At the age of 32, Newcastle’s veteran striker Shola Ameobi has made the Nigerian World Cup squad of 23, so in the twilight of his career he will get to take part in a World Cup, and that’s great news for Shola, who will leave Newcastle at the end of the month when his contract runs out. And news also, as expected, that Cheick Tiote has made the Ivory Coast squad of 23.
Shola Ameobi – in Nigeria’s colors
Ameobi has played for fourteen years in the Newcastle first team, ever since Sir Bobby Robson gave him his Newcastle debut against Chelsea way back in September of 2000.
Shola and Cheick becomes the fourth and fifth Newcastle players to make the World Cup, with Mathieu Debuchy and Moussa Sissoko of France and Tim Krul of Holland also taking part in the tournament, which starts next week in Brazil.
Here is the full 23 man Nigerian squad that has just been announced by manager Stephen Keshi:
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, Chigozie Agbim
Defenders: Joseph Yobo, Elderson Echiejile, Juwon Oshaniwa, Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Kenneth Omeruo, Efe Ambrose, Kunle Odunlami
Midfielders: John Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi, Ramon Azeez, Michael Uchebo, Reuben Gabriel
Strikers: Osaze Odemwingie, Ahmed Musa, Shola Ameobi, Emmanuel Emenike, Babatunde Michael, Victor Moses, Uche Nwofor
In his Newcastle career Shola played 396 games with 79 goals and 37 goals, and he currently has six caps for Nigeria with two goals.
Here is the Ivory Coast squad of 23 which has only just been announced by manager Sabri Lamouchi, and it includes Swansea striker Wilfried Bony and the great Didier Drogba, as well as Cheick:
Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Sylvain Gbohouo (Sewe Sport), Sayouba Mande (Stabaek)
Defenders: Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro (Toulouse), Serge Aurier (Toulouse), Souleyman Bamba (Trabzonspor), Arthur Boka (VfB Stuttgart), Viera Diarrassouba (Caykur Rizespor), Constant Djakpa (Eintracht Frankfurt), Kolo Toure (Liverpool), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor)
Midfielders: Geoffroy Serey Die (Basel), Ismael Diomande (St Etienne), Max Gradel (St Etienne), Cheick Tiote (Newcastle United), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Didier Ya Konan (Hannover 96)
Forwards: Mathis Bolly (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Wilfried Bony (Swansea City), Didier Drogba (Galatasaray), Gervinho (AS Roma), Salomon Kalou (Lille), Giovanni Sio (Basel)
Comments welcome.
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20 comments so far
Lilongwe Geordie
Jun 3, 2014 at 7:55 AM
Comment #1Get in big Shol’s!! Good luck to him! I will now be following England, Brazil and Nigeria this World Cup! (Lucky the Mrs is South American and I can legitimately follow Brazil as my second side 😉 )
mindshaft
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:01 AM
Comment #2Good luck to him, hope he scores a cracking goal or two
firebug666
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:02 AM
Comment #3Aye good luck Shola. I only have to follow England, my lass is Turkish, and as luck has it she is in Istanbul now visiting family.
I stayed home with the kids because of school, but I will have un-interrupted viewing of the world cup.
I might have missed out on Istanbul but I have total control over the TV remote.
sweendog
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:05 AM
Comment #4best of luck Shola .. not matter what anyone says you scored some crucial goals for us and you’re a Geordie ..
Lilongwe Geordie
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:06 AM
Comment #5Firebug,
I don’t own a TV out here, but the neighbour does, and she is going to the US for 6 weeks from the 10th, and has given me her spare keys and full permission to use the house. Happy days!!
ganiyu
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:09 AM
Comment #6my money is on france and Nigeria all the way. I don’t think england will qualify from the group stages .
Blofal
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:10 AM
Comment #7Thats a pretty powerful Ivory Coast Squad.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:11 AM
Comment #8Ganiyu,
Sadly, I agree with that. I think England will have done well to collect 3 points. Although I do like the squad Hodgson has taken.
firebug666
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:11 AM
Comment #9Lilongwe Geordie
Well that’s two of us sorted. Yipeeee!
Ah well have to go and take the daughter to school now, Should have got a people carrier rather than a mobility scooter.
Average_Contents
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:16 AM
Comment #10Firebug
Did you borrow the mobility scooter off wor shamamobi 😉
AmericanMagpie
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:18 AM
Comment #11Somebody text me if Shola gets in a game.
Toon-Prodigy
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:30 AM
Comment #12Jail,
It’s a shambles. I’d say a two year shelf life for any player who does well at NUFC. Maybe even one year if he has an outstanding season and a good profit margin can be had.
Let’s face it, whoever we sign and does well in his first couple of years he is going to be touted, just like Cabaye was for the full season previous. They coax offers by never shutting up about losing the said player through every transfer window, this is how they work.
The only reason Tiote and Ben Arfa are still here is down to their inconsistency in this league. If they had been outstanding for an ample amount of time and a good offer came in they would be sold at the first possible opportunity.
I don’t doubt that for a second.
toonarmydownsouth
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:31 AM
Comment #13Buzzing for Shola, well done lad go and enjoy it lad fully deserve it
Great news for Tiote too, had a decent season in a sh1t side, when he got that armband he turned in to superman!!!
American Mag
He’ll get a game there coach speaks very very highly of him and was delighted when he was finally available for selection
nut meg
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:31 AM
Comment #14Great news for the big man,i’m delighted for him.
Lilo @ 5
A really good neighbour would leave the fridge well stocked with beer for you…..have you checked ?
Blofal
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:32 AM
Comment #15Sydney FC have made enquiries about Shola.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:39 AM
Comment #16Nut meg,
Haha, very true!!
I’m not sure she is that nice, although I’d imagine she will have a few bottles of wine, which will do at a push! I will mention it to her though!
toonarmydownsouth
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:44 AM
Comment #17Lilo
Seeing as your clearly doing her a massive favour I think your well within your rights to demand she leaves the front room like this!
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toonarmydownsouth
Jun 3, 2014 at 8:47 AM
Comment #18Damn you copy and paste!
toonluvva
Jun 3, 2014 at 12:46 PM
Comment #19Really pleased for Shola, I hope a gets a game or two.
I thought it was terrible when NUFC refused to allow him to take part in the African Cup of Nations a few years back.
Brutooon
Jun 3, 2014 at 11:39 PM
Comment #20Shola Ameobi at the world cup is the joke of the century.
He will slip, he will show his “sh*t” skills
World Cup 2014 will be a disaster