Big Lad, big opportunity

While his long-term future may still be uncertain, with the hierarchy reportedly unwilling to grant the Silver Fox's request for a contract extension, Big Lad's short-term prospects look bright. Goals in consecutive home games for his club have no doubt helped to ensure his name appears in Nigeria's provisional squad ahead of the World Cup.

The Super Eagles' opponents in the group stage include Argentina - while it's unlikely we'll get to watch Big Lad being marked by Sideshow Bob, stranger things have happened...

Quote of the day

"We have limited resources at the moment and when we lose one or two key players it hurts the team badly. That is what the manager has had to put up with, unfortunately. That is something the club have to put right for next season. We need quality players and we need a quality squad as well. This has all been brought out to a lot of people but we, as players, knew that. I think the fans are getting to see that now."

Big Lad shows he's got the balls to state the obvious and point the finger at Jabba, though perhaps only because he knows he'll almost certainly be shown the door in the summer. It's also worth pointing out that he appears to exonerate the Silver Fox of his share of the blame and to excuse the woeful lack of effort displayed by the players he does have at his disposal (Big Lad included)...

Tres bon!

A doff of le chapeau to France, who last night overcame a 2-0 first-leg deficit to beat Ukraine 3-2 on aggregate and secure themselves an improbable place at next year's World Cup. While the goals came from Karim Benzema and the unlikely source of Liverpool central defender Mamadou Sakho (twice), two of our players certainly played their part, Dreamboat's scuffed shot ultimately falling to an offside Benzema for the second goal and Mathieu Debuchy clearing off the line with the aggregate scores level at 2-2. The full back was later booked and withdrawn, while neither Moussa Sissoko nor Loic Remy were called upon.

Meanwhile, on Monday night Big Lad was compensated for missing out on Nigeria's play-off victory against Ethiopia with a start in the friendly fixture against Italy. Evidently determined to seize the opportunity to impress, he sent in the cross for the Super Eagles' equaliser and then scored a fine volleyed finish in a game that ended 2-2. The match was played at Craven Cottage, where we don't have a great record - hopefully Big Lad can repeat the trick when we face Fulham on their own turf in March.

Cheik in

Even if Mr T's had a rough time off the pitch of late, things have been going well on it - named as stand-in skipper in Sideshow Bob's absence and back to something like the form that made him one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League. And now he knows he'll be off to next year's World Cup, after Ivory Coast qualified for the tournament via a two-legged play-off victory over Senegal. Mr T was actually suspended, while Papiss Cisse played for the latter, but couldn't score - something that must have frustrated Demba Ba, left on the bench.

Elsewhere, Nigeria also qualified, beating Ethopia 2-0 on aggregate, but Big Lad will be sweating about a ticket on the Super Eagles' plane to Brazil, having been omitted from the squad despite his recent return to the Newcastle starting XI.

Big Lad's on tour

While the nation was roaring on one 31-year-old late developer (in international terms) this week, another was scoring his first goal for his country. His younger brother may have been following in his footsteps by turning out for England U21s, but Big Lad has since pledged his allegiance to Nigeria and broke his duck in a friendly against Burkina Faso. Despite expressing delight in his post-match interview, he did also hint at a dispute with his employers - the clearest evidence yet that he was barred from playing for his country in January against his will: "It's unfortunate I missed the African Cup of Nations triumph. A lot of things happened that I don't want to go into."

Also on the scoresheet this week was Haris Vuckic, who netted in both of Slovenia U21s' fixtures - something that will presumably have caught the Silver Fox's eye, given that we've been short of goals as well as creativity in our opening few games.

You have to feel some sympathy for Shane Ferguson, for whom the international fixtures provided no respite whatsoever from what is already shaping up to be a tough season for Birmingham. First the Northern Irishman was asked to fill in at left back at home to Portugal and found himself part of a defence tormented and tortured as Ronaldo bagged a hat-trick and overhauled Eusebio's scoring record in the process. Of course, it didn't help that they finished the game two men light... Worse was to come, though, in the form of an embarrassing 3-2 defeat to lowly Luxembourg.

Also in action for their countries were Sideshow Bob, Moussa Sissoko and Mr T. It'll be interesting to see if the latter gets the nod ahead of Vurnon Anita for tomorrow's trip to Villa - or indeed whether both miss out if the Silver Fox decides to reintroduce Dreamboat at the expense of a defensive midfielder rather than sacrificing a more forward-thinking player.

Big Lad back in the frame

As international exiles (or retirements) go, Big Lad's was somewhat short-lived. Only last week Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi was lamenting the fact that our long-serving striker repeatedly made himself unavailable and so would need to be overlooked in future. And yet now he's back in the fold.

