Shola Ameobi came on in the second half against QPR at home, in what was a vital match for Newcastle to win, and with one piece of superb skill, he scored Newcastle’s winner after 81 minutes.
Shola Ameobi – scoring winning goal against QPR
But after that game Alan Pardew said he would not be going to the African Cup of Nations, which caused some consternation coming from the Nigerian Football Federation.
And it has been revealed that Shola has a clause in his contract, which says he will not play in the AFCON, but it looks like that’s exactly what Shola wants to do.
Newcastle have little or no chance of preventing Shola from going to South Africa next month, but if Shola himself had said he didn’t want to play, then there’s not much the Nigerian FF could do about that, and that would have provided some cover for Newcastle.
But that’s not what Shola has been saying, and maybe that’s why he surprisingly hasn’t been seen in the last two games at Old trafford and the Emirates, after his stellar performance against QPR.
And if Shola does go to South Africa to represent Nigeria, then he will likely leave around the 7th January – so it would have made sense to have used him in the last two games.
We have no idea if there’s a spat between manager and player – but it does seem rather odd that Shola has not appeared in the last couple of games.
What do you think?
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16 comments so far
Indian Magpie
Dec 30, 2012 at 9:43 AM
Comment #1I don’t think so. He is his favorite plauer
jimiley
Dec 30, 2012 at 9:46 AM
Comment #28 defeats in 10 games. Thats what you call freefall. And still no dissent on the terraces. Ashley has got the fans just where he wants them. Asleep and walking towards the cliff. Nobody seems to care. Or are they all asleep?
toonbrother
Dec 30, 2012 at 9:47 AM
Comment #3i’m so depressed.The embarrassment of yesterday is unbearable. And since Pardumb appears to have learned the wrong lessons from the thrashing, we are bound to make the same mistakes again before long
Hatem's better than Messi
Dec 30, 2012 at 9:48 AM
Comment #4Let the lad go. He deserves his chance. ‘ In fact he is entitled (The contract means squat).
Should have let Cisse play in the Olympics too!
Petty Pardew.
Unhappy players get you relegated.
toonbrother
Dec 30, 2012 at 9:48 AM
Comment #5losing shola in january is the least of our problems. i’m so depressed.The embarrassment of yesterday is unbearable. And since Pardumb appears to have learned the wrong lessons from the thrashing, we are bound to make the same mistakes again before long
obatoyou
Dec 30, 2012 at 9:53 AM
Comment #6Think we can still do well in the Europa League
With Hatem, Cabaye and S Taylor back, if we field a strong side, though that Russian team with Eto’o scares me :S
Me best mate is a nottingham supporter, from our perspective, I think we’d be mighty jolly if our owner signalled his intentions to go wild in the January transfer window. They brought in 11 players in the summer, after the new owners had been in only the blink of an eye.
this club is fkd mate
squabbling over a championship quality player worth 500k
when we are selling players for 35 mil
what the fk is going on
spend 25 mil pls
we got to buy debuchy, sissoko, remy, at the very minimum, even if we have to spend, 15 mil a player 🙂
Tommyy
Dec 30, 2012 at 9:54 AM
Comment #7Found yesterday extremely difficult to watch, the inability to stop conceding right after scoring is just unbearable, immensely embarrassed after the last 15 mins of that match, especially when watching it with mates.
Becoming rapidly disillusioned at the moment, something has to be done and ASAP we cannot go on like this it’s become a habit and all too familiar to the relegation season.
Hatem's better than Messi
Dec 30, 2012 at 9:55 AM
Comment #8The league table is embarrassing. The last two performances have been excellent, brave fights.
I hope they get a good cheer at SJP.
