Lee Clark took Shane Ferguson on loan in February, and the Derry-born player appeared 11 times with one goal for Birmingham City, and he got some rave reports for his play over the last couple of months.
Shane Ferguson – brilliant at Birmingham
And former Newcastle player and coach Lee Clark, who is now the Birmingham City manager, has heaped praise on the 21 year-old Northern Ireland International today in the Evening Chronicle:
“Fergie has been brilliant for us – both at left wing and left-back.” “He has made goals and scored goals too.”
“He has been a breath of fresh air, to be honest.” “We would not hesitate in taking him back next season if the chance came up.”
That sounds like a player Newcastle could do with in the last two games of the season – doesn’t it.
And Shane himself has talked about his very successful loan spell:
“I have heard what the manager has said.” “It is good to hear. It gives me a lot of confidence.” “It is great for me as a player, to help me try to progress as a player.”
“At the moment it is just about playing and hopefully keeping it going.” “I just want to play games. I have enjoyed my time here at Birmingham.” “Everyone has made me feel welcome.”
We expect Shane to be on the bench at QPR on Sunday, and he may get to play on the left-wing in the second half to provide some of those pinpoint crosses for Papiss Cisse.
And Sammy Ameobi is also back in the Newcastle squad – after his koan spell at Middlesbrough – where he made 9 appearances with one goal, and will also be available.
It will be interesting to see if Sammy makes the bench on Sunday, after 18 year-old striker Adam Campbell has been on the bench in the last few games.
Comments welcome.
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook and +1 us on Google+:
You can also reach Ed at admin@nufcblog.com
=============================================
118 comments so far
JackButler
May 7, 2013 at 10:53 AM
Comment #1I’d have Fergie in the side before Jonas, as he has the work rate we need plus is a far greater threat going forward who can actually cross the ball
Indian Magpie (HD_07 on Twitter)
May 7, 2013 at 10:56 AM
Comment #2I am going for a 3-0 victory at QPR
Rainrix
May 7, 2013 at 10:57 AM
Comment #3Sage… Yup i think a lot of people have been wanting santon further up for a while now especially with haidara coming in. He’s a great outlet and is really good at dribbling out of defence which is a great asset. Course thats all dependent on us staying up and pardew going. Its obvious that pardews not one for innovation and experimentation.
Black and White with an army lol
May 7, 2013 at 10:58 AM
Comment #4Fergie could be like bale if trained properly, he has the potential to become a great player but under Pard’s i very much doubt it.
Black and White with an army lol
May 7, 2013 at 10:58 AM
Comment #5Indian Magpie
wish i had your faith mate
Spoof
May 7, 2013 at 11:00 AM
Comment #6JB, having Fergie in the side ahead of Jonas would be a poor player replacing a poor player, however I would rather have the poor player with experience than the poor one without it, experience could be vital for us in the next 2 games, it would be unfair to put Fergie into the mess which we are currently in.
Indian Magpie (HD_07 on Twitter)
May 7, 2013 at 11:01 AM
Comment #7Black and White with an army lol
Trust me, it will help our GD too. I think swansea will get atleast a pont today.
WWYCD
May 7, 2013 at 11:02 AM
Comment #8He’ll save our season then! Nar not really but good on him for little jaunt to Birmingham
QPR will have 5 injuries currently according to physioroom notably to Cesar, Bosingwa and Samba though Sambas return is dated as the 12th so he could feature against us hopefully not though still wont be a easy game but we have more than enough to be able to beat them and near enough secure our PL football next season
Transfer Sage
May 7, 2013 at 11:02 AM
Comment #9sammy shouldn’t be near the team.
A few friends are boro fans and they said other than his first two games he did nothing, was lazy on the pitch and had little to offer for a pass/shot, only positive is he has quick feet but no end product so wasted.
Very much like when he played for us, needs another season out to see if he can develop that final pass.
