Allegedly ... Best has been told he could yet make the Republic of Ireland squad for Euro 2012 – if he returns to fitness at Newcastle United.
Although that is a massive task with only five games to go ... and the other Newcastle strikers playing so well.
The striker suffered knee ligament damage in February, and returned to training last week.
The 25-year-old, after a lengthy exile from international football, was eventually recalled for Ireland’s play-off against Estonia last November after West Bromwich Albion’s Shane Long was ruled out through injury.
However, he had to pull out after suffering hip and groin problems in a United game.
Former United midfielder Mick Martin is on Trappatoni’s staff, and has had a conversation with Best about his fitness ... although he didn't give any concrete promises.
Martin knows as well as we all do, it is a tough ask to get Best ready for the Irish squad, even more so considering Trappatoni went public calling Best "a lazy player".
Mick Martin: “I spoke to Leon a few weeks ago, I bumped into him at the training ground.
“He said his injury’s coming along nicely, and he asked me about Ireland.
“He’s been unlucky with injuries. He was doing well and scoring goals, and the manager had him in his sights for the Euros.
“I don’t know how this leaves him in relation to the squad, as there’s a bit of competition there.
“There’s Robbie Keane, Shane Long, Kevin Doyle, Jonathan Walters and Simon Cox – that’s five.
“I said to him just to concentrate on getting back fit – that should be his first target.
“He’s got to make sure he’s fit before he comes back.
“And if he’s playing and doing well, the manager will be made aware of that very quickly.
“He had a great start to the season, and it would be great if he could be playing again before the summer.”
NEWCASTLE UNITED (Pld 33 Pts 59 GD 8)
Saturday 21st April 2012 Barclays Prem Newcastle United v Stoke City 15:00 Saturday 28th April 2012 Barclays Prem Wigan Athletic v Newcastle United 15:00 Wednesday 02nd May 2012 Barclays PremChelsea v Newcastle United 19:45 Sunday 06th May 2012 Barclays Prem Newcastle United v Manchester City 13:30 Sunday 13th May 2012 Barclays Prem Everton v Newcastle United 15:00
ARSENAL (Pld 34 Pts 64 GD 24)
Saturday 21st April 2012 Barclays Prem Arsenal v Chelsea 12:45 Saturday 28th April 2012 Barclays Prem Stoke City v Arsenal 15:00 Saturday 05th May 2012 Barclays PremArsenal v Norwich City 12:45 Sunday 13th May 2012 Barclays Prem West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal 15:00
CHELSEA (Pld 33 Pts 57 GD 18)
Wednesday 18th April 2012 Champions League Semi-Final Chelsea v Barcelona 19:45 Saturday 21st April 2012 Barclays Prem Arsenal v Chelsea 12:45 Tuesday 24th April 2012 Champions League Semi-Final Barcelona v Chelsea 19:45 Sunday 29th April 2012 Barclays Prem Chelsea v Queens Park Rangers 13:30 Wednesday 02nd May 2012 Barclays Prem Chelsea v Newcastle United 19:45 Saturday 05th May 2012 Barclays Prem Liverpool v Chelsea 12:45 Sunday 13th May 2012 Barclays Prem Chelsea v Blackburn Rovers 15:00
TOTTENHAM (Pld 33 Pts 59 GD 19)
Saturday 21st April 2012 Barclays Prem Queens Park Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur 17:30 Sunday 29th April 2012 Barclays Prem Tottenham Hotspur v Blackburn Rovers 16:00 Wednesday 02nd May 2012 Barclays Prem Bolton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur 20:00 Sunday 06th May 2012 Barclays Prem Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur 14:00 Sunday 13th May 2012 Barclays Prem Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham 15:00
NEWCASTLE UNITED 20011/12 PREMIER LEAGUE
NEWCASTLE 2 BOLTON 0 (Ben Arfa, Cisse)Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa (Ryan Taylor 85), Cabaye, Perch (Ferguson 46), Gutierrez, Ba (Shola Ameobi 64), Cisse.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Tavernier.
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Cisse 2) Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Perch, Santon, Gutierrez, Cabaye (Gosling 73), Ben Arfa, Tiote (Ryan Taylor 46), Cisse, Ba (Ferguson 59).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Shola Ameobi, Tavernier.
NEWCASTLE 2 LIVERPOOL 0 (Cisse 2)Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Perch, Gutierrez, Guthrie (Gosling 65), Tiote, Cabaye, Ben Arfa (Santon 90), Cisse (Shola Ameobi 74), Ba.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ryan Taylor, Vuckic, Ferguson.
WEST BROM 1 NEWCASTLE 3 (Cisse 2, Ben Arfa) Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini (Santon 46), Perch, Ben Arfa (Shola Ameobi 75), Guthrie, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Cisse (Ferguson 79), Ba.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Vuckic.
NEWCASTLE 1 NORWICH 0 (Cisse)Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Perch, Ben Arfa (Santon 63), Cabaye, Guthrie (Gosling 76), Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Shola Ameobi 69).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Vuckic, Donaldson.
