‘One to Watch in 2010′ – Newcastle’s Nile Ranger
Some footballers have a knack for getting in to trouble. Joey Barton is a prime example. One player who falls into this category is Nile Ranger, the 18 year old prodigy that has overcame a life of crime on the streets to flourish at Newcastle this season.
Starting his career at Crystal Palace, Ranger was signed by Southampton in 2007. But numerous scrapes with the law plagued Ranger’s early teenage years. At 15, he was sentenced to a Young Offenders Institute for his part in a street robbery which took place in North London. At Southampton, Ranger was again a magnet for controversy: he was caught stealing a load of first-team kit and was given the reputation of a player with a bad attitude.
After being released by Southampton, Newcastle took a gamble on Ranger, and it is one that has paid off handsomely so far. Last season, the England U-19 striker scored 22 goals for the academy and reserve teams and was rewarded with a three and a half year deal and the Jackie Milburn Award for the most impressive youngster at the club.
Last season, Kevin Keegan, Alan Shearer and Joe Kinnear all included Ranger in the first team squad, but it is this season that the striker has impressed with the first team. He made his debut on the opening-day draw with West Brom, replacing Shola Ameobi as a late substitute, and then followed that by starting against Leicester back in August, where his performance earned him a Man of the Match award and a standing ovation from fans.
Tall, strong, with quick feet and a good footballing brain, Ranger has pace to burn, loves running at defenders with the ball and is great in the air. The youngster has even been described as an “English Adebayor” by some pundits. This season, Ranger has scored twice for Newcastle, his first goal coming in the win over Coventry in December and his second against Crystal Palace. The youngster has started in 4 games this season for Newcastle, and made 20 substitute appearances for the Championship leaders.
Man City are one of the clubs interested in signing the 18 year old striker, but Newcastle are keen to keep him at St James Park. If Ranger can continue to develop his game this season in the Championship, then he, along with fellow striker Andy Carroll, could be leading the Newcastle frontline next season in the Premiership.
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I would love to think Ranger will get a proper crack at the 1st team again and Premiership action next season but I bet he is really gutted that Leon Best is still being picked ahead of him.
Ranger was just starting to find his feet at 1st team level and we all loved his hard working, hard to play against style.
It really annoys me to think that we may be stalling his career just to allow Best to try try and prove he can do what we already know Ranger can and more.
Beggars belief really. If we don’t change this soon and get him playing regularly he will soon fly the nest and come back to haunt us. Yeah he’s under contract but so what-footbal contracts these days mean nowt but a heftier price-tag. Man City for example will laugh at that.
Give the kid a chance and cut your losses with Best Hughton! He’s had his chance.
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I agree GeordieDan – signing Best for me was a step in the wrong direction for Ranger’s development!
He certainly looked as if he had potential and i think what he needed now was games! So to sign Best and never see ranger play since is unfortunate!
If he had made it big this year, then yes the premier league might have been a possibility for him. But without “games” how can we be sure he will be ready for it?
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Totally agree with both of you. Signing Best has hindered Ranger’s development and Hughton is unlikely to pick Ranger ahead of him as the signature of Best would look totally pointless – as it possibly is.
Really like the look of Ranger, holds the ball up like no-one else and if he can start scoring more goals then he will be a real handful – something even Best hasn’t done yet!
Maybe if Newcastle achieve promotion with a handful of games still to go then Ranger will get a few more games in the Championship to develop further.
Ranger is a player that we need to keep hold of at all costs and I’m sure he can make it at the highest level in a couple of years.
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