let anyone go. We will not be selling anyone in January.

 

"He has been frustrated because he has not really had a chance to show me what he can do, but I know what he is capable of.

 

"The only reason he has not been involved recently is because he has been injured. He has not been able to establish himself so far this season because of niggling injuries, that's all.

 

"He was still recovering from a serious hip injury at the end of last season and, although he has done that now, he has picked up a few little problems which have held him back. It's not been easy for him but he's training properly again now and he will be involved in the next few weeks."

 

January sales

 

Allardyce is hopeful of adding to his squad in the New Year and added: "We'd like to bring some players in to strengthen the squad, but, like every manager, the January transfer window is the most difficult time to do any business.

 

"It's great for the media because they get lots to speculate about, but it's a nightmare for managers. However, if there is any business to be done, if we can get the right players in, rest assured, we will do that."

Edited by MattM4
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Good move for him and for us provided we can get in some quality replacements. And we will need a few strikers with Owen and Viduka injury-prone, Martins probably off to the African Cup of Nations and Smith being rubbish.

 

If it's a choice between Shola and Smith up front, it;s got to be the former. His goals/game ratio in his career is far superior to Smith's (sic) and he's shown many times he's capable of scoring important goals.

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