The key to his return appears to have been the removal of a clause in his Newcastle contract preventing him from competing in the Africa Cup of Nations. The fact that we've consented to this would suggest that we're no longer so bothered about him being available for selection by the Silver Fox - an indication that the much-needed striking replacement for Demba Ba is on the way, or just that Big Lad is deemed too old or too inconsistent to be of much use? We'll see, but perhaps it's both.

Update 1: Commenter Paul has suggested that in fact any such clause would be virtually meaningless, as it would be in contravention of the FIFA regulations - so a third possibility is that the Nigerian FA have gently reminded the club of this and it's been dropped.

Update 2: Since the last update, another commenter suggested that the mooted "clause" was actually simply an informal agreement - something borne out by Big Lad's latest comments. So a case of something getting twisted in translation, then. Still, regardless of the semantics and intricacies, it remains interesting that the club has now decided to no longer stand in his way.

Super Eagle flies the nest

Recent comments from Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi strongly indicate that Big Lad's international career for the Super Eagles is over before it even really started: "Shola showed a lot of experience when he played against Venezuela last year, but we've not been able to get him to return. His experience would have been valuable to this young team right now but I've realised he wants to be left alone for now. He has shown he is not prepared to play for us and we have to move on and give other players an opportunity to represent the country. We can only wish Shola all the best and concentrate on those we have in the present squad." What a shame to see the door closing on "a young kid ... getting better and better" - according to JFK, at least...

One of the potential beneficiaries of Big Lad's disappearance from the international frame (perhaps under pressure from his employers, you imagine) might be a certain Obafemi Martins, now plying his trade for the Seattle Sounders. The way things are looking, we'd be delighted to have the erratic but occasionally astoundingly brilliant marksman back in black and white...

Quote of the day

"It was one of the best evenings I’ve ever had. Dad would have been gobsmacked. Steve Harper and Shola Ameobi shared some stories about Dad with Jim Rosenthal and they were hilarious really. They brought the house down. They’re two funny chaps and it was good to hear them."

Mark Robson reflects on Monday evening's charity tribute night in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and the Alan Shearer Foundation, held at the Sage on what would have been Sir Bobby's 80th birthday. In amongst the musical and comic entertainment, it seems our Geordie duo's anecdotes found favour with the audience. Perhaps we should refer to them as the Chuckle Brothers from now on?

Big Lad, big headache for the Silver Fox

Congratulations to Big Lad, who on Wednesday evening belatedly made his full international bow at the age of 31 - and for the country of his birth, Nigeria, rather than England. He never had the opportunity to team up with former Toon colleague Obafemi Martins, instead finding himself as Martins' replacement, but did manage to set up the Super Eagles' third and final goal in the victory over Venezuela. Having felt "honoured" by the experience, he's now hoping he's done enough to force his way into Stephen Keshi's Africa Cup of Nations squad. The Silver Fox could be forgiven for hoping otherwise.

Elsewhere, the domestically suspended Sideshow Bob helped Argentina keep a clean sheet against the mighty Saudi Arabia and, from a club perspective, it was a relief that Mr T, Davide Santon and Tim Krul spent all evening on the benches for their respective countries. However, the fact that Dreamboat didn't feature in France's win over Santon's Italy was less worthy of celebration - his absence due to an injury that might rule him out of tomorrow's visit of Swansea. With Spidermag having limped out of last weekend's disappointing home defeat to Fat Sam's West Ham, we suddenly look very light in central and attacking midfield areas.

A further source of frustration is that Papiss Cisse might also miss out due to administrative error. He withdrew from the Senegal squad for their friendly with Niger (as did Demba Ba) with a slight back injury, but it seems that the communication never reached the national team's coach and now they're threatening to bar us from playing him. It could only happen to us...

Where the Super Eagles dare

Congratulations (I guess) to Big Lad, who's won himself a call-up to the Nigeria squad for next week's friendly against Venezuela in Miami, where he might find himself paired with former Toon teammate Obafemi Martins.

It would be uncharitable not to be pleased for the player at the prospect of getting a full international cap at the age of 31. However, the timing isn't ideal, what with Papiss Cisse yet to hit his goalscoring stride and Demba Ba apparently carrying a knock that will keep him out of tonight's match in Belgium. Furthermore, the danger now is that we lose Big Lad to the Africa Cup of Nations in January (though admittedly his absence would be mitigated by the fact that both Ba and Cisse are both staying put on Tyneside).

Big Lad is likely to be the centre of attention tonight, when (as the Silver Fox has confirmed) he lines up alongside Little Big Lad in the starting line-up for the first time - also the first time two brothers have turned out for us since the Robledos in the 50s.

Quote of the day

"I would rather go and collect stamps than stick on that shirt!"

