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Shola Ameobi

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Shola Ameobi
Personal information
Full name Foluwashola Ameobi
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) [1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Newcastle United
Number 23
Youth career
1995–2000 Newcastle United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000– Newcastle United 242 (49)
2008 → Stoke City (loan) 6 (0)
International career‡
2000–2003 England U21 20 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 October 2011
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 April 2010

Foluwashola "Shola" Ameobi (born 12 October 1981[2]) is an Nigerianfootballer who plays for Premier League club Newcastle United as a forward. Born in Nigeria but raised in Newcastle, he played for England at under-21 level. He is the older brother of fellow footballers Tomi and Sammy.[3] Ameobi has made more appearances for Newcastle than any other player at the club, and received a winner's medal in 2010 when the team lifted the Championship trophy.

Early life

Born in Josepha, Nigeria, Ameobi moved to Newcastle upon Tyne, England when he was five. His initial promise was spotted whilst attending the Walker Central Boys Club, before he was invited to attend Newcastle United's Academy.[2]

Club career

Ameobi signed a pre-contract with Newcastle on 1 July 1997.[2] He progressed through the youth setup, making his debut in the reserves in 1998 on the 11th of October against Sunderland. He made his first team debut two years later, 9 September 2000, in a home game against Chelsea.[2] He went on to make 22 appearances for Newcastle that season,[2] in lieu of the injured Alan Shearer and Carl Cort.[2]

The 2002–03 Champions League saw some of Ameobi's finest performances including an equalising goal against FC Barcelona in a 3–1 defeat at the Nou Camp[4] as well as scoring two goals against Bayer Leverkusen in a 3–1 victory.[5]

His erratic form has earned him some criticism in the past,[citation needed] and although never having been claimed as a prolific goalscorer, many of his games were as a substitute.[citation needed] Due to injuries in the latter stages of the 2005–06 season, Ameobi gained a regular starting place, and scored six goals in Newcastle's last 12 Premier League games.[citation needed]

In the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup, Ameobi scored twice in Newcastle's away tie at Lillestrøm SK (3–0),[6] taking him to second place in the club's table of leading goalscorers in European competition with twelve goals, behind only Shearer.[7]

During the 2006–07 season, Ameobi needed a hip operation, a problem which had been plaguing him for two seasons. Newcastle's shortage of match-fit first team strikers during the previous season had forced him to be postpone this surgery.[8] The problem eventually forced Glenn Roeder to send Ameobi for surgery two months before the transfer window, making the 0–0 draw away game to Manchester City his last game and ruling him out for the rest of the season.[citation needed] He had made 13 appearances (three as a substitute) and scored five goals.[citation needed]

Ameobi and the Newcastle medical team reported his hip operation in the United States was a success and that the club doctors and medical staff would work on his rehabilitation.[citation needed] It was originally thought that he would not be fit to play until the start of the 2007–08 season, but his rehabilitation progressed quickly and he returned with three games remaining in the season, clocking approximately 30 minutes of match action against Reading[9] and making a further two appearances.

However, after failing to impress Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce,[10] or Kevin Keegan[11] on 27 March 2008, Ameobi agreed a loan deal with Stoke City until the end of the season, to help their promotion campaign. It is understood that a loan fee of around £500K was agreed and that a possible permanent transfer was also discussed subject to Stoke winning promotion.[12] Ameobi made his debut for Stoke against Sheffield Wednesday on 29 March, the game ended 1–1. After playing for six games and not managing to score, Ameobi returned to Newcastle, and Stoke decided not to sign him permanently.[13]

On 14 August, Ipswich Town manager Jim Magilton confirmed that the club were in talks with Ameobi and that the club were keen to get the deal finalised as long as Ameobi was willing to play in the Championship. However, on 17 August, Ameobi failed a medical, showing hamstring problems, and the deal collapsed.[14]

Ameobi warming up on the sidelines against Ipswich Town in 2010.

