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Tag: Shola Ameobi

  • Shola: I’m so proud of Sammy

    Shola: I’m so proud of Sammy

    Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi is delighted seeing kid brother Sammy get his chance this season.

    The brothers were on the scoresheet in midweek for victory in the Capital One Cup.

    “It’s games that matter. I went through this under Sir Bobby Robson. You can train all you like and work as hard as you want, but games is what gets you that experience. And hard-fought games like that are always good to get under your belt, especially early in the season,” Shola told The Mail on Sunday.

    “There’s obviously a sense of pride when I see him play well and obviously seeing him score is magnificent, regardless of where you’re playing or who it is against. We were speaking after the game, and you could see the smile on his face and obviously he’s elated.

    “As a brother, I want to wish him as much success as I can. He’s shown that he’ s becoming a good player and he’s understanding the game. He’s turning into a player that Newcastle can really make into a great player. I feel a lot of pride in that, being his brother.”

  • Ameobi leads Eagles attack against South Africa

    Ameobi leads Eagles attack against South Africa

    Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi would lead the Eagles attack in place of Emmanuel Emenike against South Africa on Wednesday night.

    Ameobi, who missed the African Cup of Nations in South Africa due to a clause in his Newcastle United contract, has been outstanding in pre-season for his EPL team and he would be joined in the attack by on form CSKA Moscow hitman Ahmed Musa and Russia-based returnee Victor Obinna Nsofor, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The Eagles defence would be marshalled by Turkey-bound Godfrey Oboabona alongside Warri Wolves Azubuike Egwekwe in the heart of defence with Elderson Echiejile and Efe Ambrose holding the wing back positions.

    Stand-in captain Austin Ejide is standing between the sticks.

    In the midfield are – John Ogu, Sunday Mba and Ogenyi Onazi.

    Eagles starting XI:

    Austin Ejide – Efe Ambrose,Azubuike Egwuekwe, Godfrey Oboabona, Elderson Echiejile – Sunday Mba, John Ogu, Ogenyi Onazi- Shola Ameobi, Obinna Nsofor, Ahmed Musa.

     

  • Keshi engages Shola Ameobi

    Keshi engages Shola Ameobi

    Newcastle United player Shola Ameobi has been asked to persuade his younger brother, Sammy, to play for the Super Eagles now that the former is back to the national team.

    Chief Coach Stephen Keshi, believes Sammy could fit into his rebuilding process notwithstanding his preference for England.

    He is counting on Shola to convince the player to switch allegiance.

    ”’Although Sammy may have his own mind and ambitions, Keshi believes Shola should have great influence on him, being the elder of the two” added the source. ”He must have found out how unhappy Keshi was due to Shola’s abscence in South Africa during the Nations Cup. And now that the issue which prevented him has been sorted out, he now wants to extend an invitation to the younger brother,” said the source.

    “Well, the project is still on but I am quite sure Sammy would listen,” said the source.

    There was a clause in Shola’s contract that prevented from playing at the Africa Cup of Nations,but it has now been expunged. The player made his debut for Nigeria in November 2012 in a friendly against Venezuela.

    In Sammy’s case, he was invited to the Nigeria U-20 national camp by Coach John Obuh in Turkey and appeared in two friendly games against Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but later that year, he joined the England U-21 squad.

    The player, who signed a three-and-a-half year contract extension with Newcastle in 2011, moved to Middlesbrough on loan from Newcastle in February until the end of the 2012/2013 season.

  • Ameobi removes ‘controversial’ Newcastle clause

    Ameobi removes ‘controversial’ Newcastle clause

    Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi has cancelled a clause that stopped him from featuring for Nigeria at the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa.

    There have been several reports that Ameobi may no longer play for the national team following the insertion of the controversial clause in his contract at Newcastle United that led to his exclusion from Nigeria AFCON squad.

    But officials have now disclosed that the striker has cancelled this clause, which means he is now fully committed to the Super Eagles.

    “He said the clause has been removed and he will be ready to play for the Super Eagles anytime he is called upon,”MTNFootball.com quoted a Super Eagles official, Dayo Enebi Achor , as saying on the issue on Friday.

    Enebi also quoted the vastly experienced striker as saying “I will love to play for Nigeria under Stephen Keshi because he is a good coach, above all I am very proud to be a Nigerian and will always grab the opportunity to don the green white colours of my fatherland.”

    An excited Keshi has already said he will talk to the player to reassess his u-turn in the national team and will invite him anytime he was needed in the national team.

    “He is no doubt a good player and the national team can make do with his experience anytime we call upon him,” Keshi said.

    Ameobi, who opted for Nigeria after he played for England at age-grade levels, made his long-awaited Eagles debut against Venezuela in a friendly in November last year.