posted Dec 24, 2008

If anything, Newcastle owe the football world for dragging down yet another talented player in their mire of self-pity.

Run, Michael (injuries permitting), while there's still time!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 24, 2008

VictorLeonenko - possibly my favourite post of all time on BBC!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 24, 2008

Freddie Shepard talking about morals is one of the funniest things I have heard.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 24, 2008

Surely Newcastle knew they were spending £17 million on a player who had picked up bad injuries previously?

It's their own fault, their gamble didn't work during Owen's 3 years there.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 24, 2008

NUFC53:

You want me to sign the last major contract of my career with a club where we don't know who the owner is going to be, we don'y know who the manager is going to be, we don't know the potential signings, we don't know tha ambition and we don't know where we are going to finish in the league.

Tell you what when you get some answers let me know, meanwhile i'll think about it.

----------------------

Exactly.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 24, 2008

Owen owes Newcastle nothing, i don't know what Freddy is on about.

He signed a contract, with mutual agreement between the club and the player and after this season he would of seen out his contract.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 27, 2008

The only thing that Michael Owen owes Newcastle United is to play to the best of his ability, when fit, if Newcastle United decide to keep him, from now until the end of the season, as stated in the terms of his contract.

Beyond that he doesn't owe Newcastle United any more than that. As for Freddy Shepherd talking about morals and loyalty, he needs to remember his own time in charge of Newcastle United, before going on about anyone else.

Michael Owen has had injurys, but there are two things that Freddy Shepherd has overlooked. 1) They had to stick by him, as its in his contract that he has medical care, and 2) Looking after Michael Owen when injured was as much for Newcastle United's benefit as Michael Owens. Newcastle United had insurance for Michael Owens wages when injured, so its not as if Newcastle United were losing out in terms of wages anyway.

Will Michael Owen move or not. Well it depends what he wants, but I assume he wants medals, and international caps. He certainly doesn't need any more money, and I don't think he will move for financial reasons.

He still has a good strike rate in terms of goals scored to games played.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 31, 2008

I think the problem is in Michaels head. He still thinks he was the player he was in his early twenties and this is far from the case.

One day he will wake up and smell the roses and be grateful for any contract he is offered. I have a feeling that day will come soon.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 2, 2009

Hi, this is davethetoon:

I am a fan of Michael Owen; I can still see him, in my minds eye, bursting through the Argentinean defence to score a memorable goal, when the young Owen partnered with Allan Shearer in the 1998 World Cup campaign.

Then, again when Owen hit 2 late goals for Liverpool, to come back from 0 - 1 to 2 – 1 for Liverpool to beat Arsenal in the FA Cup Final round about the year 2000, or maybe 2001. The second goal was reminiscent of his goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup Group Stage game. I was sad to see Owen leave Liverpool to go to Real Madrid, but delighted that Allan Shearer persuaded Michael to sign for the Toon Army.

Granted, Michael has slowed down, perhaps to his horrific injury early in the Group game against Sweden in the 2006 World Cup campaign. But, in my eyes, he is still a great player – he has learnt to adapt to his slower pace and can still be in the right place at the right time to score vital goals.

I will be very disappointed if Michael decides to leave Newcastle United, but unlike Allan Shearer, his routes are not in the North East of England. I am glad to hear Michael has said he will stay until the end of this season – but I realise he may want to leave us to get an opportunity to play Champions League football once more before it is too late.

So if you are tuned into this blog, Michael, I wish you well where ever you decide to play football.

Come on the lads!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 2, 2009

Hi, Everyone, this is davethetoon again:

The cynics seem to have a lot of negative things to say about Michael Owen. I agree gambling to the degree Michael has been reported as doing is not a good thing – but are these reports true? It is typical of the British tabloids to exaggerate things and blow things up out of proportion. I don’t personally know Michael Owen so I can’t really comment on his private life, and if I did know him I wouldn’t want to betray his confidence. I can only make my mind up, about Michael, by what I have seen on his TV interviews etc; I don’t read the tabloid press as I don’t think they can’t be relied on to give a true picture of people.

It is ironic that Michael can’t get into the England squad under Mr Cappello, as I believe if Owen hadn’t received that nasty injury, in the 2006 World Cup game against Sweden, Mr Cappello would not be the England manager right now! How can I say such a thing? Well, I have nothing against Mr Cappello, he is a good manager, but, let us wind the clock back to the autumn of 2005:

England played our arch rivals, the Argentineans, in a friendly, I can’t remember exactly where the venue was – it was some where in Europe. There is no such thing as a ‘friendly’ between England and the Argentineans! There was about 10 minutes to go and England trailed 2 – 1, in what had been a good game of football. Then what happened? Yes, up popped Michael Owen to score 2 late goals and England won 3 – 2. After that game England became 2nd favourites to lift the World Cup in 2006!

Then, everything went pear shaped. Firstly, late in 2005, Owen broke a toe, I can’t remember the name of this common injury, but I think it is a breakage of the big toe. Then, early in 2006, Wayne Rooney incurred the same injury as Owen! Of course we all know what happened in the debacle of England’s performance in the 2006 World Cup Finals. And, of course, to cap it all, Owen was badly injured, during this campaign.

Hence, England started the Euro 2008 qualifiers without Michael Owen and his goal scoring ability. But, what happened when Michael was finally fit to play for England again? Yes, England started knocking in the goals again and they managed to claw their way back to being in contention for a chance of qualifying for Euro 2008. But, then Owen got injured again, and they lost the 2 remaining qualifiers; this led to Mr ‘Umbrella’ man being sacked from the England manager’s job and eventually Mr Cappello was given the job.

So my point is if Owen had not been injured, in 2006, England would have qualified for Euro 2008 and Steve McClaren wouldn’t have got the sack! Hence, Owen would still be where he wants to be – in the England starting line up.

add comment | complain about this comment