Spoof
May 7, 2013 at 11:03 AM
Comment #10Indian Magpie, 3-0 and Swansea getting at least a point, do you really believe that or is it wishful thinking ?
WWYCD
May 7, 2013 at 11:04 AM
Comment #11Fergie could be like Bale?! I’ll take some of whatever ur having mate
JackButler
May 7, 2013 at 11:05 AM
Comment #12Spoof
How can you say he’s a poor player???
Technically he’s very good, has a great turn of pace, a work ethic that would but most of our starting 11 to shame, he tracks back, he can score goals and he can cross the ball and unlike Jonas he wouldn’t just be a passenger who constantly gives the ball away.
Under any other manager Jonas would have the warmest arse in football as he wouldn’t get off the bench and Fergie would have been used instead of being shipped out of loan when we have a very small squad
Rotonda heights
May 7, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Comment #13Jimmysmith
How the f..k is Martinez the Spanish Pardew? Dumbest comment ever.
Martinez teams play football, Pardew’s don’t.
Remember our 4-0 last season when they out passed us to death like a mini Barcelona.
Martinez has never had money like Pardew (20M in January) and ok they may finally go down this year but it is a miracle how he’s kept them up year after year with no money and all their best players (N’Zogbia, Palacios, Moses etc) always being sold on.
Big Pappa Cissé
May 7, 2013 at 11:07 AM
Comment #14It tells you something when this lad can already deliver a ball better than Gutierrez despite being a decade younger. Just hope we can leave him there for another season and not have to use him ourselves in the Championship.
Spoof
May 7, 2013 at 11:08 AM
Comment #15TS, in all honesty m8, I think Sammy needs a career out of Newcastle and not just a season, he is hopeless
jayphoto
May 7, 2013 at 11:08 AM
Comment #16Sammy definately needs another loan move, think his redeeming factor is that he has a great attitude and is said to be one of the hardest working on the training ground! For fergie i think hes good enough to be a squad player! He has more assists for us this season than jonas and only 1 less than HBA! His crossing ability is decent and he usually creates chances with his pace and crosses! Expect to see him coming off the bench
Rotonda heights
May 7, 2013 at 11:08 AM
Comment #17rainnrix
Its obvious that pardews not one for innovation and experimentation.
IN A NUTSHELL
Big Pappa Cissé
May 7, 2013 at 11:12 AM
Comment #18@ rotonda
Exactly m8 . You didn’t see them go 1-0 up against us at home then just try to sit on it for the rest of the game. No they kept passing and moving then they won it comfortably. Martinez is twice the manager Pardew will ever be and plays attractive football with inferior players than us. I pray Wigan go down so we can nab him despite what he said about Mcmanaman.
Transfer Sage
May 7, 2013 at 11:13 AM
Comment #19spoof
Agree, much like his brother he has ability but for whatever reason can only show it 5% of the time and the rest he is lazy, doesn’t work hard and press the ball or make many runs.
I think a loan with the ultimatum of sort yourself out or you are gone will give him one final chance and if nothing else gives him a chance to impress another club at that level to get a new club.
Slank
May 7, 2013 at 11:13 AM
Comment #20Transfer Sage,
A repost:
I believe that the principal reason why the team appears so defensive is a collective lack of confidence.
When players lose their confidence they become cautious which often has a Catch 22 effect in that they start to lose games which makes them even more cautious resulting in an ever increasing decline in performance and results.
We see it every year with the teams at the bottom of the table. There are many reasons why so many of our players have lost their confidence. Some of these reasons possibly include (a) too many games (b) playing when not fully fit (c) trying to integrate too many new players all at once (d) too many new players not ‘up to speed’ with the Premiership and (e) too many key players out injured too often.
