Shola to Stoke

[tigerdave]

On loan for the rest of the season, presumably with a view to a permanent deal.

If this is the end for Shola at the club, he's owed a lot of gratitude for his loyalty, especially for potentially risking his health to try and help the club win.

[Dirt McGirt]

Thanks Shola for the memories. Go on son prove all the haters wrong.

iXPRAsF8NRk

[england66]

Thanks Shola for the memories. Go on son prove all the haters wrong.

iXPRAsF8NRk


Didn't want to start a new thread for this but check out www.dallassoccernews.com for info on a young lad (11 years old) on his way to Newcastle...I met Denis Wise in Dallas last week, seems a nice enough. personable bloke.

[Dirt McGirt]

Didn't want to start a new thread for this but check out www.dallassoccernews.com for info on a young lad (11 years old) on his way to Newcastle...I met Denis Wise in Dallas last week, seems a nice enough. personable bloke.I posted a link to that site in our rumor thread (also sent it out to a few Toon bloggers over in the UK) this morning. I agree the news about Kenny Sr. may be the bigger story.

[england66]

I posted a link to that site in our rumor thread (also sent it out to a few Toon bloggers over in the UK) this morning. I agree the news about Kenny Sr. may be the bigger story.


he'll do a hell of a job for Newcastle United and it's a real black eye for FC Dallas that they didn't hire him themselves.

[Dirt McGirt]

From another Toon site

CRAIGG // Mar 27, 2008 at 21:40

I dont think this is definately finito because if Shola scores a few and finds his feet again he may come back at the end of his loan.

I would prefer Shola to Smith any day of the week, he has made some very telling contributions over the years and gets a raw deal on his site.

What happened to that Shola with the tricky dribbling that ran rings around Barca in the Nou Camp and scored a brace against Leverkusen in the champions league?

He now looks like a crouch type target man with no ability other than having long diagonal balls punted at him, Real shame and one last thing on Shola despite everyone saying he never tried, He deserves Credit for the way he played for about 9 months with a career threatening injury and helped us into Europe with some important goals at the back end of 05-06 and then 2 goals in the Inter toto Cup final against Lillestrom.

Great post.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40146000/jpg/_40146659_ameobi.jpg

[Russell1892]

Shola had potential... the only thing that surprises me about this deal is that he's gone to Stoke and not Norwich to link up with Roeder... but Stoke are the ones pushing for promotion. (Despite the fact we made them look awful in our FA Cup replay.. with ten men... if they do come up they have Derby mkII written all over them.)

I have good memories of Shola scoring a brace in Leverkusen (and once in an FA Cup game dancing round the Arsenal defence with the score at 1-1 only to hit the ball straight at Seaman). He also has a decent record for us in terms of 46 goals in 229 appearances (which the media describe as over 100 appearances :rolleyes:). There also however has to be a time when you stop talking about a player's potential... at 26 he has passed the time for 'potential' and bizarrely he's not as good as when he was 22. He'll end up in the Championship or the MLS.

Probably a better bet than Smith though. Frankly I wouldn't expect to see either still here next season.

[Russell1892]

Thanks Shola for the memories. Go on son prove all the haters wrong.

iXPRAsF8NRk

After watching this video.... I think it kind of demonstrates my point.... most of the goals were scored 3-4 years ago. Most of them were scramblers in the box, or turning in a keeper's parry of a shot (I'm not being overly critical on that - Lineker made a career of it). Granted he was decent in the air, but with Carroll coming through and Viduka, Martins and Owen on the books... he's never going to get a serious look in. I did desperately want him to be the next Asprilla, with whom people compared him when he first came through.

Besides Dirt your precious Allardyce put the nail in the coffin for Ameobi when he signed Viduka surely? Neither manager has given him much of a look this season, mostly preferring to bet on Carroll, I'm guessing he's not been lighting up training either.

EDIT: Oh and the F*cking Nickelback song on it pissed me off too.

[Dirt McGirt]

After watching this video.... I think it kind of demonstrates my point.... most of the goals were scored 3-4 years ago. Most of them were scramblers in the box, or turning in a keeper's parry of a shot (I'm not being overly critical on that - Lineker made a career of it). Granted he was decent in the air, but with Carroll coming through and Viduka, Martins and Owen on the books... he's never going to get a serious look in. I did desperately want him to be the next Asprilla, with whom people compared him when he first came through.

Besides Dirt your precious Allardyce put the nail in the coffin for Ameobi when he signed Viduka surely? Neither manager has given him much of a look this season, mostly preferring to bet on Carroll, I'm guessing he's not been lighting up training either.
Some forget the hip problem that really put a damper on him the last two years and took the pace right out of his game.

As for Big Sam I never wanted him(I wanted Sven, Dider Deschamps or Hitzfeld) but once he came to the club I realized he was the best manager we've had since Bobby and his organization and defensive tactics we're exactly the building blocks needed to provide for future success. All Championship teams start with defense and organization until our rather fickle fan base realizes this fact nothing will every change and the silverware cabinet will remain empty.

[Russell1892]

Some forget the hip problem that really put a damper on him the last two years and took the pace right out of his game.

As for Big Sam I never wanted him(I wanted Sven, Dider Deschamps or Hitzfeld) but once he came to the club I realized he was the best manager we've had since Bobby and his organization and defensive tactics we're exactly the building blocks needed to provide for future success. All Championship teams start with defense and organization until our rather fickle fan base realizes this fact nothing will every change and the silverware cabinet will remain empty.

We knew about the hip problem.... he came out and said he had the problem and was playing through the pain (admirable, but stupid if the manager at the time had realised the crippling damage he probably did). However he also said that once he was back from the surgery he was feeling better than ever and ready to bang in 20 goals. We never saw that... I guess he'll be filed under yet another player with "big potential".

As far as Allardyce and the autopsy... lets wait until the long months of the summer to discuss that. But I appreciate your point. I would however point out that being the best since Sir Bobby is not much of an accolade, at that time. (I would agree with you though).

[colinh9]

I wish Shola all the best. It's been frustrating to watch him the past few years because he did/does have a lot of potential that never was fulfilled. It would be fantastic to see him score some goals for Stoke and help them into the Prem.

[Russell1892]

Interesting view on the Shola deal from our ex-ex-boss Roeder. Seems Stoke paid a "massive" fee for the loan?

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11701_3359462,00.html

I'm thinking Roeder is in love with Ameobi as well.