All posts by h716a5.icu

News is circulating that Shola Ameobi, who made 390 appearances for his hometown club per Transfermarkt,  could be offered a coaching role as part of the new academy setup at Newcastle in the near future, and it has raised some interesting questions for Toon fans.

The Newcastle Chronicle claim that the new role, due to commence at the start of next season, would be one of three positions to be filled, namely Loan coordinator, Under-23 manager, or assistant academy coach.

The club could see Shola as a suitable candidate due to his previous work with the youth teams, as well as having an integral role with the Newcastle United Foundation and the fact that he came through those very youth ranks himself.

But some Newcastle fans are taking a more cynical view of the situation.

Any potential job for Shola at St James’ Park, could be seen as yet another example of Mike Ashley’s reputation as giving ‘jobs to the boys’ following the former Newcastle player’s gushing comments in defence of the much-maligned owner, and his running of the club, when he appeared as a studio guest for a live game on Sky Sports earlier in the season.

It has been alleged in the past that Ashley is prone to repay those who play to his ego in public, as was seen to be the case when he employed known friends, Joe Kinnear and Dennis Wise, in prominent roles at the club.

The latter, of course, is public enemy number one with Magpies fans, after his staunch defence of Ashley throughout the season, and if initial comments on the Ameobi rumours are anything to go by, then the former striker may well be given the same treatment.

It is precisely this ‘you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’ running of Newcastle United that makes Ashley such a despised figure on Tyneside.

The only way to bring success to a football club, is to employ the best person for the job in any, and every, role at a club.

If those in charge of personnel hiring at Newcastle United think that Ameobi is the best person to be involved with the development of young players, then they simply have not been looking hard enough.

If Ashley is not going to sell the club, then the least he can do is get the appointments while he is here right.

Finding jobs for those who speak highly of him is not the right way to go, and it will be a very shallow talent pool he is fishing out of, if he continues along those lines.

What are your thoughts on bringing Shola into the coaching team, or Ashley’s record for hiring his mates? Let us know below…

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Ahead of Macedonia’s clash with Latvia on Thursday night, the Leeds United fans were out in force with messages for Ezgjan Alioski.

Indeed, a number of the Championship club’s supporters asked the 27-year-old to be careful as they did not want him to pick up an injury at this stage of the campaign, with the Whites chasing promotion to the Premier League.

Alioski ultimately played the full 90 minutes for his country, scoring the first and assisting the third in their 3-1 victory in Skopje.

Alioski posted a tweet after the match branding the win ‘important’, with Macedonia now switching their attention to Sunday’s clash with Slovenia.

Once again the Leeds fans have been out in force to comment on the attacker-turned-defender, with many lavishing praise on him.

Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…

‘Gianni’ has not always had the full support of the Leeds faithful, but that certainly seems to be the case at the moment.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Former Southampton defender Jason Dodd has been speaking to The Daily Echo prior to the club’s crucial Premier League clash away at Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend, and he thinks manager Ralph Hasenhuttl will be disappointed about one thing.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the former Saints skipper believes the south coast outfit, who currently lie two points above the relegation zone and three adrift of their Saturday opponents, can’t afford to lose at the Amex Stadium.

While he has been impressed with what he has seen of the team under the tutelage of the popular Austrian following his appointment in December, he feels that the 51-year-old would have expected to be higher up in the standings now.

As per The Daily Echo, Dodd said: “Ralph Hasenhuttl’s added stability but I imagine he would have thought they’d have pushed on a little bit further.”

Is he right?

He probably is, yes.

While Hasenhuttl clearly inherited a group of players that was really struggling under predecessor Mark Hughes, there is no doubt that with the quality they have in the squad they shouldn’t be as close to the relegation spots as they are right now.

The former RB Leipzig coach would have been buoyed by the wins against Arsenal and Huddersfield Town prior to Christmas and probably expected the team to go from strength to strength from there, but instead it has been a far more gradual process of improvement.

Avoiding defeat – and ideally winning – against Brighton on Saturday would be another big step towards survival.

Petulant child Benjamin Mendy has found himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons again thanks to more exasperating episodes of off-field antics.

As much as Benjamin Mendy was a lovable joker when he first arriving, brandishing his phone at any given opportunity to release a stream of semi-comical City related jokes into the world of social media, his novelty is rapidly wearing off, and the love fans once felt for him will understandably soon turn to frustration.

As per the Telegraph, Pep Guardiola has scrutinised Benjamin Mendy after the Manchester City defender was caught in a nightclub at 3:30am – hours before he was expected at training.

Understandably the Spaniard is unhappy with Mendy’s behaviour given just how much leeway the club have shown their resident clown, especially during the period of extended absence which has seen him don the blue shirt just once in almost five months.