I´m a proud Geordie today.
hazzy
Dec 30, 2012 at 9:57 AM
Comment #9why is everyone so doom and gloom. yeah we got beat away from home against Arsenal and Manchester United but at least we went out to win and attacked them. Unfortunately the obvious difference in fitness levels at the end against Arsenal resulted in what appears to be a thrashing but prior to the last 15 it was a close run game. I hope we continue on thos path as ee will win more ganes than we lose playing that way
obatoyou
Dec 30, 2012 at 10:04 AM
Comment #10we lost 8 out of 10 dude
though by the strength of our last two games,
it might be the last chance we get for doom and gloom
home to everton after scoring 3 at old trafford and 3 at the emirates, should be a hoot
jimiley
Dec 30, 2012 at 10:10 AM
Comment #11Obatoyou,
Yeah, we should stroll the Everton game.
yorkymag
Dec 30, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Comment #12I don’t get it yes we took a couple beatings over the last few days but we were better and some great performances from Anita ,marveux and biggy that will reap rewards as the season unfolds
Defence was poor and confirmed the real issues .Tiotie made it clear he wants away ,he is focused on the African nations ,what he is not seeing is that when he comes back ,if he comes back ,he won’t get in the team.
And maybe then he will realise he needs to change his attitude.
We never expected any points from these two games so the performance was a bonus ,I am looking forward to Everton and will be trying to play my part in the gallowgate.
Whilst I don’t like cashley and his pet dog ,they made a mistake so I give them a chance to put it right in the window,I am maybe wrong but am prepared to give them a chance .There are lots of worse owners in the premier league
onwards and upwards
Come on
obatoyou
Dec 30, 2012 at 10:14 AM
Comment #13yeah jimiley, are any of our players back? whens hatem and cabaye and people back?
Ian Toon
Dec 30, 2012 at 10:17 AM
Comment #14Rotonda Your constant regurgitating of your opinion has left you trapped in the prison of your preconceptions. I feel no compunction in saying that you and other Catchy disciples are not catalysts for change.
I want a cool, calm , reflective and measured approach to our current difficulties not a mass hysteria bull in a china shop approach. Your basic premise that Mr Pardew is hopeless doesn’t lend itself to recognising the problems he has encountered. The re-structuring of the defence where not surprisingly a lack of technical ability in Simpson and Williamson has caused problems across the whole of the back four. Injuries and suspensions have highlighted the lack of depth in the squad allied too an increased number of games. I watch a lot of our football and I have seen no lack of team spirit /morale. I recognise the vital role that Jonas has played in patching up a weak defence and the need to play more defensive formation. Pre season Pardew in anticipation of securing players openly spoke of 4-2-3-1 it just didn’t materialise. You can blame him as you constantly do but I feel he was let down. Ashley will invest in the window if only to protect his investment . Our fortunes will pick up as HBA and more so Cabaye return and I still go for a top half finish. Pardew’s handling of Marveaux has been superb because he know looks like a PL talented player. I go into the New Year full of anticipated optimism. Timing is everything in football and I am not talking about subs. Nobody is enjoying the current spell but don’t sell your soul to the devil. I read Tads all the time I just can’t believe how often he’s spot on these days.
Anyway a Happy New Year. As always time will tell. AND I hope you’ll be man enough to say that I was right.
NB
By the way I don’t :
– abuse bloggers
– call players cowards
– or change pseudonyms.
go toon go
Dec 30, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Comment #15Yorkymag.Pretty real post.Bravo.
Rotonda heights
Dec 30, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Comment #16Ian,
At first you were just boringly tedious and pompous. Now you’re stalking me. You are again confusing me with someone who gives a stuff about your condescendingly, lengthy and monotone diatribes.
Please find some new people to indulge you as reading about your bromance with pardew doesn’t do it for me.
While you’re thinking of a riposte, please realise that’s time I’ll never get back and please spare me being lectured by someone I don’t get nor want to.
I will, however, leave you with this. Please don’t bother replying as you obviously have very and often repeated fixed views.
Same team as last season. No one of any real quality was really sold. We have lost to many mediocre teams both home and away.
No one put a gun to Pardew’s head and said go back to 442 and play Ba centrally and hoof it. No one complained about willo and simmo lack of ability that much last season in a 433, so I don’t buy we had to play that way for 15 matches which has basically written off this season
If you actually read all of my comments, not just selectively, you will see I have greatly enjoyed the last few games, defending apart. Could you ever see Pardew having the imagination to play a sweeper in a 343 to address the latter?
Yes we can put a lot of blame on Ashley for not strengthening, although Pardew said he was happy to go with what we had, but looking at our calibre of player, you can not completely condone Pardew when our leading scorer and Colo both tellingly say they didn’t like the long ball style.
I could go on but what’s the point? I would just become a parody of you.