Shola Wants To Play Alongside Owen

Last updated : 03 September 2005 By Footy Mad - Editor

Shola Ameobi knows he has his hands full to get into the Newcastle side now that Luque and Owen have arrived, but the player laughed off suggestions he will be froze out this season. "It's a massive boost for us, the whole club and the city to have a player of Michael's calibre," said Ameobi. "It's a massive club and you expect competition in every position.

"I have to show I'm good enough to play but that's always been the case ever since I started playing for Newcastle. I'm looking forward to playing with him and hopefully he can help us get that first win (of the season). He's a great player and if I can strike up a partnership with him that will be fantastic for the club.

"Michael not my sort of player so hopefully I'll get the chance to play with him. It's always nice to play with a player of his calibre and I'm sure he'll bring a lot to the team. It's a great challenge for me personally to try and get into the team now. I'm looking forwad to playing with him and hopefully he can help me as a player.

"But things are no different to how they were before he came. We want to get into the Champions League and that's where we know we should be. It hasn't been the best of starts to the season so it's come at the right time," he said.

"We needed to get away from it all and hopefully we'll come back ready to go."