Cabaye and Tiote have been poor this season, well below their abilities. Sissoko, Debuchy and Yanga-Mbiwa are not yet fully acclimatised to the Premiership, similar to Colo when he first started playing for us. Haidara just isn’t good enough, yet. Injuries to Ben Arfa, Marveaux, Santon, Raylor, Vu?ki?, Krul and Colo have exacerbated an already shaky situation with so many rookies trying to find their Premiership feet alongside experienced players off form.
I would like to think that the situation will improve in the next two games but these things take time to turnaround and we don’t have that luxury.
Rainrix
May 7, 2013 at 11:14 AM
Comment #21Sammy looks like he has the same affliction as his brother, occasional brilliance mired by crippling inconsistency. Give him another season long loan. If he can improve and show consistency than keep a hold of him. If not ship him out and lets not give ourselves another 15 year ameobi sentence.
Rainrix
May 7, 2013 at 11:15 AM
Comment #22Rotonda… Running out of ways to berate pardew really. Everything’s pretty much been covered before. 🙂
Indian Magpie (HD_07 on Twitter)
May 7, 2013 at 11:15 AM
Comment #23Spoof
Trust me I believe it.
Its not a spoof.
ToonDownSouth
May 7, 2013 at 11:15 AM
Comment #24If/when we go down, does anyone think Pardew will be fired?
And which of our players do you think would stay?
Honestly, I’m not usually so downbeat about everything, but I don’t think we have a hope in hell of staying up. I can’t see us scoring a goal against QPR, and I can’t see Swansea beating Wigan tonight.
Spoof
May 7, 2013 at 11:15 AM
Comment #25JB, if Fergie is that good then why is he not in the team, Santon should be a winger imo, but he has kept Fergie out of the side easily, a couple of seasons ago I was really hopeful for him, but he has not improved and at his age he should be improving rapidly, Haidara has looked out of his depth so far, but I feel he has the attributed to develope into a good player, give him time and I’m sure he will be a regular LB for us, he was brought in because Fegie will not develope into premier league class, Fergie might get a load of games next season as he is a championship player, so lets hope he doesn’t
jayphoto
May 7, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Comment #26I’d say the worst thing about this season is that from January, Pardew has had a squad to choose from that is arguably as strong as the squad Bobby Robson had and way stronger than any nufc manager has had in the last 8 years! Colo, MYM, Cabaye and HBA are worldclass players and sissoko, Cisse, Debuchy, krul , anita and Tiote are all close to world class when on form and are regulars in their national teams!Add that to taylor, santon, Marveaux and Gouffran who are all very good players too, add that to solid squad players like simmo, jonas, perch, elliott and it should be criminal this squad is where it is!
Oldgit1
May 7, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Comment #27@ rotunda post 17. Spot on. Totally agree.
Sammi is not going to make it, I have had chats with boro fans who will be glad to see the back of him, he lived off that goal in his first game and thought he had done enough. A bit arrogant in his nature. No real skill. They would prefer his brother.
JackButler
May 7, 2013 at 11:21 AM
Comment #28Spoof
Fergie isn’t in the team as Pardew is incapable/afraid of dropping Jonas even though the guy is a passenger. But I wouldn’t play him as a full back as he isn’t suited to that position so the Haidara comparison doesn’t stand up for me. I’d play him as a winger, imagine that, a winger who can actually cross the ball
JackButler
May 7, 2013 at 11:24 AM
Comment #29Spoof
And as regards of his development over the past few season’s. Perch aside, (who has gone from poor to average), not one single player has developed under Pardew, in fact most have gone backwards
WWYCD
May 7, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Comment #30TDS
No I dont see him being sacked and stop being so negative man we can score goals Cisses been banging them in recently they just have been wrongfully chalked off and QPR are as crap as us but with less flashes of brilliance
JB
Tbf Fergie hasn’t been in the team because hes really not all that good
Transfer Sage
May 7, 2013 at 11:26 AM
Comment #31slank
I think we have been a defensive team under pardew during his full 2 1/2 years here other than maybe 10 matches.
He is a poor manager who cannot coach and makes up for it by keeping 10 men behind the ball.
