Shane Ferguson tearing apart international opposition

[StoneColdStephenIreland 74]

i expect he'll get his chance if Enrique's off

 

John Arne Riise according to all the press.

 

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Liver...icle709995.html

 

Probably the 2nd worse non-founded rumour, only beaten by the Puyol - Steven Taylor swap deal

[Guest alex]

I'd say the rumour's 50% correct

[Christmas Tree 4679]

I'd say the rumour's 50% correct

 

 

[Neville Neville Neville 0]

Seemed to jog on grass rather than walk/run on water as I was led to believe!!

 

Seriously though, thought he would have charging around, overlapping jonas here and there and looking to make an impression. Got down to the byeline once but apart from that looked very nervous and scared to go make the standard enrique overlapping jonas on the outside run.

Seemed happier jogging around and trying a few (not particularly good) balls from deep instead.

 

Obviously its unbelievably early days but I think there's a bit to go before we write jonas' newcastle obituary

 

Still, I basically wrote off andy carroll as a top flight footballer after than legendary 10-20 minute 10 man substitute appearance against man city where he traipsed around rather than charge about, and look what happened to him!

[Gejon 2]

Thought he did alright but was shockingly unaware/daydreaming when he left Coleman (was it) in at the back.

[sammynb 3342]

He's no Robbie Elliot.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Pardew:

 

"I’m actually buoyed by Fergie’s performance when he came on, he added a little bit to us and perhaps when Enrique came off I perhaps could have brought him on.

 

"It was only his youth and the fact that he hasn’t got any experience in a game like that which held me back but he’s got talent and he showed that when he came on.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Got down to the byeline once but apart from that looked very nervous and scared to go make the standard enrique overlapping jonas on the outside run.

Seemed happier jogging around and trying a few (not particularly good) balls from deep instead.

 

That's the impression I got too.

 

He looked very slight to me. Is he definitely a fullback or might he turn out to be a winger?

[The Mighty Hog 508]

Got down to the byeline once but apart from that looked very nervous and scared to go make the standard enrique overlapping jonas on the outside run.

Seemed happier jogging around and trying a few (not particularly good) balls from deep instead.

 

That's the impression I got too.

 

He looked very slight to me. Is he definitely a fullback or might he turn out to be a winger?

 

He was a winger, but moved to left back at some point. Isn't the story that he was first choice for left wing in the reserves but got injured and couldn't get his spot back but was put in at left back and did well there?

[Christmas Tree 4679]

Nearly shot my load when he came on

 

Tough game to introduce him when the team was so lack lustre.

 

A couple of glimses of whats to come when he went past 3 before being brought down.

 

Looks like one the mascots

[Tooj 17]

Nearly shot my load when he came on

 

Tough game to introduce him when the team was so lack lustre.

 

A couple of glimses of whats to come when he went past 3 before being brought down.

 

Looks like one the mascots

Or you could say a couple of glimpses of poor positioning from him as well.

[Ayatollah Hermione 13766]

Nearly shot my load when he came on

 

Tough game to introduce him when the team was so lack lustre.

 

A couple of glimses of whats to come when he went past 3 before being brought down.

 

Looks like one the mascots

Or you could say a couple of glimpses of poor positioning from him as well.

 

Looks like he needs to bulk up a bit as well, at least on the first look at him.

[Tooj 17]

Nearly shot my load when he came on

 

Tough game to introduce him when the team was so lack lustre.

 

A couple of glimses of whats to come when he went past 3 before being brought down.

 

Looks like one the mascots

Or you could say a couple of glimpses of poor positioning from him as well.

 

Looks like he needs to bulk up a bit as well, at least on the first look at him.

Pardew said that about him the other day. The shirt looked massive on him. Perhaps he can have a junior kit?

[Tom 14011]

He looked decent enough yesterday but he's not someone we should have to come to rely on if Enrique sods off. The interaction between Ferguson and Jonas was often poor, Jonas for some reason not making obvious runs!

 

Anyway Ferguson can beat a man and play a decent cross but I agree his positioning was poor at times, to the extent we should have probably conceded a third. It's almost as if Anichebe coming on was a direct response to Ferguson's build. Pardew has put him on a 'milk and steak' diet anyway so he should bulk up a bit soon.

[KeithJ 0]

Unfortunately, positioning comes with time as a defender. I remember Simpson being terrible in the championship. The amount of time I was shouting at him in the championship due to him leaving wide open spaces.

 

Well done to the lad though, it's a daunting task to come on in a premiership match where you are losing. Well done to the crowd for not loudly groaning when he lost the ball. Things like that can ruin a young players confidence. Yes, he is slight and young however he has got some raw talent there. The lad needs a few seasons to bulk out.

[Christmas Tree 4679]

It could be Fergie time at Newcastle United

 

By Lee Ryder on Mar 7, 11

 

They don't come much more fresh faced than Shane Ferguson in the Newcastle United locker room.

 

Still just 19, here is a player who has so far stepped up into life in the first team and not looked like a fish out of water when pulling on a black and white shirt.

 

Those who have braved the cold and wet weather at Whitley Park watching the reserves won't need to be told just what an exciting talent Fergie is.