Due to long term injuries to Mark Viduka and Alan Smith,[citation needed] as well as shorter term injuries to Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins,[citation needed] Ameobi was able to start the 2008–09 season in the first team squad. He managed to score his first goal in two years for Newcastle in a 2–2 home draw with Manchester City on 20 October.[15] After the match, interim manager Joe Kinnear praised Ameobi and backed him to kick-start his career.[16] He followed this up with a goal in his next game away to Sunderland in a 2–1 defeat on 25 October.[17] He signed a new deal with the club in January 2009 to keep him contracted until 2012.[18]

He scored a penalty to mark his 50th goal for Newcastle on 1 February 2009 against local rivals Sunderland to make the final score 1–1. He scored his first ever career hat-trick in Newcastle's first home match in the Championship against Reading on 15 August. The first two goals were diving headers, and he completed his hat-trick with a penalty, which he placed in the bottom left corner, sending the keeper the wrong way.[19] He scored in the next game in a 1–0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday[20] taking his tally to four goals in three games, equalling his total for the previous season.[citation needed] Following these early season performances he was named the Championship player of the month for August.[21]

Ameobi playing against Chelsea in 2011.

He got injured in Newcastle's 4–3 win over Huddersfield Town in the League Cup.[citation needed] The injury kept him out for three months but on his return he scored against Coventry with a left footed strike from the edge of the box.[22] He followed this up by scoring the second in Newcastle's 2–0 home win over Middlesbrough[23] and their 2–2 away draw with Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day[24] taking his tally to an impressive 8 goals from 9 starts.[citation needed] Ameobi was subsequently sidelined with a hamstring injury but made the bench against Nottingham Forest on 29 March 2010. Ameobi appeared early in the second half as a substitute, and soon made his presence felt, firing in an angled left-footed shot off the post to give United the lead in a 2–0 victory.[25] On 3 April 2010, Ameobi scored the decisive goal in a 3–2 victory at Peterborough United.[26]

On 22 September 2010 Ameobi scored two goals in a surprise victory away at Chelsea in the League Cup, including the winner in the 90th minute.[27] On 16 October 2010, Ameobi came off the bench to score Newcastle's first in a 2-2 draw against Wigan Athletic.[28] After his good performance against Wigan, he started the next game against West Ham United alongside Andy Carroll putting in a good performance as The Magpies came from 1-0 down to win 2-1. He scored twice in Newcastle's next league game on 31 October 2010 as Newcastle crushed local rivals Sunderland 5-1 at St. James' Park. On 2 January 2011, he scored the winner in a 1-0 win at Wigan Athletic.[29]

Despite suffering with a cheek bone injury in February which required him to wear a mask which impaired his vision upon his return, he was a regular starter after Christmas with the sale of Andy Carroll. He signed a contract extension to the end of the 2013–14 season on 10 August 2011. His current deal was due to expire at the end of the season.[30]

International career

Nigerian-born Ameobi had a three-year spell with England's under-21 team, netting seven goals between 2000 and 2003.[2] Ameobi is the joint eighth highest goal scorer for the under-21s.[2]

In late 2009, Ameobi declared his interest in playing for Nigeria.[31] On 14 January 2011, he was announced in the Nigerian national squad for the first time, for a friendly against Guatemala in the United States, in February.[32] He withdrew from the replacement game against Sierra Leone after breaking his cheekbone in a Premier League match.

