Home
Bolton’s players were unprepared for the news that threatened to jeopardise their excellent start to the Championship campaign.
But Ameobi revealed that Phil Parkinson and his staff were able to offer some assurances by the time they reported to Lostock midway through the following morning that the worst case scenario would be avoided.
“It was all a bit of a surprise to us, to say the very least,” he told The Bolton News. “We all found out the night before what was going on and then came into training the next day to speak with the gaffer and Steve Parkin.
“By that time they explained that things were looking like they’d get sorted, so it was a relief.
“It would have been horrible to see our hard work stripped away by something which was so beyond our control. I suppose it happens, it could happen anywhere, but it isn’t nice.
“We’ve put a lot of hard work in over the summer and made a really good start. I suppose all we can really do is concentrate on the football and hope everything works out.”
Adversity is nothing new for this group of Wanderers, their manager, or the club’s fans but Ameobi believes good could come from bad.
“We talk a lot about how close-knit the group of players are in the dressing room and that has helped,” said the former Newcastle United man. “But when things get tough, everyone rallies around. The fans have been a huge help to us this season and have given us absolutely everything. They know we’re in it together.
“It’s them and us, if that’s how you want to put it.
“People on the outside of the club might not understand what is going on but on Saturday I hope we can get a result and just carry on with what we’ve been doing.”
Ameobi opened his account for the season with a long-range effort against Preston North End before the international break but does not want to be known simply as a scorer of ‘great goals’.
“Me and the gaffer spoke about it over the summer and he wants me to work on that area of my game,” he said. “I have scored a certain type of goal throughout my career but he wants me to get in there, get some tap-ins, do more of the close range stuff that people see.
“I feel like I have improved as a player over the summer. I’ve said it many times that I appreciate what the gaffer has done for me and how patient the fans have been at Bolton. I want to repay all that and work on my game.
“Consistency is the area I have needed to improve throughout my career but I’m still learning and I think over the last couple of years I have been here I’ve been able to improve.”
Ameobi feels his work-rate has improved since Parkinson put him under his wing last season but he also acknowledges a debt to the supporters, who have often lent him a vocal pick-me-up.
“I don’t think they realise how much it helps sometimes,” he said. “When your legs are shattered and you are trying to work back it’s great when you can get the crowd behind you, especially in a big stadium. It gives you that extra few per cent.
“Bolton fans have been brilliant for me since I came to the club and it’s what pushes me on to improve.”
QPR have had their own financial problems over the past couple of seasons but after reaching some form of closure with their Financial Fair Play punishment case, which resulted in a £42million settlement with the EFL, they have now started to build a new-look team under former England boss Steve McClaren.
New Loftus Road chairman Amit Bhatia, who replaced Tony Fernandes, has warned supporters the club may face a season of struggle.
He said: “We have endured a difficult start to the season. Before the break we built a bit of momentum.
“I feel it is the kind of season we are going to need the fans to be patient and support us. We are going to have the odd result that is not going to look good on paper. This is a season of rebuilding. We have a youngish squad that will require the fans’ patience.”
QPR were able to add the likes of Tomer Hemed and Nakhi Wells on loan in the window but Bhatia says the days of multi-million pound arrivals are over, for now.
“The off-field target is to make the club financially stable,” he told the Evening Standard. “No longer can a rich owner just throw money at a club.”
Source
But Ameobi revealed that Phil Parkinson and his staff were able to offer some assurances by the time they reported to Lostock midway through the following morning that the worst case scenario would be avoided.
“It was all a bit of a surprise to us, to say the very least,” he told The Bolton News. “We all found out the night before what was going on and then came into training the next day to speak with the gaffer and Steve Parkin.
“By that time they explained that things were looking like they’d get sorted, so it was a relief.
“It would have been horrible to see our hard work stripped away by something which was so beyond our control. I suppose it happens, it could happen anywhere, but it isn’t nice.
“We’ve put a lot of hard work in over the summer and made a really good start. I suppose all we can really do is concentrate on the football and hope everything works out.”
Adversity is nothing new for this group of Wanderers, their manager, or the club’s fans but Ameobi believes good could come from bad.
“We talk a lot about how close-knit the group of players are in the dressing room and that has helped,” said the former Newcastle United man. “But when things get tough, everyone rallies around. The fans have been a huge help to us this season and have given us absolutely everything. They know we’re in it together.
“It’s them and us, if that’s how you want to put it.
“People on the outside of the club might not understand what is going on but on Saturday I hope we can get a result and just carry on with what we’ve been doing.”
Ameobi opened his account for the season with a long-range effort against Preston North End before the international break but does not want to be known simply as a scorer of ‘great goals’.
“Me and the gaffer spoke about it over the summer and he wants me to work on that area of my game,” he said. “I have scored a certain type of goal throughout my career but he wants me to get in there, get some tap-ins, do more of the close range stuff that people see.
“I feel like I have improved as a player over the summer. I’ve said it many times that I appreciate what the gaffer has done for me and how patient the fans have been at Bolton. I want to repay all that and work on my game.
“Consistency is the area I have needed to improve throughout my career but I’m still learning and I think over the last couple of years I have been here I’ve been able to improve.”
Ameobi feels his work-rate has improved since Parkinson put him under his wing last season but he also acknowledges a debt to the supporters, who have often lent him a vocal pick-me-up.
“I don’t think they realise how much it helps sometimes,” he said. “When your legs are shattered and you are trying to work back it’s great when you can get the crowd behind you, especially in a big stadium. It gives you that extra few per cent.
“Bolton fans have been brilliant for me since I came to the club and it’s what pushes me on to improve.”
QPR have had their own financial problems over the past couple of seasons but after reaching some form of closure with their Financial Fair Play punishment case, which resulted in a £42million settlement with the EFL, they have now started to build a new-look team under former England boss Steve McClaren.
New Loftus Road chairman Amit Bhatia, who replaced Tony Fernandes, has warned supporters the club may face a season of struggle.
He said: “We have endured a difficult start to the season. Before the break we built a bit of momentum.
“I feel it is the kind of season we are going to need the fans to be patient and support us. We are going to have the odd result that is not going to look good on paper. This is a season of rebuilding. We have a youngish squad that will require the fans’ patience.”
QPR were able to add the likes of Tomer Hemed and Nakhi Wells on loan in the window but Bhatia says the days of multi-million pound arrivals are over, for now.
“The off-field target is to make the club financially stable,” he told the Evening Standard. “No longer can a rich owner just throw money at a club.”
Source