Home
Shola Ameobi is determined to leave Wanderers with something good to remember him by.
Deemed collateral damage by a club that cannot afford to keep him on, the former Newcastle United striker will be looking for new employers after this weekend.
His search for a new job might have started a few days earlier had Gary Madine not limped out of the FA Cup replay against Eastleigh – forcing Neil Lennon to ask the 34-year-old for one last push.
Ameobi arrived with a bang, scoring on debut against Leeds United, but his time thereafter has failed to sparkle.
The 34-year-old now has his sights set on helping Wanderers beat MK Dons in tomorrow’s crucial Macron clash, and leaving fans with some fonder memories of his short time at the club.
“I’d like to leave with a bang but more importantly a win,” he told The Bolton News. “Obviously the situation with the club has put a bit of a cloud over the time I have been here, a little bit of uncertainty, and it has been tough for everyone.
“I would have liked to have played a few more games and scored a few more goals but unfortunately that hasn’t been the case. It’s not for the want of trying.
“I’m going to keep fighting. You never know what is going to happen.
“If I’m picked then I want to help this team get three points, which would be a massive boost because we haven’t won two games back-to-back this season and it would definitely help to build some momentum.
“Nothing is better for a team than winning games and the confidence that brings. Turn it the other way – losing games, you lose confidence so easily in this league. It's a pivotal moment in the season for us on Saturday.”
Ameobi has made nine appearances to date for Wanderers since becoming the last player to jump on board before the transfer embargo hit.
He has given little thought to his next step, other than it will be to try and build on the fitness he has slowly developed during his time with Bolton.
And the amiable front man admits his lack of pre-season counted heavily towards his lack of impact at the Macron.
“Being out for four months of the game, it's tough to come in and hit the ground running,” he said. “I scored the goal in the first game but getting my fitness back takes time with no pre-season. I've always been catching up, which has been tough.
“Fortunately, I feel like I'm there now fitness-wise, where I'm supposed to be, but unfortunately it's my last game, but it is what it is.
“I enjoyed every moment of my time here. Unfortunately we haven’t won as much as we would like but that hasn't stopped me enjoying being around the boys and training. There's such a lot of great people – players, staff – it's been a pleasure.”
Neil Lennon ruled Madine, Zach Clough and Emile Heskey out of the equation for Saturday, leaving Ameobi as the last out-and-out striker standing in the senior ranks.
With David Wheater also out for six weeks the injuries are piling up at a similar stage of the season to 12 months ago when the Whites were forced to delve into the loan market extensively to ease their problems.
This time, of course, there is no easy escape. Financial problems and a transfer embargo make getting replacements in an impossible task, and that is why Ameobi has no qualms about the club’s decision to let him go.
“With the situation that the club are in, I'm told they are in no position financially to do anything,” he said. “There’s nothing that can be done, so from my point of view I just want to stay healthy and hopefully help the team get the vital three points.”
Ameobi does not want to be out of the game as long as he was at the start of the season after a short stint in Turkish football ended abruptly.
Come Monday morning he wants to have a winning goal under his belt for Bolton and be considering where to head next.
“I haven’t spoken to the club yet about training,” he said. “So after the weekend I’ll probably be sat on the couch, having a cup of tea, pondering what's next.
“Certainly I want to keep going. I don't want to have another break like I did in the summer. Now I feel like fitness-wise I'm where I want to be, I want to jump straight in at this club or another club and hit the ground running.”
Source
Deemed collateral damage by a club that cannot afford to keep him on, the former Newcastle United striker will be looking for new employers after this weekend.
His search for a new job might have started a few days earlier had Gary Madine not limped out of the FA Cup replay against Eastleigh – forcing Neil Lennon to ask the 34-year-old for one last push.
Ameobi arrived with a bang, scoring on debut against Leeds United, but his time thereafter has failed to sparkle.
The 34-year-old now has his sights set on helping Wanderers beat MK Dons in tomorrow’s crucial Macron clash, and leaving fans with some fonder memories of his short time at the club.
“I’d like to leave with a bang but more importantly a win,” he told The Bolton News. “Obviously the situation with the club has put a bit of a cloud over the time I have been here, a little bit of uncertainty, and it has been tough for everyone.
“I would have liked to have played a few more games and scored a few more goals but unfortunately that hasn’t been the case. It’s not for the want of trying.
“I’m going to keep fighting. You never know what is going to happen.
“If I’m picked then I want to help this team get three points, which would be a massive boost because we haven’t won two games back-to-back this season and it would definitely help to build some momentum.
“Nothing is better for a team than winning games and the confidence that brings. Turn it the other way – losing games, you lose confidence so easily in this league. It's a pivotal moment in the season for us on Saturday.”
Ameobi has made nine appearances to date for Wanderers since becoming the last player to jump on board before the transfer embargo hit.
He has given little thought to his next step, other than it will be to try and build on the fitness he has slowly developed during his time with Bolton.
And the amiable front man admits his lack of pre-season counted heavily towards his lack of impact at the Macron.
“Being out for four months of the game, it's tough to come in and hit the ground running,” he said. “I scored the goal in the first game but getting my fitness back takes time with no pre-season. I've always been catching up, which has been tough.
“Fortunately, I feel like I'm there now fitness-wise, where I'm supposed to be, but unfortunately it's my last game, but it is what it is.
“I enjoyed every moment of my time here. Unfortunately we haven’t won as much as we would like but that hasn't stopped me enjoying being around the boys and training. There's such a lot of great people – players, staff – it's been a pleasure.”
Neil Lennon ruled Madine, Zach Clough and Emile Heskey out of the equation for Saturday, leaving Ameobi as the last out-and-out striker standing in the senior ranks.
With David Wheater also out for six weeks the injuries are piling up at a similar stage of the season to 12 months ago when the Whites were forced to delve into the loan market extensively to ease their problems.
This time, of course, there is no easy escape. Financial problems and a transfer embargo make getting replacements in an impossible task, and that is why Ameobi has no qualms about the club’s decision to let him go.
“With the situation that the club are in, I'm told they are in no position financially to do anything,” he said. “There’s nothing that can be done, so from my point of view I just want to stay healthy and hopefully help the team get the vital three points.”
Ameobi does not want to be out of the game as long as he was at the start of the season after a short stint in Turkish football ended abruptly.
Come Monday morning he wants to have a winning goal under his belt for Bolton and be considering where to head next.
“I haven’t spoken to the club yet about training,” he said. “So after the weekend I’ll probably be sat on the couch, having a cup of tea, pondering what's next.
“Certainly I want to keep going. I don't want to have another break like I did in the summer. Now I feel like fitness-wise I'm where I want to be, I want to jump straight in at this club or another club and hit the ground running.”
Source