Unfortunately, this is just another case in a long list of misdemeanours where Mendy has come under question, including a point in September when Guardiola had to publicly scold the Frenchman for turning up three hours late for treatment on an injury (as per the Telegraph).

After confirming he had made the training session in question, Guardiola admitted: “I would prefer him to go home earlier but I don’t control the players in that situation. They are old enough to know what they have to do. I’m not his father” – which is essentially a diplomatic way of saying ‘grow up’.

Manchester City simply cannot afford these kinds of events at the moment, especially from a player as influential in the changing room as Benjamin Mendy, and every little annoying moment like this plays into the hands of Liverpool.

Indeed, focus is the key now, with the club in line for a history quadruple, including the FA Cup, Champions League and Premier League title, and the left-back, who has contributed absolutely nothing so far this year, is the equivalent of someone doing the vacuuming whilst you’re trying to read the paper.

Manchester City fans, simple one: what are your thoughts on Benjamin Mendy? Let us know in the comments below…

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Celtic may yet have the chance to sign Filip Benkovic again this summer, but should they pull the trigger?

Last week, Brendan Rodgers sounded open to the possibility that Benkovic could leave Leicester again this summer.

Rodgers told the Leicester Mercury: “We will have a look in the summer. The idea was to get him out on loan where he can get experience and feel pressure.

“He obviously has been playing at Celtic with 60,000 plus and the weight of expectation to win every game, so he was going to be okay with pressure. That is what he has done, not so much the second half of the season, but we will take him back and have a look to see where we go from there.”

With Dedryck Boyata’s contract still set to expire this summer, many Bhoys fans will be hoping the club jumps at the chance to re-sign Benkovic, but here’s three reasons why they shouldn’t.

Cost

The Croatian could of course re-join the club on loan, but if they attempt a permanent move then it will be a costly one.

The Foxes signed Benkovic for around £13m (BBC) last summer, and after a fairly successful loan spell they will absolutely expect to make a profit on the youngster.

Anything around or above £13m is far too much for a permanent move given the other areas of Neil Lennon’s squad that need strengthening.

Fitness

Fitness has also been a concern for the Croatian, featuring in just 18 of Celtic’s 33 league matches thus far due to various injuries, but mostly down to an ankle problem.

The 6 ft 4 centre back has played just three times since December, which is especially worrying given the sheer quantity of fixtures through the winter period, fixtures that are essential in the quest for silverware.

If Boyata leaves the Bhoys need a replacement they can trust, but with Benkovic’s ankle troubles it could be left to Jack Hendry to step in and replace the Belgian, which is worrying to say the least.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Ajer

Finally, Lennon and the club need to think about what is best for Kristoffer Ajer. The 20 year-old put in one of his best performances in green and white against Rangers last week, but he is still learning.

He has massive potential, but he needs an experienced leader next to him to guide him and show him the ropes, not someone who is equally inexperienced with just as much to learn.

With three years left on his contract, Ajer is the club’s future, and the focus this summer should be on finding a leadership presence to play alongside him, not another youngster to develop.

Everyone who follows English football loves the FA Cup, and even more so people love an underdog story.

From Lincoln City knocking out Burnley to Hereford United forcing a replay and winning the second game against Newcastle, the magic of the Cup is something all football fans can get behind and believe in, and for Leyton Orient fans, it’s something they have experienced.

A moment in time – Leyton Orient, 1978

For most of the 1970s, Orient were an unremarkable side. Mid-table in the Second Division and not looking like a team that could go up or go down, it was all rather dull for the east London side, until the 1977/78 edition of the FA Cup began.

Prior to 1978, the furthest Orient had gone in the historic competition was the quarter-finals in the 1953/54 and 1971/72 seasons, and after the east London side were forced into replay in the third round against Norwich City, it was looking like the cup run was going to be another underwhelming endeavour.

However, a 1-0 win at Carrow Road put Orient into the next round, where they won comfortably against Blackburn Rovers 3-1. Drawn against Chelsea in the fifth round, it looked like the end of the road was coming, but yet again the east London side defied the odds.

Another replay saw Orient win 2-1 at Stamford Bridge and send the Division Two team into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1972. Yet another round that went into a replay, this time against Middlesbrough, and yet again the east London side coming out as winners set the club up for the first ever semi-final in the competition, where they would face Division One giant’s Arsenal.

Held at Stamford Bridge, the venue for Orient’s giant-killing already that season, Jimmy Bloomfield’s side were yet again heading into this game the underdogs, the story of their FA Cup run. However 20 minutes into the match, it became quickly apparent that the O’s had gone as far as they could.

A four-minute brace from strike Malcolm Macdonald put Orient 2-0 down going into halftime before Graham Rix rounded off the result for the Gunners.

It was a heart-breaking end to one of the most surprising cup runs that decade, and it still remains the furthest Orient have gone in the FA Cup.

