Kevin Keegan wants to get the best out of Shola Ameobi at Newcastle United and he’s hoping that Michael Owen can help him do this.
Kevin Keegan – trying to get the best our of Michael and Shola
Keegan hopes Owen can help him get the very best out of Shola Ameobi, who seemed delighted to return to the team on Saturday. But while Shola has had some great games at the club, he is still not consistent enough and doesn’t score enough goals.
In his 167 appearances for the Magpies he has only scored 28 goals. That’s an average of one goal every 6 games – really not good enough for a striker, and that would be around 6 goals a season over 38 games. Shola also played 20 times for the England Under-21 side and scored 7 goals.
But Glenn Roeder seemed to know how to get the best out of him and he averaged one goal every two games when he played for Glenn, and proved he could get the goals when he had to. Shola’s a massive physical specimen at 6’2″ and still needs to use his physical prowess more than he does right now.
Kevin is of course a legendary motivator of football players, which is hardly surprising to those who have been listening to his talks since he came back to the club last Wednesday. He’s also good at inspiring the fans too. Kevin is hoping Owen can help Shola, and of course this will help Michael because Kevin is using his experience to help the team. Kevin’s a wise man. 😀
He told the Evening Chronicle today:
“Michael kept talking to Shola, who did fantastically well to play considering he’s had hardly any proper training.â€
“If you’ve played football, you know how difficult that is. He wanted to play, and whilst he’s still got things to learn, he can learn them.â€
Kevin is starting to work his magic at the club, and maybe Shola can still carve himself out a place in Kevin’s future plans for Newcastle United.
What do you think?
Let us know – thanks.
74 comments so far
Black and White Blood
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:22 PM
Comment #1Oh my god….
NO, please shoot him!!
ronaldeano
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Comment #2Please Kev, tell the lad to sling his fookin hook!!
Keith
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Comment #3amoebi had shearer to guide and teach him..but he didnt improve after so many years.. i dun think owen and keegan can change him into a premiership player.. so he should juz go..
James
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:28 PM
Comment #4We all know Shola is terrible. But under Keegan everyone starts with a clean slate. Its just the way he works. When he sees that Shola is not improving he will get rid of him in the summer.
ronaldeano
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:28 PM
Comment #5He’s not friggin good enough for the premier league. Come on mr Roeder, make a bid for this clown so we can get on with our main recruitment drive! Fred please kev!
al
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Comment #6If we want to move forward we need to get rid of the dross at the club.Ameobi has had his chance and proved again on saturday that he cannot cut it at this level. I find this comment from keegan very depressing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thelongshanks
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:31 PM
Comment #7He is just giving shola back his confidence cuz we need him till we get rest of strikers back.shrewd move but he def has to go.That scoring record is awful!
Oba Martins
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Comment #8Keegan always keeps local lads to make up the numbers but will bring some stars players in also in my opinion. Renember Lee clark, Steve Watson etc…well i rekon Ameobi and Ramage are here to stay because know matter how crap they are they will always give there all for Newcastle United.
yongMalaysia
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Comment #9we better play Caroll or Lua-lua than Ameobi… mayb next game is his last chance to prove himself.
ronaldeano
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Comment #10If we want to break into the top four, we need to have better strikers at the club than Ameobi, even better strikers than Smith. BOTH these players dont score enough goals between them! we NEED better strikers. FRED would play a part with strikers Viduka, Owen, Martins than Smith or Ameobi could. He’s available, get FRED Kev!
obafemimartins
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Comment #11it might have been lack of fitness but ameobi didnt seem very livley against bolton and he necer jumped for the ball agaiinst boltons freak centre half (michalik).
ronaldeano
Jan 21, 2008 at 1:42 PM
Comment #12Not good enuf!!!
ObaFan2
Jan 21, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Comment #13Oba Martins, my thoughts 2.
keegan
Jan 21, 2008 at 2:16 PM
Comment #14ronaldeano- i agree with signing fred he is a prolific goalscorer and i dont think he is very old. hed be a great addition to the squad
Gordon
Jan 21, 2008 at 2:19 PM
Comment #15Yep, no talent ass clown.
Think you’ve misjudged the fans’ opinions here Ed 😉
And – once and for all – it’s BAYERN Munich, not Beyern Munich!
keegan
Jan 21, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Comment #16peter ramage is a disgraceful player i would have edgar in ahead of him anyday. its alright just giving your all cos your a toon fan but ameobi and ramage just arent good enough. the best players comin through are youth team seem to be foreign
ToonUSA
Jan 21, 2008 at 2:37 PM
Comment #17ED- what are you thinking writing obseen things like this…….. guy should be sold as soon as posible ASAP
keegan
Jan 21, 2008 at 2:39 PM
Comment #18why do people still say toon fans would rather lose4-3 than win 1-0 that is the biggest load of shit since ameobi
keegan
Jan 21, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Comment #19anyone know what channel i can watch afr nations cup on
nightfall
Jan 21, 2008 at 2:51 PM
Comment #20holding midfielder should be our priority..everyone is blaming our back4 for all the goals we recieved, but i bet my balls if we had a world class DMC in our team we wouldn’t receive 39 goals this season, but 25… yes i know we have 3-4 holding midfielders already, but they all suck: butt gives 40 balls away every match, smith doesn’t break 1 attack and he fouls everyone with the ball and geremi just ain’t good enough..anymore… then some of you said rozehnal can play there…can he really? anyone can play as DMC against a team like bolton – they don’t even play football..defenders are sending balls to the strikers and they hope they’ll score..wow?! try playing rozehnal against arsenal or man utd…and you’ll see how many attacks will he break…perhaps 1!!! we need a world class DMC, ‘cos even 4 world class defenders wouldn’t be able to prevent receiving a goal if we let opponents to walk through our midfield… that’s why sam’s an idiot…he was searching for reasons, why we receive so many goals, in our defence and he blamed it all on them…wtf?! how can anyone in football be so stupid?