A good manager can have a team attack but still offer a solid base, with Pardew we have no consistency in attack or defense, it’s just get bodies back, no real plan how to stop teams.
JackButler
May 7, 2013 at 11:28 AM
Comment #32WWYCD
I’d rather see him playing than Jonas who has been poor for far too long but still gets a game. People say that Jonas is in the side because of his work rate, but that should be a given at this level.
toon252
May 7, 2013 at 11:32 AM
Comment #33READ THIS
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but have any of you looked at the league table?
If we lose on Sunday, and Norwich and Wigan win, we will be relegated.
The reason I say this is because our goal difference is worse than everyone else’s. We would have to beat Arsenal by 3-4 clear goals to have a chance of staying up.
That’s not going to happen!
Spoof
May 7, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Comment #34JB, in fairness to Pardew, Krul has played the best football of his career under Pardew, and many say the same goes for Colo, Santon is supposed to be developing as a fullback ( I can’t see it with Colo or Santon, but others can ), Ben Arfa is more consistant ( when fit ) Cabaye has gone from being a really good player to one of Europe’s best midfielders, and when he played for us, as good as he was before he joined us Ba had his best days when with us, so to suggest that all players apart from Perch have failed to improve is a bit rough, over the last few weeks yes, I would agree with that, but generally that’s a bit unfair
toonluvva
May 7, 2013 at 11:34 AM
Comment #35Shane Ferguson is our future whereas Jonas is fast becoming our past. It’s the nature of football.
I’d put him on the bench for the last 2 matches to get the experience of a PL dogfight. He’ll certainly need it as if we avoid the drop this season, we’ll be back in it next time round if Llambias & Pardew stay.
WWYCD
May 7, 2013 at 11:35 AM
Comment #36JB
Maybe so but neither are going to offer all that much but Jonas has a lot more experience and opens his mouth
toon252
What u mean we might get relegated? I didnt realize that, thanks for informing me
Oldgit1
May 7, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Comment #37Re Jonas: I believe a lot of you bloggers who knock him don’t realise how much of an asset he is to the team. His work rate is phenomenal and shows up a lot of his fellow team mates. He is also a minder for a lot of the defence players ie an outlet or tracking back to help them.
He has nuisance value whereby he try’s to retrieve the ball off the opposing players.
He is no longer a winger infact can’t remember him flying up the wing and putting a good cross in. He is a CDM and does make a contribution to the team.
His holdup play is brilliant, he can fall down like a pack of cards when tackled and earns us a free kick, the stats of the most fouled player is there for all to see. So this would suggest that other teams see him as a threat.
All hail Jonas. Don’t knock him.
Hwtl
carl
May 7, 2013 at 11:39 AM
Comment #38headtheball
So your a lifetime fan. I can only remember Beardsley of all the greats you mentioned . You have the somewhat rare distinction on here of remembering us win the FA cup 3 times in 5 years and the Fairs Cup in 1969. I had you down as a mate of the troubled Ruddy just playing his dark mood games. So it was a pleasant surprise to find that your a Newcastle aficionado. Given the time difference are you in Australia?
It really doesn’t matter we need all the help we can get. HWTL
Jail for Ashley
May 7, 2013 at 11:41 AM
Comment #39Pardew harping on about not being able to compete with the big boys all season may have had an affect on those players who consider themselves good enough to compete with said big boys.
Rotonda heights
May 7, 2013 at 11:42 AM
Comment #40wwycd
I think you’ll find the only one being negative is Pardew with his ultra-defensive formations while we are powerless to stop his inspired train crash.
Pardew has got previous after all with 2 other clubs and now us.
If you continue to make excuses for Pardew in the inexcusable position we are in now, then any credibility you may think you have will be well and truly shot.
We’re not rubbish for a few disallowed goals , we have been rubbish for 36 games. We’re way beyond ifs, buts and maybes.