posted Aug 15, 2007

"Skipperation posted: Hornetboy1980 your point about no fit international strikers is exactly the problem. half fit Owens and Rooneys being played in friendlies are the reason why no other "international" strikers are available. The others don't get the chance to become international strikers!"

A superb point raised by Skipperation.

One of the complaints often raised against players such as Carrick, Wright Phillips, Johnson they are not established international players and that we have none in reserve.

Players will fail to come through if they are not given a chance, a real chance not one substitute cameo out of position.

Players need to be given a chance early rather than later. Even those who criticised Sven the most will at least admit in his earlier days he did an excellent job of integrating new faces into the squad and the team, with positive results.

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posted Aug 15, 2007

Stingman123 -

Don't ever refer to me as 'mate' - I doubt you appreciate the concept of such a term. It usually requires a person to share trust, paitence and understanding....

If you actually check the majority of posts you'll find most are behind Owen 100&, they realise he is England's most prolific striker and that your bitter comments are simply prejudiced and unfounded.

Owen is strong, very strong, and will comeback to full effect.

How many wrote off Beckham last year eh? I bet you were one of those on the bandwagon.

And how many United supporters were writing Fergie off during Chelsea's rise to power? Lots, I saw the message boards. That's gratitude for you.

Try a little paitence and understanding....even if you do support United.

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posted Aug 15, 2007

surely its only fair that when you get some fitness you put in a long run for your club first before running back to the national cause. Owen and Beckham owe their respective clubs some football before they can even dorn that English jersey. Whats with these footballers? Is it so difficult to just say I will pass for at least the next two months and see how my club footie goes?

But also McClaren needs to respect the clubs by knowing when not to call a player up. Please Owen and Beckham give back to the club as much as they are giving to you.

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posted Aug 15, 2007

I totally agree. In hindsight Owen has dined off the success of his distant performances in WC 98 and has been given too many starting bearth's in the national side based on what he could do rather than what he can do now. We have to look beyond the old guard of the beckham's and the Owen's now and look forward. The furture is all about the Arron Lennon's and Wayne Rooney's. This crop of talent has to be allowed to flourish where the old guard has failed.

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posted Aug 15, 2007

Owen should prove himself fit not declare it... He will most likely play for england and get injured again.

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posted Aug 15, 2007

I'm surprised it hasn't been noted that what Owen actually *said* was that he was fit for Aston Villa on Saturday. Not England. He was talking about playing for Newcastle United, their next match. The papers have talked about England, but the quotes from Owen himself are about the Aston Villa match. Why is Owen getting slagged off for comments made by journalists? Yes, the timing is close to an England match, but would the Newcastle fans really prefer him to milk an injury to avoid a call-up? Is that the sort of player the Geordies want on their squad? That's not the type of man I want wearing my club's kit.

Fair enough if a man says "I'm done internationally, for this reason..."; but to just refuse a call-up because your club's fans might be a little miffed at the timing? *That's* a bottler. Owen wants to play football after a long time out, no one argues he'd turn down a call-up for England, but he *was* talking about Newcastle. Give the man some slack, the journos make the articles, all Owen can control is what he says -- and he spoke about NUFC's match.

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posted Aug 16, 2007

newcastle will be in the top 4 this season for sure, now it's on between Martins and Owen for top goalscorer in the league!
Unless Tevez gets the support he needs :S

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posted Aug 16, 2007

Big Sam shouldn't let him play until he's 100% fit. He's come back too early before and been injured on more than one occasion in doing so.
We should have cashed in on him anyway as £9m would go a long way. Martins will be a real hit and should be first choice alongside Viduka.

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posted Aug 20, 2007

2 things:
1) Owen should have 4 solid games for NUFC under his belt before being considered again for England
2) Play the fit strikers so we can have a plan B - life without Owen. What better opportunity for new blood - how else do you get the international experience

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posted Aug 20, 2007

He's a waste of space, leave him out completely, the man is made of paper he'll be injured again next week!

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