Newcastle United's Alan Pardew tips Shola Ameobi to become a manager

Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew believes that Shola Ameobi will one day have a "huge future" in management.

The 32-year-old could play a role in tonight's trip to Arsenal after scoring in the Magpies' 2-1 defeat to Swansea City last weekend.

"He is a very important leader," the Daily Mail quotes Pardew as saying. "He is a player who is going to have a huge future on the coaching and managerial front himself. He has had great experience here."

Ameobi has been a Newcastle player since he joined the youth setup in 1995.