oh and btw: some of you said we need a world class RB…am…wtf?! and where will beye play?! cheering next to you?
ronaldeano
Jan 21, 2008 at 2:53 PM
Comment #21Well said KEEGAN, you pay your money to watch your team score goals, that is the most exciting thing about the game,am i right? why watch your team score 1 and not 4? better to score 4 than 1 in my view. We need fred to score them all, cos the rest are just not doing it at the moment, but given time under Keegan, im sure they will
James
Jan 21, 2008 at 2:57 PM
Comment #22Keegan – ANC is on Freeview live every day. Just press the red button (from BBC1). The highlights are then shown on BBC3 each night.
thelongshanks
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:02 PM
Comment #23If Oba improved his touch and finishing we would have a worldclass striker.
keegan
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:03 PM
Comment #24james when is nigeria playin
Anon
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:04 PM
Comment #25Go get DIEGO!!!!
23 year old, established in the Brazil team.
Creates 85% of Werder Bremens goals and chips in with 1 in every 3 games!!!
This kid is the biz and will only get better under keegans style of play!! Alot better bet than Deco, although i do agree that Deco would be a very good signing if we cant get Diego!!!!!!
Kig Kev has stated he wants an experienced CB in the Killer Kilcline mould.
Sol Campbell could be that man, then replace him in a year or 2 with someone younger, by which time I taylor will have come on greatly, push Ab Faye into midfield holding!!
Get Shorey and Gudjohnsen and you would a have very capable team of maybe a top 7 finish IMO.
My team would be
Given
Enrique/Shorey
Campbell
Taylor
Beye
Faye
Diego
Duff / Zoggy
Milner / Zoggy
Gudjohnsen
Owen / Martins
maggpie
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:05 PM
Comment #26Ameobi is awful and that has been obvious for years. If you read his icons website you’ll see it was an unexpected flook when Robson put him on the bench against Chelsea. At the time he was struggling in the youth’s and not making the reserves. He got a lucky break and did OK against Chelsea in his first appearance, and for some strange reason (mainly injuries to other strikers) he’s hung around the firsr team since, despite being total rubbish.
Once the suspensions are completed and the Africans are back, he’ll be lucky to make the bench and any new signings will push him back further.
Sadly, I don’t think he’s even good enough for the championship and I eventually expect him to drift down to Hartlepool or Darlo and maybe even out of the league to Blythe or Gateshead.
Sorry, don’t mean to be personal but he is just so poor its unbelievable.
Black and White Blood
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:05 PM
Comment #27James – Yeah I think you could be right, keep him happy while we’re short, convince him he has what it takes then get rid of him over the summer! (4)
Oba Martins (8) – Thats the problem, he never gives his all!
keegan (18) – I think they refer to the mean… I would hate to go and watch a team like the old Arsenal under GM, game after game. I would much rather watch close exciting games, not knowing who will score next – My passion come from anticipation of a goal, all the stuff that comes before the end result. Hey but thats just me!!!
obafemimartins (11) – He freaks me!!!!!
Leo*
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Comment #28he isnt good enough, but its good that keegan is going to motivate him, if he has to play i would rather him have confidence than not
Black and White Blood
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:10 PM
Comment #29Leo – I agree..
James
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:11 PM
Comment #30Black & White Blood – Exactly, there’s no point Keegan saying Shola is crap and having to keep him for another 5 months. He may as well give him enouragement on the off chance that he trains harder.
Nigera game is on at 5pm today against Ivory Coast (Drogba). It is live on freeview. Should be a cracker.
Oba Martins was on Setenta saying he was shocked we got rid of Fat Sam. :
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=555312
Black and White Blood
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:13 PM
Comment #31Anyone know when we find out decision on FA Cup tickets..? Deadline was Sat 19th. Worried about travel arrangements!
James
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:13 PM
Comment #32Some other news today :
Tozer scored for us (under 18s) at the weekend, and aparently played very well in a 1-1 draw with Forest.
The Defoe deal didn’t happen because Ramos wanted Owen in exchange and Keegan told him to F off, as did Owen who doesn’t want to leave. (according to some of the papers)
keegan
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Comment #33nice one -james defo be watching oba
Black and White Blood
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:18 PM
Comment #34James – You know i think Martins is going in the summer.
ronaldeano
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:19 PM
Comment #35Hope Oba uses the African cup experence to sort out his first touch and his finishing cos then he would be one of the best in the world
Black and White Blood
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:22 PM
Comment #36Ramos most over rated manager in PL… He inherited the Sevilla team, prior to that he achieved very moderate success.
James
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:22 PM
Comment #37ronaldeano – no chance of that. he needs a world class finisher to help him – which is why Shearer as number 2 would be a good move. he could work with Martins and improve him.
we all know if we had a striker with martins’s pace and owen’s footballing brain we’d have the best striker in europe.
Black and White Blood
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:24 PM
Comment #38ronaldeano – I like Oba KK type of player – a type of Asprilla !!!!
James
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:26 PM
Comment #39black and white – I agree. Keegan doesn’t like strikers who miss chances. He gets very frustrated with them.
Martins will need to improve greatly if he is to have a future with keegan. His positional play is terrible. But hopefully Keegan and Shearer can improve him.
Although Shearer has been very critical of Martins in the past (on MOTD).
Andreas
Jan 21, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Comment #40Gordon – it’s actually Bayern München (soz, mate couldn’t resist).