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Shola Ameobi

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http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-stay-up-its-essential-10962035

 

Newcastle have to stay up - it's 'essential' for the city and the fans, believes Shola Ameobi

 

08:30, 29 Feb 2016

By Chris Waugh

 

Newcastle United are languishing in the Premier League's bottom three, but ex-striker Shola Ameobi has backed them to beat the drop

 

Shola Ameobi believes Newcastle United have enough “quality” to avoid the drop - and he has warned it is “essential” for the city that the club remains in the Premier League.

 

The 34-year-old, who is now playing for League One Fleetwood Town, experienced the bitter pain of relegation with his hometown club back in 2008-09.

 

However, former Nigeria international forward Ameobi also helped United return to the top flight at the first time of asking, but he does not think Newcastle can afford to drop out of the Premier League this season.

 

Despite that, United are third-bottom of the table with just a dozen games remaining.

 

The quality is there within the squad to stay up, insists Ameobi, it’s just about finding “consistency”.

 

Asked by The Chronicle if he was confident Newcastle would retain their top-flight status, Ameobi replied: “Yeah, I have to be because I am a fan first and foremost - I am desperate for them to stay up.

 

“The club, the fans and the city as a whole need Newcastle to be a Premier League side; it is essential. Every time I watch them, you can see there’s quality there.

 

“But it’s all about the consistency and being together as a team. Not conceding goals too, which we all know has been a serious issue.

 

“We’ve always had that at Newcastle and it’s all about what we do as a team offensively because we’re likely to concede goals, and I think if they can get that sorted they can get out of it.”

 

Steve McClaren has tasted just six Premier League victories since taking over as Newcastle boss last summer, and Ameobi insists it was always going to be a “very difficult job” at St James’ Park.

 

Changing the team’s playing style and introducing a raft of new players into the squad is a difficult task, but Ameobi has backed McClaren to keep United up.

 

He added: “I know Steve McClaren has a very difficult job there, and he was always going to have coming in and having to embed loads of new players into the squad.

 

“He also wants to get his own style of play installed, which is totally different to the predecessor.

 

“It was always going to be difficult but I do believe we have enough to stay in the league, absolutely.”

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aleksandar-mitrovic-can-success-newcastle-10962053

 

Aleksandar Mitrovic can be a success at Newcastle if given time, says Ameobi - here's why

 

07:30, 29 Feb 2016

By Chris Waugh

 

Newcastle United signed Aleksandar Mitrovic for £13million last summer, but the Serbian has been inconsistent on Tyneside so far

 

Shola Ameobi believes Aleksandar Mitrovic can have as much success at Newcastle United as Yohan Cabaye did - if he is given the same time to bed in as the Frenchman was.

 

In fact, not only has the former Magpies striker used his own personal experience of failing to settle in Turkey to show the difficulty of moving country, he has also compared Mitrovic’s situation to that of former United favourite Cabaye.

 

After Cabaye arrived on Tyneside for £4million during the summer of 2011, Ameobi believes it took the French midfielder several months to adapt the Premier League, as well as a new language and culture.

 

Geordie forward Ameobi himself admits he struggled to adapt to the challenges of moving to a new country when he headed to Gaziantep in Turkey in 2014.

 

Mitrovic arrived at St James’ Park for £13million over the summer but he has netted just five goals in 22 Premier League appearances.

 

Given time, Mitrovic - who is only 21 years old - can adapt to his new surroundings though insists the ex-United forward.

 

“I think we have to give these guys time, Mitrovic needs time,” the 34-year-old told The Chronicle.

 

“Football and the Premier League are unfortunately not like that now though, time waits for no-one. It’s about instant impact. I know that more than anyone.

 

“After going to Turkey, I know about the cultural differences, the change in football styles, the language barriers.

 

“You look at Yohan as a prime example, it took him six-to-eight months to settle down but he became a top, top player in that Premier League.

 

“And hopefully they’ve (Newcastle have) got the players in there, it’s just going to take time unfortunately.

