Glen Roeder planning move for Ameobi

May 8 2008 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

NEWCASTLE striker Shola Ameobi – a player seen by many as surplus to requirements at St James’s Park – is interesting former United boss Glenn Roeder at Norwich City as his move to Premier League newcomers Stoke City hangs in the balance.

Ameobi was being lined up for a £4m move to the top flight’s newest side but has failed to make the desired impact at Stoke, where he has struggled to fit into the Potters’ direct approach.

The 26-year-old has only started three times for Stoke since joining them on loan at the end of March and, while the move has proved lucrative for United, who negotiated a sizeable loan fee for the forward, there are reservations on both sides about whether to make the move a permanent one.

Ameobi is highly unlikely to force his way into the plans of Keegan, who has reportedly been called to London for talks with Mike Ashley – the club’s owner is said to be unhappy at the comments of the United boss after Monday’s defeat to Chelsea about financial backing.

That lack of opportunity for Ameobi will give Norwich an opening to make their move.

Former United boss Glenn Roeder is the man in charge of the Championship side and was interested in a striker he knows well when he first became available on loan. The Canaries released their top earner and top goalscorer Darren Huckerby this week to make way for new players and Roeder’s style of football would better suit Ameobi, who has not coped well with the direct brand of football that has brought success for Tony Pulis at the Britannia Stadium.

Ameobi is not the only player who has figured for United this season who is interesting Championship clubs. Peter Ramage, the defender released by Keegan because he could not be guaranteed first-team football, is set to join QPR after Wolves decided not to follow up the interest they showed in the United Academy graduate last summer. If Ameobi does find a way out of United, it would be the first definite development ahead of a summer which is already being clouded by confusion.

Keegan’s impassioned Press conference in the wake of Monday’s defeat at the hands of Chelsea hinted at a growing frustration with the unfolding situation at St James’s Park, which has seen the boss admit he has no idea how much money will be available to him to strengthen his squad. In addition to that uncertainty about the summer transfer plans there could also be a further re-organisation of United’s coaching staff over the summer.

But The Journal understands the apparent confusion is unlikely to deter Michael Owen from signing a new deal, with the club due to open talks with his advisors in the wake up of Sunday’s final game of the season at Everton.

The delay in offering the England forward a new deal was one of the points raised by Keegan on Monday, with the Newcastle boss labelling the six-week wait to open negotiations as “disappointing”.

But the club’s hierarchy were never planning to open contract talks before the season’s end and Owen is clearly relaxed about the prospect of waiting until the summer months before signing a new deal.

Another welcome development for United fans will be Chris Mort’s assurances Keegan does have the final say over transfers, and his guarantee that the manager will be given funds to finance his summer recruitment drive.

The chairman is adamant United will not be forced down the same route as Leeds United in the pursuit of Champions League football, and has praised Keegan’s comments about not being able to take the club into the top four for the duration of his three-year Magpies contract as “sensible”. Mort said: “We don’t want to do a Leeds. It doesn’t make sense. This club had £100m-worth of debt, which has now been cleared and it would be foolish to stretch it beyond its limits.

“I thought Kevin’s comments were sensible. I’m not sure what people’s expectations are but I don’t think most Newcastle fans would be greatly surprised by what he had to say.”