ARSENAL 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ben Arfa)Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon (Perch 46), Ben Arfa, Tiote (Guthrie 81), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Obertan (Shola Ameobi 61), Ba.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Cisse, Gosling, Vuckic.
NEWCASTLE 1 SUNDERLAND 1 (Shola Ameobi)Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon (Ben Arfa 46), Ryan Taylor (Lovenkrands 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Shola Ameobi 72).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Guthrie, Perch, Obertan.
NEWCASTLE 2 WOLVES 2 (Cisse, Gutierrez)Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ryan Taylor (Guthrie 65), Cabaye, Tiote (Shola Ameobi 80), Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Ben Arfa 65).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Perch, Obertan, Ferguson.
SPURS 5 NEWCASTLE 0 Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Obertan (Ferguson 46), Guthrie (Lovenkrands 86), Perch, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Gosling 68).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Abeid, Shola Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 2 ASTON VILLA 1 (Ba, Cisse) Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ryan Taylor (Obertan 33), Guthrie, Perch, Gutierrez, Ba (Shola Ameobi 90), Best (Cisse 14).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Ferguson.
BLACKBURN 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Dann og, Obertan)Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ben Arfa (Perch 46), Guthrie, Ryan Taylor (Obertan 89), Gutierrez, Best (Lovenkrands 77), Shola Ameobi.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Ferguson.
FULHAM 5 NEWCASTLE 2 (Guthrie, Ben Arfa)Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Guthrie (Perch 76), Cabaye (Gosling 83), Gutierrez, Best (Ryan Taylor 86), Shola Ameobi.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Obertan, Ferguson.
NEWCASTLE 1 QPR 0 (Best)Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ryan Taylor (Gosling 81), Guthrie, Cabaye (Ben Arfa 25), Gutierrez, Best (Perch 76), Shola Ameobi.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Obertan, Ferguson.
NEWCASTLE 3 MAN UTD 0 (Ba, Cabaye, Jones og)Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Perch 77), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 75), Ba (Obertan 89).Subs Not Used: Harper, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic.
LIVERPOOL 3 NEWCASTLE 1 (Agger og)Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor (Santon 46), Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 84), Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Vuckic (Ben Arfa 65), Ba.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Perch, Best, Shola Ameobi.
BOLTON 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ben Arfa, Ba)Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Shola Ameobi 84), Cabaye (Perch 88), Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Best (Ben Arfa 61).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic, Ferguson.
NEWCASTLE 2 WEST BROM 3 (Ba 2)Krul, Simpson, Perch, Coloccini, Santon (Ryan Taylor 46), Obertan (Shola Ameobi 72), Vuckic, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 61), Ba.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Williamson, Abeid, Sammy Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 0 SWANSEA CITY 0Krul, Simpson, Perch, Coloccini, Santon, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 82), Cabaye, Tiote (Vuckic 82), Gutierrez, Best (Shola Ameobi 71), Ba.Subs Not Used: Harper, Williamson, Ben Arfa, Abeid.
NORWICH 4 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba 2)Krul, Santon (Ferguson 90), Simpson, Perch, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 80), Cabaye, Gosling, Gutierrez, Ba, Shola Ameobi (Smith 90).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Lovenkrands, Best.
NEWCASTLE 0 CHELSEA 3Krul, Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini (Perch 27), R Taylor, Lovenkrands (Sammy Ameobi 71), Guthrie, Cabaye, Obertan, Ben Arfa (Shola Ameobi 46), Ba.Subs Not Used: Harper, Santon, Gosling, Best.
MAN UTD 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ba pen)Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 65), Cabaye, Guthrie (Perch 74), Gutierrez, Ben Arfa (Lovenkrands 80), Ba.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Gosling, Shola Ameobi.
MAN CITY 3 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gosling)Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Ben Arfa (Lovenkrands 76), Guthrie, Cabaye (Perch 85), Gutierrez, Ba, Sammy Ameobi (Gosling 79).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Smith, Shola Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 2 EVERTON 1 (Heitinga og, R Taylor)Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Marveaux (Sammy Ameobi 54), Cabaye (Gosling 37), Guthrie, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 73), Ba.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Lovenkrands, Perch.
STOKE 1 NEWCASTLE 3 (Barr 3)Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Guthrie (Gosling 90), Cabaye (Perch 78), Gutierrez, Best (Sammy Ameobi 86), Ba.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Ben Arfa, Marveaux.
NEWCASTLE 1 WIGAN ATHLETIC 0 (Cabaye)Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Marveaux 76), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 46), Ba (Shola Ameobi 68).Subs Not Used: Harper, Santon, Perch, Smith.
