Presidential Shola Ameobi has Newcastle manager Pardew purring
Alan Pardew has one big worry regarding Shola Ameobi. "If he
does well in the World Cup, Shola might end up president of Nigeria,"
said Newcastle United's
manager, suddenly fearing his bold prediction about Ameobi being a
future British prime minister could be vulnerable to a West African
hijacking.
The Nigeria striker's nine out of 10 performance against Norwich represented a big reason why Pardew was in jocular mood after his side's third straight Premier League win. Following victories over Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur this was the sort of game Newcastle are traditionally prone to losing but, judging by their off the ball diligence, they seem to be developing acute symptoms of consistency.
Lazy received wisdom often has it that Ameobi – who holds dual nationality – is really not that good. Regular Newcastle watchers who appreciate the Tyneside-reared forward's technical skills, clever link play, ability to hold the ball up, creation of space for Löic Rémy to run into and, of course, goals know different. They also remember he took 12 months to learn to run again following career-saving hip surgery in Colorado.
Chris Hughton was characteristically magnanimous after a defeat which leaves his often attractive Norwich side perilously close to the relegation zone, and the manager was at pains to praise a striker whose efforts helped him lead Newcastle out of the Championship.
During a difficult chapter in Newcastle's history, Pardew's predecessor brought much-needed dignity and competence to a club which could easily have gone into freefall but, in Ameobi, he found a key lieutenant.
"As Chris will tell you Shola's an absolutely tremendous guy," said Pardew. "With his intelligence he's a really important person in the dressing room, even without playing football."
Here Ameobi's on-pitch impact eclipsed the best efforts of the influential Jonny Howson and Leroy Fer. By the time Fer dodged Fabricio Coloccini to head home, Norwich were already effectively sunk by a headed goal from the excellent Rémy and a tap in from Yoan Gouffran, created by Ameobi.
If Hughton's defenders are unlikely to swallow the notion that Pardew's prime ministerial tip is not really that hot, Mike Williamson, once again assured at the heart of Pardew's defence, suggested that a lot of unflattering assumptions about his perceived limitations are similarly unfair.
Yet as Steven Taylor, newly fit and eager to reclaim Williamson's place, could explain, the gulf between perception and reality is often sizeable. When Taylor tweeted a photomontage apparently mocking four black team-mates, there were those who wanted him condemned as racist. However an FA investigation revealed the pictures were originally given to Taylor by Massadio Haïdara, one of the quartet. Moreover Haïdara and the other three, Papiss Cissé, Moussa Sissoko and Vurnon Anita, said they were not offended. As Ameobi will doubtless discover when he eventually takes charge of matters of state in either Abuja or London first impressions can sometimes be totally wrong.
Man of the match Shola Ameobi (Newcastle)
The Nigeria striker's nine out of 10 performance against Norwich represented a big reason why Pardew was in jocular mood after his side's third straight Premier League win. Following victories over Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur this was the sort of game Newcastle are traditionally prone to losing but, judging by their off the ball diligence, they seem to be developing acute symptoms of consistency.
Lazy received wisdom often has it that Ameobi – who holds dual nationality – is really not that good. Regular Newcastle watchers who appreciate the Tyneside-reared forward's technical skills, clever link play, ability to hold the ball up, creation of space for Löic Rémy to run into and, of course, goals know different. They also remember he took 12 months to learn to run again following career-saving hip surgery in Colorado.
Chris Hughton was characteristically magnanimous after a defeat which leaves his often attractive Norwich side perilously close to the relegation zone, and the manager was at pains to praise a striker whose efforts helped him lead Newcastle out of the Championship.
During a difficult chapter in Newcastle's history, Pardew's predecessor brought much-needed dignity and competence to a club which could easily have gone into freefall but, in Ameobi, he found a key lieutenant.
"As Chris will tell you Shola's an absolutely tremendous guy," said Pardew. "With his intelligence he's a really important person in the dressing room, even without playing football."
Here Ameobi's on-pitch impact eclipsed the best efforts of the influential Jonny Howson and Leroy Fer. By the time Fer dodged Fabricio Coloccini to head home, Norwich were already effectively sunk by a headed goal from the excellent Rémy and a tap in from Yoan Gouffran, created by Ameobi.
If Hughton's defenders are unlikely to swallow the notion that Pardew's prime ministerial tip is not really that hot, Mike Williamson, once again assured at the heart of Pardew's defence, suggested that a lot of unflattering assumptions about his perceived limitations are similarly unfair.
Yet as Steven Taylor, newly fit and eager to reclaim Williamson's place, could explain, the gulf between perception and reality is often sizeable. When Taylor tweeted a photomontage apparently mocking four black team-mates, there were those who wanted him condemned as racist. However an FA investigation revealed the pictures were originally given to Taylor by Massadio Haïdara, one of the quartet. Moreover Haïdara and the other three, Papiss Cissé, Moussa Sissoko and Vurnon Anita, said they were not offended. As Ameobi will doubtless discover when he eventually takes charge of matters of state in either Abuja or London first impressions can sometimes be totally wrong.
Man of the match Shola Ameobi (Newcastle)
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