Orient fans, will the club ever get as far as the semi-finals of the FA Cup again? Let us know!

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West Ham United fans on Twitter are not having any of the latest update on the fitness of injury-prone midfielder Jack Wilshere.

On Thursday, the Hammers’ official account Tweeted out a quote from Manuel Pellegrini’s pre-Manchester United press conference about the former England international.

The under-pressure veteran gaffer revealed that his summer signing, who has been out since the start of December and suffered further set-backs before that, is “almost ready” and will return to full training with the squad next week.

However, members of the Claret & Blue Army were not buying any of it as they blasted the important club update with comments such as “expect him to be back on the treatment table the following week then” and the rather comical “did Theresa May say this?”

Wilshere has made a measly five appearances in all competitions in his first campaign at London Stadium and supporters, left frustrated by the likes of Andy Carroll and Winston Reid in recent times, are clearly fed up.

Check out their best replies to the news, below…

[ad_pod ]In the heat of a promotion battle, it’s easy to get carried away. But when your team loses in the fashion Leeds did against Wigan on Good Friday there is always going to be someone who takes the brunt of the criticism.And after losing 2-1 in a game which could prove severely damaging to the Whites’ promotion hopes, Ezgjan Alioski was the one who found himself at the centre of attention.The Macedonian had a particularly poor afternoon down the left-hand side and as such was absolutely rinsed by Leeds fans on Twitter during and after the game.One fan claimed that if Alioski started the first game of next season he’d donate his season ticket to charity. Another said it was the worst performance they’ve seen from any Leeds player.His performance was so staggering to one individual that he bemoaned the player’s performance by saying he couldn’t believe what he was watching.The 27-year-old has played a major part for Leeds this season, having played 43 times. He’s also chipped in with the odd goal, finding the net seven times.

However, it now appears as though that’s the last Leeds fans want to see of him.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

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Nuno Santo has insisted that Wolves’ transfer process will be the same next season, regardless of whether the club finishes in a European position, according to quotes per the Express & Star. It’s something that the club now must ensure they follow up on.

What’s the word?

Wolves have done some exceptional business in the two years the Portuguese figure has been at the club. They’ve managed to seal shrewd deals for the likes of Rui Patricio and Joao Moutinho, whilst the signing of Ruben Neves last season was one of the Championship’s most remarkable transfer coups.

Faced with the prospect of playing in Europe next term, talk has emerged about the club’s transfer policy. Next summer will ultimately be a big one at Molineux with the cub looking to build on an excellent first campaign back in the Premier League.

Speaking this week, per quotes from the Express & Star, the Wolves boss revealed that things were unlikely to change.

“Now we have 16 players plus the back-up of the under-23s and the goalies. This is the squad that will go until the end [of the season],” he revealed.

“What is going to happen after that, nobody knows. But the process is the same. We have the base and it’s about maintaining that base. I think 70 or 75 per cent of the squad is the same that was in the Championship, so nothing is going to really change in that aspect,” Nuno added.

Squad overhaul would be a terrible idea

It is imperative that Wolves now follow up on the promise their manager has made this week. They definitely need some added depth and it would be easy to go overboard and plough a significant number of distinctly average squad players into the team.

However, as we’ve seen with the likes of Fulham, that can be detrimental and Wolves fan should fear if their transfer policy was to change.

The £30m signing of Raul Jimenez recently is likely to have taken out a fair chunk of their funds but as we’ve seen already, super agent Jorge Mendes has a habit of finding gems.

We’ve found Raul Jimenez’s No. 1 fan and… it’s a little scary. Check out the video below to see for yourself…

Wolves’ starting XI is settled and it would be foolish to upset the rhythm they’ve gained this season. A few improvements might be necessary but any more than that and it could have a negative effect.

Although a long arduous season is now catching up on the players at Molineux, this can’t be used as an excuse to go overboard during the summer, even if Europa League football is secured.

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Leeds United fans on Twitter are fearing the prospect of playing Middlesbrough in the Championship playoff semi-finals.

United fans are worried about a potential clash with the north-east outfit after Derby County’s draw against Swansea on Wednesday left the door open for Boro to finish sixth.

Marcelo Bielsa hasn’t had the best of luck against Tony Pulis’ side, with both meetings between the clubs this season finishing level.

Of all Leeds’ possible playoff opponents they have the worst record against Middlesbrough, so it is no surprise that fans are scared of playing them again.

Pulis’ defensive style has the potential to frustrate and grind down Leeds’ quick direct attacking play, and the worry is that they would be knocked out if they were to face Boro over two legs.

The Teesside outfit also have the experience of playing in the playoffs as they were eliminated by Aston Villa in the semi-finals last year.

Here’s what Leeds fans have been saying on Twitter…