Source: FOOTYMAD
The Weight Of Expectation Of That Toon Shirt
Shola Ameobi says he knows only too well how intense the weight of expectation is from the Toon fans. Shola Ameobi: "The expectations of the Newcastle fans are sky high. They want to succeed and sometimes, that hunger to succeed can heap a lot of pressure on young talents. "But Andy Carroll, certainly on the pitch, is coping with it very well. "He has been confident enough to take that number nine shirt - he wants to be the next local hero, and that speaks volumes. "He wants to go out there and score as many goals as he can and help his beloved Newcastle to be a winning team on the pitch. "That in itself comes with a lot of pressure - I know only too well about that - and it's something I have had to learn over the years. "I can probably say I have coped with that pressure. It's been intense, but I think I have coped with it very well and hopefully Andy can do the same over the coming years. "I never wanted to have that on my CV, losing against Sunderland, but unfortunately that was the case a couple of seasons ago. "But we have had some terrific wins as well. I have been privileged enough to score a few goals against Sunderland, and obviously that, as a child growing up, is what you always dream of doing, scoring against your local rivals. "I have had the pleasure of doing that and hopefully some Sunday, I will get that winning feeling again. "First and foremost, it's about getting a win over our rivals and more importantly, getting three points because we understand how tight this league is. "A couple of defeats can propel you right down to the bottom and a couple of wins can propel you right to the top, and we understand that."