 

I don't need to raise the expectations for Ferguson or put pressure on a player that has already be hailed as a future star at St James' Park by Alan Pardew.

 

Peter Beardsley, a huge admirer of the skilled players in the game, also loves the Northern Ireland teenager.

 

As much as we all love Chris Hughton, I actually think Pardew will throw Ferguson the chances he would have had to wait for under his previous boss.

 

It's what he can bring to the table that most people will be interested in and this left-back/left winger is certainly different.

 

He reminds me of a young Denis Irwin.

 

Small, compact, tidy and bloody reliable.

 

And in a football world that is dominated by egos, I can tell you now that Fergie doesn't have one.

 

In fact there aren't too many footballers who possess his unique unassuming attitude that has helped propel him to first team life.

 

The big question would be if Jose Enrique does seek pastures new this summer, will Ferguson be able to slot straight into his place?

 

That's one I'm afraid, nobody can really answer without the benefit of a crystal ball.

 

What you could say is, that Ferguson will give it everything he's got, not get ahead of himself and continue his "willing to learn" attitude that already makes him a full Northern Ireland international.

 

In the United Kingdom we are guilty of building people up and then knocking them down without a care in a cruel uncompromising environment.

 

This has basically triggered an identity crisis at international level for all the home nations with England at least overlooking, where possible, form players like Joey Barton in favour of squeaky clean characters like Theo Walcott.

 

When we're talking squeaky clean, I think that Ferguson just about fits into that category and the worst offence he seems capable of is staying up too late playing Xbox Live.

 

It's comforting to know that Ferguson is on our books and that, in terms of players coming through, there is life after Andy Carroll.

 

Ferguson does not have the same glamour factor as Carroll of course.

 

And while he's still 19, he doesn't have the experience either, if Enrique stays there is every chance he could go out on loan next season.

 

His slight frame is also a cause for concern with Newcastle building him up and Pardew joking he's on a "steak and milk" diet.

 

But he's raw and exciting and the way he glides past opposing is something I think Newcastle fans would like to see a lot more of.

 

His other big quality is his toughness despite looking like he weighs 10 stone soaking wet!

 

He's already stood up to Ramires this season after the Brazilian attempted what looked like GBH on the player at Chelsea in the Carling Cup and then West Ham's Ben Haim judged a book by its cover in the 5-0 hammering of the East End side at St James' Park this season, with Ferguson not taking any flak.

 

He's also got some quality crossing ability in his locker and an eye for goal.

 

Should Pardew be without Enrique for the trip to Stoke on Saturday week, he could very well play it safe.

 

He could switch Danny Simpson to left-back or even go with James Perch.

 

Or he could play Shane Ferguson.

 

If it is Fergie time at the Britannia, there won't be too many complaints from Toon fans already impressed with his offerings thus far.

 

If he can keep it up, he could bring a whole different meaning to the term Fergie time.

[Holden McGroin 6471]

Stoke is the last game I would think about starting in him.

[KeithJ 0]

Against Stoke he will definitelty be overpowered by that Rugby team however he seemed to do well against Chelsea in the cup. Against Ben Haim he also done well.

[Guest alex]

Beardsley again, sadly, doing his PR bit for the club, i.e. bigging up Ferguson to replace Enrique in preparation for the latter leaving.

[Christmas Tree 4679]

Beardsley again, sadly, doing his PR bit for the club, i.e. bigging up Ferguson to replace Enrique in preparation for the latter leaving.

 

tbf to Beardo, the bigging up of Ferguson that Ryder is referring too was from an article written back in October.

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/newcastle-u...72703-27412762/

[Guest alex]

My mistake. I thought some of that was actual quotes from Beardsley rather than just musings from Ryder's dreadful blog.

Edited March 7, 2011 by alex

[Nobby 0]

After the Everton match (sorry if already posted)

[acrossthepond 866]

Does Lee moonlight for The Sun? That one-line-paragraph shtick is straight from the worst rags.

 

I want Ferguson to succeed as much as I want every other player at this club to be a success, and I'm pleased that he looks like he has something about him. But I don't think he's at a level to provide cover (or heaven forbid, be a replacement) for Enrique and I think he should've been sent out on loan to gain first-team experience. Of course, that would've required us to sign a specialist left-back to cover Enrique, and that would've required "planning."

 

If the plan is, indeed, to have Ferguson replace Enrique when he leaves in the summer, we're going to be in real trouble.

[Happy Face 29]

Nearly shot my load when he came on

 

Tough game to introduce him when the team was so lack lustre.

 

A couple of glimses of whats to come when he went past 3 before being brought down.

 

Looks like one the mascots

 

 

Find it odd that you big him up to such an extent when he looks decidedley inexperienced and unsure a lot of the time....wheras you slate Ranger at every opportunirty as not ready to move up into the first team when it's exactly the opposite way round.

 

Taxi drivers dilemma I suppose.

[Guest alex]

I've noticed some people (and CT is by no means the only one to do this) seem to think that if they say a player is class when they first get a glimpse of them it shows them to be some sort of talent-spotting genius in the event that it comes true. Steven Taylor - future England captain, for example

Edited March 7, 2011 by alex