Struggling to meet the Premier League’s home-grown quota, coupled with Mike Ashley’s unwillingness to meet the inflated price-tags of young British players, could see Newcastle’s fringe-duo Sammy Ameobi and Ryan Taylor sign contract extensions – with only six months remaining on their current deals. But, have the pair done enough to warrant a new deal?
Firstly, let’s take a look at academy graduate Sammy Ameobi, who Pardew publicly declared needed to improve if he wanted to stay at St James’ Park.
Sammy joined Newcastle’s academy in 2008, after leaving school. Three months after signing for the Magpies, he featured in a reserve game against Blackburn Rovers. Just two seasons later, Sammy made his senior-debut as a second-half substitute in a 2-2 draw with Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge, alongside older brother Shola.
Several months later, Ameobi’s progress had been recognised by the coaching team, which resulted in him putting pen-to-paper on an improved three-and-a-half year deal – keeping him at the club until July 2015. Just two days later, Sammy started his first Premier League game, against Manchester City, at the Etihad.
The following summer, the young winger agreed to join Middlesbrough, on a six month loan deal. A week later, Sammy scored on his debut for the club, following some fancy footwork around the 18-yard box and a superb finessed effort, in a 2-1 win over Cardiff.
Since returning from his loan, Ameobi has found himself in and around the first-team, by virtue of the injuries sustained by his teammates. He has managed a goal and three assists in his sixteen appearances (nine starts) for Newcastle this season, as well as man of the match performance in a 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers.
Although many, including former-Magpies boss Alan Pardew, has previously written off the England U21 international in the past, Sammy has successfully silenced his critics this season thanks to his dramatic improvement in level of performance.
Has he done enough to warrant a new deal? I would say so – provided that he is content with acting as back-up to Remy Cabella, Rolando Aarons and Yoan Gouffran in the first-team.
Next, an injury stricken fan favourite, Ryan Taylor – who’s spent the past two seasons side-lined through injury.
Ryan signed a four-and-a-half year deal with Newcastle in February 2009, as part of a player exchange deal which saw Charles N’Zogbia depart Tyneside for Wigan.
Although the 30-year-old wasn’t blessed with pace in abundance, Taylor plied his trade as a right winger prior to his move to Tyneside. However, under the management of former-boss Alan Pardew he was made to play both full-back positions, as well as defensive midfield, in order to secure first-team football.
Two years after his arrival at St James’ Park, Ryan scored a free-kick in a 1-0 win over fierce rivals Sunderland, followed by another just five days later, in a 2-1 win at Scunthorpe. As a result, Ryan earned himself the nickname ‘Over The Wall’ in reference to his trademark curling free-kicks, which rightfully saw the 30-year-old derive free-kick duty.
Since then, Taylor’s career has been marred by injuries. He suffered back-to-back season-long knee ligament injuries, leaving him sideline for a total of 26 months. Ryan made his long awaited return in a 2-0 win at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season, which he described as a ‘dream come true’. However, just one month later, Taylor left the field in tears at Loftus Road, after sustaining yet another knee ligament injury.
Ultimately, unless he can stay away from our overcrowded treatment room, I struggle to see how Ryan can be offered a new contract.