Saylor, when asked if he'd ever contemplate turning out for Sunderland. That wasn't the only provocative comment he made, claiming that no Mackem players are good enough to make it into our side. That may possibly be true, but pride before a fall and all that... At least he had the sense to add: "It is all very well having that but we have to go out and deliver that."

Meanwhile, some Neanderthal of a red and white persuasion has tried unsettling Big Lad with racist abuse on Facebook. Here's hoping the Mackem Slayer delivers a suitable riposte on the pitch tomorrow.

Quote of the day

"Cooking for each other happens quite a lot. The girls are friends, they go out for lunch, everyone goes around each other's house. Everyone lives in close proximity and everyone just gets on. I cooked for Shola Ameobi the other day - bit of risotto. For the kids last night, we had chilli, salad and rice. I’m not quite Come Dine With Me just yet, but I had a jacket potato around James Perch’s house, so that’s a zero! Shola doesn’t cook and leaves it all to his missus. He very much stays out of the kitchen, but she is very good."

Er, I'm not sure these revelations from Mike Williamson really merit the Mirror's claim that "Come Dine With Me style evenings among Alan Pardew’s squad have helped the club cook up a storm this season". But what does this say about the players in question? Perchinho is a no-nonsense, no-frills man, whereas Big Lad's happy to piggyback on someone else's efforts...

Race Racially abused relations

First Little Big Lad and now his brother. A hearty well done to those who think racial abuse is suddenly fashionable. How come we seem to be slipping back into the dark ages?

Zero tolerance

A disappointment to hear that Little Big Lad has been subjected to racist abuse on Twitter (it's not been made public whether it came from a supposed Toon "supporter" or a fan of another team), but credit to the club for taking swift and decisive action in reporting the incident to the police. Danny Simpson also recently complained of being abused via the social networking site, his abuser claiming the comments were sent maliciously from his phone by a friend.

Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, the affair underlines that while Twitter bringing players and fans closer together by allowing literally unmediated interaction (i.e. without the media as a conduit) can be a positive development, it also opens up a new avenue for abuse. As bad as it is to be harangued from the stands, it's arguably more upsetting to receive such comments directly and away from the field of battle, as it were.

The club stopped short of issuing a blanket Twitter ban in the wake of indiscretions from ASBO and Jose Enrique, though they did warn players not to talk about club matters. Those two pairs of loose lips are long gone and so in no danger of sinking our ship, but maybe the fact that Twitter accounts open players up to abuse will give the club more cause for reflection on whether accounts should be allowed.

On a different note, Little Big Lad's brother has finally been given clearance to play for Nigeria. Not that it means much in the short term - his current injury will probably rule him out of the forthcoming matches against Botswana and Zambia. It also won't affect us come January and the African Cup of Nations - unlike Demba Ba's Senegal and Mr T's Ivory Coast, the Super Eagles failed to qualify, surprisingly pipped to top spot in their group by Guinea.

Update

There have now been a couple of arrests over the offensive tweet. Teenage Toon fans, apparently. Well done on showing your support for the players, you morons.

Big Lad, little problem

Three minutes of substitute action on Saturday was apparently all it took for Big Lad to twang his hamstring. Alan Pardew broke the news that our saviour against Spurs is expected to be out of action for four to six weeks.

Could this be the first sign that things are about to get much tougher for us? Ordinarily we wouldn't worry too much about Big Lad's enforced absence - he's consistently inconsistent, after all - but it does heap the pressure on Leon O'Best and Demba Ba both to perform (which they didn't against Wigan) and to stay fit. HBA might be assured of more football as a result, but he wouldn't be able to supply the general physical power of our B&B double act. We'll need height and strength if we're to get anything from the trip to the Britannia Stadium, for a start (which is also why I suspect Obertan Kenobi will continue to be preferred to Sylvain Marveaux for that fixture).

Quote of the day

"Having a fit squad now, we have got everyone pushing each other and you know if you are not quite at it, you have got someone else ready to step in."

Flush with confidence after Sunday's superb equaliser, Big Lad gives Demba Ba and Leon O'Best a friendly nudge. Not that our current first-choice strikeforce weren't "at it" against Spurs - on the contrary, they both played very well before being withdrawn - so it'll be interesting to see whether Pardew feels Sunday's hero has done enough to get himself a starting place against Wigan.

Big day for Big Lad

Happy 30th birthday, Big Lad. 308 first team appearances in eleven years and we're still none the wiser as to whether you're actually any good...

You put your left leg in

Confirmation from the club that Big Lad has signed a two-year extension to the contract that was due to expire next summer. He's now contracted to the club until after his 32nd birthday, having made his debut against Chelsea back in 2000.