On 1 November 2011, it was announced that FIFA had cleared Ameobi to play for Nigeria.[33]

Career statistics

England
Season Club Loan Division League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total Discipline
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals A yellow card A red card
2011–12 Newcastle United Premier League 6 1 0 0 1 0 – – 7 1 1 0
2010–11 Premier League 28 6 0 0 2 3 – – 30 9 3 0
2009–10 Championship 18 10 2 0 1 1 – – 21 11 2 0
2008–09 Premier League 22 4 0 0 0 0 – – 22 4 1 0
2007–08 Stoke City Loan Championship 6 0 0 0 0 0 – – 6 0 2 0
2007–08 Newcastle United Premier League 6 0 0 0 2 0 – – 8 0 0 0
2006–07 Premier League 12 3 0 0 0 0 4 2 16 5 1 0
2005–06 Premier League 30 9 3 0 0 0 1 0 34 9 5 0
2004–05 Premier League 31 2 5 3 2 1 7 1 45 7 6 1
2003–04 Premier League 26 7 1 0 1 0 13 3 41 10 2 0
2002–03 Premier League 28 5 1 0 0 0 10 3 39 8 4 0
2001–02 Premier League 15 0 1 0 3 2 6 3 25 5 3 0
2000–01 Premier League 20 2 2 0 0 0 – – 22 2 0 0
Newcastle United total 242 49 15 3 12 7 41 12 310 71 28 1
Career total 248 49 15 3 12 7 41 12 316 71 30 1
(correct as of 22 October 2011)[34]

Honours

Newcastle United

References

  1. ^ "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Shola Ameobi Profle". Newcastle United FC. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  3. ^ "Sam Ameobi Profle". Newcastle United FC. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  4. ^ Gadgil, Anjana (11 December 2002). "Barcelona 3 - 1 Newcastle". London: guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  5. ^ "Newcastle stun Bayer". BBC Sport. 19 February 2003. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  6. ^ "L'strom 0-3 Newcastle (agg 1-4)". BBC Sport. 22 July 2006. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  7. ^ "The Toon in Europe 1968-2009 the story so far..." NUFC.com. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  8. ^ "Shola set for hip op". Sky Sports. 25 October 2006. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  9. ^ "Ameobi thrilled to return". Sky Sports. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  10. ^ "Ameobi grabs Keegan lifeline". Sky Sports. 21 January 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  11. ^ "Keegan issues Ameobi warning". Sky Sports. 15 February 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  12. ^ "Potters pounce for Ameobi". Sky Sports. 27 March 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  13. ^ "Potters deny Ameobi deal". Sky Sports. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  14. ^ "Injury halts Ameobi move". Sky Sports. 19 August 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  15. ^ "City deny ten-man Toon". Sky Sports. 20 October 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  16. ^ "Kinnear wants Ameobi reaction". Sky Sports. 21 October 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
  17. ^ Phillips, Owen (25 October 2008). "Sunderland 2–1 Newcastle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 October 2008.
  18. ^ "Ameobi pens new deal at Newcastle". BBC Sport. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  19. ^ Henson, Mike (15 August 2009). "Newcastle 3–0 Reading". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  20. ^ "Newcastle 1-0 Sheff Wed". BBC Sport. 19 August 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  21. ^ "Ameobi wins player of month award". BBC Sport. 12 September 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  22. ^ "Coventry 0-2 Newcastle". BBC Sport. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  23. ^ "Newcastle 2-0 Middlesbrough". BBC Sport. 20 December 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  24. ^ "Sheff Wed 2-2 Newcastle". BBC Sport. 26 December 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  25. ^ "Newcastle 2-0 Nott'm Forest". BBC Sport. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  26. ^ "Peterborough 2-3 Newcastle". BBC Sport. 3 April 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  27. ^ "Cheslea 3-4 Newcastle". BBC Sport. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  28. ^ "Newcastle 2 - 2 Wigan". BBC Sport. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  29. ^ "Wigan 0 - 1 Newcastle". BBC Sport. 2 January 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  30. ^ "Ameobi pens Newcastle deal". London Evening Standard. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  31. ^ Ameobi wants Nigeria call-up KickOff Magazine, 20 November 2009
  32. ^ "Ameobi snubs England for Nigeria". http://supersport.com/. 14 January 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2010. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  33. ^ "Fifa clears Shola Ameobi, Moses to play for Nigeria". BBC Sport. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  34. ^ "Statistics". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 October 2008.

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