Toon wanted Shola to be player/coach

Deep breaths BRS... deep breaths.....

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/spor...newcastle-united-wanted-shola-ameobi-7919525?

Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew was pushing for Shola Ameobi to be promoted to player-coach - have they missed out on Les Ferdinand?

When Alan Pardew sat down with Mike Ashley and the rest of the Newcastle United hierarchy at the start of the summer, he floated the idea of promoting Shola Ameobi into a player-coach role.

Ameobi’s contract was up and Pardew was realistic. At 32 years of age he was never going to fit United’s template and the Newcastle manager had already been questioned on his preference for veteran forward over the younger, hitherto more prolific Papiss Cisse.

But Ameobi’s worth to Pardew was not goals, it was his influence. As a link between the different groups in the dressing room, Ameobi had been an effective and pivotal part of his squad.

If Fabricio Coloccini was the captain, Ameobi’s role was a sort of unofficial club captain.

Pardew’s request was not successful. The striker left, the dressing-room dynamic shifted and it feels like Newcastle are still groping for an identity.

I thought of Pardew’s proposal when QPR appointed Les Ferdinand as ‘Head of Football Operations’. It is a title that doesn’t mean a lot, although Rangers’ description – “overseeing the structure of the footballing side of the club, and improving the philosophy at all levels” – made it sound an organisational equivalent of a free role.

This approach is starting to become fashionable in the Premier League. Changing the structure is cheaper and more hassle-free than sacking the boss.

Roy Keane was brought in to shake up Paul Lambert’s Aston Villa leadership and Teddy Sheringham was pretty much imposed on Sam Allardyce at West Ham.

Left to his own devices, I wonder whether Pardew would have had Ameobi in a position of influence this season and beyond.

A personal preference would be for the club to groom somebody for a role apart from the manager’s job but with one eye trained on the reserves, Academy and the rest of what QPR sniffily call ‘football operations’.

Too many players have dropped through the cracks recently: too much promise has evaporated.

Someone like Steve Harper, with extensive knowledge of the club and a fresh take on the role, would be perfect for it.

 

This bit grates on me a bit. We've been groping around in the dark like a virgin ever since Cabaye left. It has **** all to do with Shola.

 

How could anyone give such a no-mark, wretched, abomination of a player like Shola a position proposed in that article?

If Pardew wanted that (I can't imagine anyone of sound mind would tbh) I thank Christ he has no actual power. This guy stole a living off Newcastle for years, given so much f**ing slack it was unbelievable and there should be no more bulls**t about him. He is gone now and some poor other bastard has to deal with his awfulness. Ferdinand I would have here in a f**ing heartbeat as I love the bloke and he WAS a legend (allbeit he should have been here a hell of alot longer). Mentioning Shola in the same breath is just wrong. No difference of opinion or view - it is flatout f**ing stupid. Douglas needs to be sectioned under the mental health act immediately.

He was a leech, not a loyal servant. He stayed here because no f**er in there right mind would want him. End of story.

 

I dont get the Shola hating

He wasn't the greatest talent ever but he continuously played through injuries when called upon - and every report about him from every player who's ever shared a dressing room with him is that he was great with younger players, a real asset to the team, and one of the nicest guys in football.

And he scored plenty against the mackems.

For me, I was sad to see him go.

 

Agreed.

 

If you really want to be Members of the Shola Ameobi Fan Club, you have to defend Shola better than this. Some facts in his defence would help!

At least BRS is sincere in his fairly liberal descriptive opinion of Shola. An opinion I have heard others voice, but maybe not so eloquently.

As President of the Club, I can arrange Membership for a princely sum of £35 per annum, payable to my PayPal account, details of which I can send through in a PM.

 

Yes, but BRS is obsessed. It wasn't Shola's fault that he wasn't more talented than he was. It wasn't his fault he kept getting offered contracts.

Whatever else you might want to say about him, good or bad, he was a Newcastle fan who got offered the chance to play for the team and who did what any Newcastle fan would do: continue to play as long as they would have him.

Criticise all the managers who picked him if you like. You can't criticise a player who plays when he's asked to and who ****s off when he's told to **** off.

 

Now that's a much better defence.
Would you like details of my PayPal account, I will happily accept the £35 membership fee.

 

You must understand mate he has gone now so I don't care at all but the very thought of him staying on in a coaching capacity makes me want to personally lobotomize myself with a rusty pizza cutter.

How we could give a lumbering, embarrassing buffoon like him a job like that is frankly absurd.

 

Because, in all honesty, it can be nothing but an improvement.

 

Shola was ****e. That was not his fault. The fact that every manager who has been here kept him in contracts and refused to sell him, is the issue. We have to remember this includes the well liked managers too.

 

I heard that Shola was an expert in surveillance so made sure he had some dirt on all managers just before the contract renewal stage.
This explains why he has so many hats as these were his disguises.

 

Clearley Shola doing this job is a ridiculous idea but that sort of role at the club I think would be a good idea. I think sonemone fairly young like Les for instance would be perfect.