NEWCASTLE 2 SPURS 2 (Ba, Ameobi)Krul, Simpson (Santon 77), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Shola Ameobi 71), Ba (Ben Arfa 71).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Gosling, Marveaux.WOLVES 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba, Gutierrez)Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Marveaux 90), Cabaye (Guthrie 89), Tiote, Gutierrez, Best, Ba (Lovenkrands 71).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi.NEWCASTLE 3 BLACKBURN 1 (Ba 3)Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez (Marveaux 84), Ba (Ben Arfa 74), Best.Subs Not Used: Harper, Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Perch, Sammy Ameobi.ASTON VILLA 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Best)Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez (Sammy Ameobi 85), Best (Shola Ameobi 69), Ba (Marveaux 80).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Perch.QPR 0 NEWCASTLE 0Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Marveaux 82), Shola Ameobi (Ba 64).Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Guthrie, Lovenkrands.NEWCASTLE 2 FULHAM 1 (Best 2)Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Lovenkrands (Ba 62), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Obertan, Best (Vuckic 78), Vuckic (Smith 85).Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Ferguson.SUNDERLAND 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (R Taylor)Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Williamson 85), Barton, Obertan (Gosling 85), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi.Subs Not Used: Harper, Lovenkrands, Ba, Best, Marveaux.NEWCASTLE 0 ARSENAL 0Krul, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Simpson, Barton, Cabaye (Lovenkrands 81), Tiote, Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 73), Ba (Obertan 46).Subs Not Used: Forster, Williamson, Gosling, Sammy Ameobi.
FA CUPBRIGHTON 1 NEWCASTLE 0Krul, Simpson, Perch, Williamson, Santon (Ferguson 83), Guthrie (Gosling 83), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ben Arfa (Ryan Taylor 83), Shola Ameobi, Best.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Obertan, Kadar.
NEWCASTLE 2 BLACKBURN 1 (Ben Arfa, Gutierrez)Krul, Simpson (Ryan Taylor 60), Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Obertan (Shola Ameobi 56), Abeid (Gosling 87), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ben Arfa, Best.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Perch, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic.CARLING CUPBLACKBURN 4 NEWCASTLE 3 (AET) Guthrie, Cabaye, Lovenkrands (pen)Krul, Simpson (Sammy Ameobi 70), Perch, Coloccini, Santon, Marveaux (Obertan 77), Guthrie, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ben Arfa (Lovenkrands 79), Ba.Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Ranger.NOTTINGHAM FOR. 3 NEWCASTLE 4 (AET) Lovenkrands 2, Simpson, ColocciniElliot, Simpson, Coloccini, Perch, Ferguson, Abeid, Guthrie, Gosling (Shola Ameobi 70), Marveaux, Ben Arfa (Sammy Ameobi 70), Lovenkrands (Obertan 80).Subs Not Used: Krul, Best, Dummett, Henderson.SCUNTHORPE 1 NEWCASTLE 2 AET (R Taylor, Sammy Ameobi)Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson (Steven Taylor 45), Ryan Taylor, Marveaux, Gosling (Vuckic 70), Cabaye, Lovenkrands, Best, Ba (Sammy Ameobi 65).Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Abeid, Smith, Ferguson.PRE-SEASON FIXTURESNEWCASTLE 0 FIORENTINA 0 (Ab 63 mins)Krul (Forster 46), Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique, Gosling (Ba 46), Cabaye, Vuckic, Jonas (Marveaux 46) Lovenkrands (R Taylor 61), Best (Shola Ameobi 46).Subs: Sammy Ameobi, Ranger, Tavernier, Williamson.LEEDS UTD 3 NEWCASTLE 2 (S.Taylor, Vuckic)Forster, Cabaye, Williamson, Barton, Simpson, Gosling, Gutierrez, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Taylor, Tavernier. Subs: Krul, Taylor, Best, Vuckic, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett.COLUMBUS CREW 0 NEWCASTLE 3 (Ameobi, Coloccini, Vuckic)Harper; Tavernier, S Taylor, Coloccini (Dummett, 54), Enrique; Gutierrez (Abeid, 85), Tiote (Smith, 62), Gosling, Marveaux (Vuckic, 76); Ameobi (Best, 75), Ba. Subs not used: Forster, Krul.ORLANDO CITY 1 NEWCASTLE 0Forster; R Taylor (Enrique, 26), S Taylor, Coloccini, Tavernier; Gosling (Vuckic, 71), Smith (Abeid, 74), Tiote, Gutierrez; Best (Ba, 74), Lovenkrands (Ameobi, 74). Subs not used: Krul, Harper.SPORTING KANSAS 0 NEWCASTLE 0Krul, Gosling, Coloccini, S Taylor, R Taylor, Marveaux (Tavernier 46), Tiote (Abeid 46), Ben Arfa, Gutierrez, Ba (Best 72), Lovenkrands (Smith 46).DARLINGTON 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Barton, Sammy Ameobi)Forster; Simpson (Dummett), S Taylor (Tavernier), Williamson (Henderson), Ferguson (R Taylor); Barton (Abeid), Guthrie (Cabaye, Donaldson), Smith (Gosling), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi); Ben Arfa (Richardson), Best (Ranger). Subs not used: Soderberg, Newton.
Source: FOOTYMAD