 

“I hope they have enough in their to survive and then give them enough time to bed in and become a force in the league over time.”

 

Newcastle have signed nine players this season, and Ameobi insists it takes time even for seasoned Premier League performers like Jonjo Shelvey and Andros Townsend to bed into a new side.

 

If the current crop of Magpies manage to survive the drop this year though, Ameobi sees a bright future for the group.

 

The now-Fleetwood Town forward added: “It’s really hard to get used to, especially the ferocity and pace of the Premier League and how hard it is physically to get used to.

 

“We know the likes of Mitrovic, (Ayoze) Perez and (Georginio) Wijnaldum have undoubted technical quality, and they’ve shown that they can do it, it’s just about achieving that on a consistent basis.

 

“I do genuinely believe Newcastle have the players to move a lot higher up the table, they just need to be given time, but you don’t get time in the Premier League.

 

“That for me is the really tough aspect, and it makes it very difficult for Mitrovic and the likes who have just come in.

 

“Four, five, six new faces in the team, even if the rest of the players have played in the Premier League for a long time, or even if the new signings have, it takes time to gel.

 

“Players from different countries as well, it is not easy.

 

“It’s going to take a while unfortunately for them to bed in and understand the league and their teammates.”

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/shola-ameobi-adam-armstrong-can-10962003

 

Shola Ameobi: Adam Armstrong can be a 'top player' for Newcastle United

 

05:30, 29 Feb 2016

By Chris Waugh

 

Former Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi has tipped Adam Armstrong to be a 'huge asset' for the Magpies going forward

 

Shola Ameobi has backed Adam Armstrong to become a “top player” for Newcastle United - insisting the 19-year-old forward has the “quality” and the “determination” to succeed at St James’ Park.

 

Former Magpies striker Ameobi came up against the latest Newcastle Academy graduate to be tipped for a huge future when Fleetwood Town downed Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday.

 

Armstrong may have failed to add to his 19 strikes already this season on the day - though he did contribute an assist - but League One’s top-scorer still impressed Ameobi, who netted 79 times for United during 14 years at the club.

 

In fact, as they walked off the field after the match, Ameobi put his arm around a disgruntled Armstrong and offered him words of encouragement.

 

“For me he’s (Armstrong’s) been one of Coventry’s stand-out players this season,” Ameobi told The Chronicle.

 

“He’s got the quality, that’s there for everybody to see, and he scores goals which is the main thing.

 

“He’s got technical ability too. And I felt he did well at Newcastle. Obviously at certain times during his development they (Newcastle) want him to head off on loan, see him play and really progress, which I think he is doing extremely, extremely well at Coventry.

 

“The goals are flowing, and he looks super-confident.

 

“I still think he can be a huge asset to Newcastle in the future if he keeps doing what he’s doing, and I said that to him as we came off the pitch and I put my arm around him.

 

“If he keeps developing and keeps building, keeps putting in the work, then I think he can be a top player at Newcastle. That’s what I said to him.

 

“He’s very driven, and you need to be if you want to make it at the top level in this game; you need to have that determination and he’s got that in spades.”

 

Being a Geordie himself, Ameobi knows all about the unique feeling of pulling on the black-and-white shirt.

 

But heading out on loan to Coventry in order to develop his game has been exactly what Armstrong needed, believes Shola.

 

“He’s from the area, he knows what it’s all about,” the now-Fleetwood forward added.

 

“He’s been in and around the first team for a few years now at Newcastle, and I think it was important that he did come out and play.

 

“He wasn’t necessarily getting his chance back up there, and now he’s showing everyone what he can do. There’s no better development than playing in competitive games.

 

“As much as the Under-21s is a good building block, it’s these competitive senior games where you get to learn about yourself, you get your edge, you understand what it takes after that."

 

“And Adam’s been one of Coventry’s stand-out players this season, so hopefully he can build on that confidence, go back to Tyneside next season and get a place in the team, which I believe he is more-than capable of doing.”

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