Very good read...
Newcastle United’s search for a new striker hit overdrive this week with Joe Kinnear keen to seal the deal on his first signing as Director of Football by Friday.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has virtually signed for Borussia Dortmund, Wilfried Bony is on his way to West Ham or Swansea according to latest reports although Darren Bent remains desperate to leave Villa.
While a big money capture would delight fans, sell thousands of Wonga shirts and paper over the cracks of Kinnear’s DoF appointment, where would it leave the existing strikers at the club?
Newcastle have cried out for a partner for their no. 9 Papiss Cisse since Demba Ba’s departure yet what about no. 23? No player splits opinion among Newcastle fans more than Shola Ameobi and with him linked to a move to Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough, this is why he should be given a new contract:
1) GOALS
Shola was the only Newcastle player to score both home and away winners last season. He came on against QPR in a crunch game in December and did what Dembas Ba and Cisse couldn’t manage and scored the winning goal saving Xmas. Against Metalist in the Ukraine, he scored the vital penalty that sent The Magpies through. Predictably, he scored against Bordeaux in a rare start in the 3-0 home in October in one of Newcastle’s best performances of the season. It took Andy Carroll 24 games to score 4 goals in The Championship, Shola managed 4 goals in his first three. The club's 2nd top European scorer of all-time with 15, he is currently on 76 career goals. Imagine his total if he ever got a run in the team?
2) SHOLATIME
Newcastle play better with Shola in the team. Of his 10 starts last season, he won two of them with goals himself and played in some of the most impressive results of the season – the 3-0 Bordeaux and 2-1 West Brom victories at home and 2-2 Everton draw and Metalist away win. This continued a career trend. Back in October, 2010 under Chris Hughton, Newcastle were 2-0 down against Wigan in the 70th minute and heading into the bottom 3. Enter Shola off the bench. He scored one and inspired a draw in that game, started the next three games alongside Andy Carroll winning away 2-1 at West Ham, THAT 5-1 vs Sunderland and 1-0 at Arsenal to rocket The Magpies to 5th in the table. SholaTime was born.
3) AERIAL THREAT AND PRESENCE
Shola Ameobi looks bigger every time he takes the pitch and he gives Newcastle United that physical prowess that if played to, dominates teams. He was up front with Demba Ba when Newcastle smashed Manchester United 3-0 in January 2012 giving Phil Jones nightmares ever since. Shola has the unique ability in the Newcastle squad to hold the ball up and bring teammates into play providing an extra dimension and option in attack.
4) LEADERSHIP AND EXPERIENCE
Shola has seen and done it all in his time at Newcastle. He’s experienced the highs of The Champions League with the lows of relegation. He’s worked under 10 different managers including Sir Bobby Robson and Kevin Keegan. Alan Pardew called for more Premier League nous in the squad last season – next season is Shola’s 15th and he can lean on the wisdom of nearly 300 appearances and every situation imaginable.
5) MAN FOR THE BIG OCCASION
Games don’t come any bigger than Barcelona away in The Nou Camp and Shola scored Newcastle’s goal there in 2002. Sir Bobby Robson, who knew a player when he saw one, gave Shola his debut and he’s never looked back - scoring at Anfield against Liverpool, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and at The Millenium Stadium against Man United. Did I mention he’s got a better goals per game record than Lionel Messi in The Nou Camp?
6) THE PERFECT FOIL
A late cameo with Adam Campbell against Fulham meant Shola has had 24 different strike partners at the club ranging from the great Alan Shearer to lesser lights like Michael Owen. He assisted great goals such as the back-heel which set-up Shearer’s record-breaking 201st strike and it was his back header which set up Shearer’s best-ever goal, the 35 yard volley vs Everton. More recently, he chested off the ball before Papiss Cisse defied the laws of football physics with that amazing volley past Petr Cech for the win at Stamford Bridge last season.
7) PENALTIES
Shola Ameobi has a 100% penalty record that is almost unheard of in the modern game with 9 taken, 9 scored. Only Mario Balotelli comes close. A crucial strike against Sunderland at 1-0 down in front of The Gallowgate re-defined courage under pressure and typifies him from the spot. It was with some justification Football365 nominated Ameobi as the favourite to take a life-saving penalty on behalf of its readers.
8) DEPENDABLE
Shola Ameobi is always there for Newcastle United. He has saved the club on countless occasions – the last gasp equaliser against Sunderland two years ago is the most famous example, yet it is a regular occurrence. When people were nervous post-relegation in 2009 about how Newcastle would fare in The Championship - talk of the club ’doing a Leeds’ - he popped up with his first hat-trick for the club in the opening home game vs Reading and the club never looked back. Most recently, he sacrificed international glory in The African Nations Cup with Nigeria to score the winner against QPR which saved Xmas for Newcastle fans and secured a vital win.
Fortunately, Joe Kinnear is a Shola Ameobi fan and started him in 3 of his 4 wins as Manager in the relegation season, 2008-09. Kevin Keegan only played Shola once as Newcastle slid into trouble, the same as Alan Shearer, Ameobi starting the away draw at Stoke when Andy Carroll scored.
There’s more to Shola Ameobi than just Mackem-slaying - only Jackie Milburn boasts more against the Auld Enemy – yet it is no surprise he saves his best performances for the derby as he knows what Newcastle United mean to the fans. That is why he is The Shocal Hero and should be given a new deal.
Read more at http://www.swol.co/newcastle-united--the-shocal-hero--why-shola-ameobi-must-be-given-new-deal/28854#CS4jZVl7IUK7gfTx.99
