Shola Ameobi Gunning For A Swift Return To Newcastle

On the day that he is due to rub shoulders with arguably the greatest footballer on the planet on the grandest stage the game has to offer, all Shola Ameobi can talk about is Newcastle United. Ameobi will go toe-to-toe with Lionel Messi in the biggest match of his career on Wednesday when Nigeria meet Argentina in their final Group F fixture with the 32-year-old aiming to fire the Super Eagles into the last-16 of the World Cup. But the veteran striker admits to still having Newcastle on the brain following his release earlier this month from the club he served for 14 years and hopes to return to St James' Park €œin some capacity€ when he finally hangs up his boots which he

He told the Journal: €œI€™m only 32, so hopefully I have four or five more years in me.

€œWhen I say €˜Newcastle till I die€™ and €˜I can€™t see myself ever wanting to leave the club€™, that hasn€™t changed, because I will be a Newcastle supporter and will continue to be.

€œThat I€™m leaving the club doesn€™t diminish that.

€œHopefully, it€™s a place I will go back to in some capacity, to help give back to the club what they€™ve given to me."

While we're appreciative of the dedication Ameobi exhibited in the near 400 games he racked up in a black and white shirt we can't help but admit to being mightily relieved that he doesn't envisage returning to Newcastle in a playing capacity any time soon.

Despite our search for striking enforcements hitting the buffers in recent weeks it would be a major step in the wrong direction to even contemplate re-signing the Nigeria international as a stop-gap should we fail to land our top targets this summer. But we certainly do wish Shola well in his efforts to find new employment with several teams in the Championship, America and Australia being mooted as possible destinations for the ultimate marmite player.