Shola Ameobi is many things to many people but after masquerading as a Premier League footballer for the best part of 14-years at Newcastle he's now being touted as a future manager - by his current boss, nonetheless. The 32-year-old is facing an uncertain future at St James' Park with his contract set to expire in the summer and fresh terms are unlikely to be forthcoming despite his close bond with Pardew, emerging as a trusted ally to our under-fire manager, and his cult status amongst Magpies fans. We've seldom seen Ameobi flex his considerable muscles in a black and white shirt during his decade-and-a-half of service, more often than not taking the appearance of a shrew rather than the strapping 6ft 3in brute that his appearance suggests. If you look up inconsistent in the dictionary it comes with an image of Shola attached. Yet he's won the trust of Pardew, who we suspect would offer the Nigerian-born striker a new deal without a seconds hesitation despite his most inept season in front of goal in recent memory, and has been tipped to succeed on the other side of the white line when he finally retires.
He is a very important leader," he told the Chronicle. "He is a player who is going to have a huge future on the coaching and managerial front himself.
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He has had great experience here. You have to remember, he has experienced the real heady days under Sir Bobby Robson and some disappointing days as well.
He has seen it all and that gives him great experience for this particular club and that is why he is very, very important in my changing room.
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It's particularly nauseating to witness Pardew championing Ameobi's cause to be retained beyond the summer despite a diabolical return of just one goal this season - that ending a 16-month drought following his last strike against QPR in December 2012 - and it's quite clear that he's scrapping to keep one of his few supporters in the dressing room.
Why else would he want a player, with an overall career record of 78 goals in 394 games, to stick around for next season?