Ameobi Looking To Life Away From Tyneside!

"If I'm not playing here, it (changing club) might have to be something I look at because I need football. That hasn't changed and it's something I'll deal with if and when the time comes. I'm focused on being the best I can be, but I can't do that if I'm not playing.

"It's not the best scenario, but if it ever came to it, I would have to make a big decision. But I still believe that I can help this club achieve what it wants to. You have to believe. If I wasn't good enough, I wouldn't be here.

"I've taken stick over the years, but it has never got me down. I've kept on going, kept on battling, and it will be no different this time. I see this as a challenge. We all face challenges and this is something I'm going to fight for.

"We've got great strength in depth, it (the club's striking department) is perhaps the strongest it has been while I've been at the club, although I don't think there can be stiffer competition than challenging Alan Shearer for a place.

"I've had to endure that and I'll take anything on because I believe in myself, that has never been a problem. I just hope that when I'm fit I can go out and demonstrate what I can do.

"It has been a frustrating start to the season. It has really affected my confidence and, as a striker, you live on confidence. The fact that I'm injured - given what happened last season - is hard to take. It's not the best, it's not what I wanted.

"The timing is bad given that the manager has just come in because I want to impress him, demonstrate what I can do, and I haven't been able to do that. I just have to make sure that when I'm fit again, I do it. I will give it everything I've got and I hope I get a chance to prove a point.

"I need to be playing football. I'm almost 26 and I feel I've been given a lifeline with the (hip) operation. I have to do myself justice by playing and by playing regularly."