Since that game, when he memorably squared up to the Poison Dwarf, it's fair to say that Big Lad has, at times, flattered to deceive. On his day, he is a world-beater. Strong, with what can be an exquisite touch, he can give any centre-half a torrid afternoon, and his goal record against the Great Unwashed is particularly impressive. However, those days don't come often enough, and when watching from the stands, the impression that he's ambling through games is one which the player has never been able to shake off.

Still, he's been with the club longer than most and, despite several near brushes with the exit door, has remained a loyal servant, albeit one who continues to be immensely frustrating to watch, the knowledge that he can batter teams single-handedly undermined by the fact he fails to do so nearly often enough.

Presumably this is yet another illustration of the Rocky money being invested in the club, albeit not by bringing in the new striker we need.

Finn deal finalised

Our desperation in the wake of Rocky's hasty exit was confirmed with the recruitment of free agent Shefki Kuqi, Alan Pardew commenting: "We needed another option up front because we are a little light there due to the temporary loss of Shola, and Shefki will provide us with something different." Yes, Alan, signing up that great lump will certainly address the lightness issue...

Kuqi, understandably, is delighted at the turn of events: "I don't really have the words to describe how happy I am. To get this chance is a massive thing for me". Rather like Pardew and Graeme Souness before him, the Finn probably can't believe his luck at our charity.

All that said, the name "Sibierski" does keep cropping up. When we signed the bit-part player from Man City on a free transfer, we referred to him as "the equivalent of a cheap, crap sparkler" amidst a fireworks display of an August transfer deadline day - and yet a year later we had to chow down on humble pie, conceding that he'd been a surprisingly good addition. Here's hoping (and praying) that Kuqi can have the same impact - but having seen him play for Stockport, Blackburn, Ipswich, Crystal Palace and Swansea, I for one won't be holding my breath.

In any case, his window of opportunity might not be as wide open as had been first thought. According to Pardew, Big Lad could be in line to return sooner than expected - two or three weeks, perhaps - clad in a protective mask of the sort usually sported by NBA basketball players. A masked man up front will sit nicely with having Spidermag on the wing. Perhaps they can form a crime-fighting duo - though there'd be less to do around the club now that Rocky's left.

Ins, outs, downs, (call) ups

In: John Carver, named as Alan Pardew's right-hand man for the rest of the season. It's a homecoming for the man who worked under King Kev, Kenny Dalglish and Ruud Gullit before becoming assistant to Sir Bobby Robson. Since leaving the club when Graeme Soumess took charge in September 2004, he's toured the country, pitching up at Leeds, Luton, Plymouth and most recently Sheffield United (as assistant to ex-Toon midfielder and now Wales boss Gary Speed), and even had a managerial spell of just over a year across the pond with MLS outfit Toronto. The arrangement is only temporary at present, but Pardew has hailed Carver's "excellent track record as a coach" and also suggested that the returning Geordie's prior knowledge of life at St James' Park will come in useful.

Out: Wayne Routledge, who looks to be on his way back to QPR, just a year after they sold him to us. It's a loan deal that will, apparently, become permanent if the Londoners maintain their current position and follow us up to the Premier League. The winger was arguably our most effective signing of last January's transfer window, adding a fresh dimension to the squad and contributing assists and goals just when we needed a boost to maintain our trajectory towards promotion. I, at least, had hopes that after disappointing top-flight spells with Spurs, Villa, Fulham and Crystal Palace, Routledge would at last shine in the Premier League - but it hasn't really happened, not least because ASBO and his superior set-piece delivery has kept him largely sidelined. The decision to let him go suggests that a replacement may be forthcoming (Sebastian Larsson perhaps?), but also narrows our options somewhat - without Routledge we have very few players who can terrorise defenders with sheer pace.

Down: Alan Smith, who hobbled away from the Stadium of Shite on Sunday with an ankle injury - his Achilles heel, so to speak. It's tempting to venture that the enforced absence of the slow, clumsy bludger might actually be beneficial to the side, with the more creative duo of Danny Guthrie and Dan Gosling waiting in the wings. But the fact that Spurs, one of the most dangerous offensive sides in the league, are our visitors on Saturday means that lining up with a defensive midfielder is definitely desirable - Cheik Tiote's idiotic ban looking all the more potentially damaging.

(Call) up: Big Lad, who at the age of 29 looks set to make his international bow for Nigeria, the country of his birth, against Guatemala next month. The former England U21 man enthused (in his best Geordie accent): "I didn't think twice about finally returning home". In turning out for the Super Eagles he'll be following in the footsteps of two recent players remembered with varying degrees of affection on Tyneside: Obafemi Martins and Celestine Babayaro.