Guest thenorthumbrian Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 This is worth a topic in its own right, it might upset the Owen groupies tho' OK, it's time to look at the facts. Since Michael Owen joined Newcastle at the end of August 2005 he has started 16 games for England (including two "B" internationals) and started 17 games for Newcastle. If Owen is in the starting line-up for the next two England games he will have started more times for his country than his club. That is a staggering statistic. To put that in perspective, let's look at the percentage of games played for club and country (including sub appearances): 05/06 06/07 07/08 Tot England 10/13 3/12 3/3 16/28 77% 25% 100% 57% Newcastle 11/48 3/57 7/10 21/115 23% 5% 70% 18% And in terms of minutes played: 05/06 06/07 07/08 Tot England 670/1200 261/1080 237/270 1168/2550 56% 24% 88% 46% Newcastle 883/4320 247/5160 340/900 1470/10380 20% 5% 38% 14% Perhaps Martin and his tabloid pals can see why Newcastle fans might feel a little aggrieved. The fact that Owen's major injury occurred playing for England after being rushed back for the World Cup, also hasn't improved feelings.... Of course, the timing and extent of Owen's injuries affect the games played but shouldn't the above percentages be a little closer? You'd have thought an injury would prevent a player playing for club and country in equal measures. Whatever. Make up your own mind but for journalists to be outraged at a club and its fans wondering if one of its players is using his club to further his international career is a little hypocritical. After all, those same journalists declared when Owen signed for Newcastle from Real Madrid that he did so out of desperation to save his international career. For us, Owen's silence over the summer when challenged by Freddy Shepherd spoke volumes. He certainly seems only too willing to make his feelings known this week while he is out of the region.... We also noticed his cupped-ear celebrations on Sunday. Who was that aimed at? Perhaps he misinterpreted the booing (mostly from the away section) that greeted his arrival and Martins' departure. Newcastle fans may be some of the most ambivalent followers of the national team in England but that was never a problem when Macdonald, Shearer, Milburn, Beardsley, Ferdinand, Lee, Batty etc. put on the three lions. http://www.nufc.com/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnypd Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 it is just coincidence that he is fit to play in most england games but only turns up for 18% of our matches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Yawn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSG Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Yawn. Late night fella? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Like i said to my last girlfriend "this isn't working, we should really go our sperate ways". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jimmy1982 Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Hard to argue with what they've written there. I'm hoping this is this whole Owen England v Newcastle business is going to fester and grow so much that it sickens our supporters to the extent that we all end up hating England so much that we get a real us vs rest of the country complex, which would help to stoke up the atmosphere at home matches, cos we'd absolutely hate every team we'd play against, even if it was Kidderminster cos they'd be a bunch of english ******. the next step would be to try to break away to form an independent state (think there was a thread on this a while back). My dream would be an equivalent to Catalunia, so our national team could still play in the premier league. Although we'd adopt Athletic Bilbao's tradition of only allowing local-born players to play for us, obviously we'd nationalise the current first team squad apart from Carr and Baba to give us a fair start. Mike Ashley could be the king or alternatively we could be a communist state (can't see MA handing over the football club to the people though so unfortunately we'd have to assasinate him) - what happened to that flag I used to see at matches that said People's Republic of Geordieland? We could set up an army and have battles and that, it would be mint. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 This is worth a topic in its own right Nah. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karjala Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 The hardest decision for us to make, is do we try and sell him now, let him walk on a free in 18 months, or give him a new £120k/week contract? Then, what other club in their right mind wants to pay someone £120k/wk over 4 seasons knowing he will probably be fit for a maximum of 50% of games, and score a maximum of 15 league goals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Who would take him off our hands, Man City? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superior Acuña Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 I really do think the statistics are purely incidental. I do think England is more of a passion for him than Newcastle, but i don't doubt his commitment at newcastle (he may prefer somewhere better, but while he's here i think he gives his all) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Hard to argue with what they've written there. I'm hoping this is this whole Owen England v Newcastle business is going to fester and grow so much that it sickens our supporters to the extent that we all end up hating England so much that we get a real us vs rest of the country complex, which would help to stoke up the atmosphere at home matches, cos we'd absolutely hate every team we'd play against, even if it was Kidderminster cos they'd be a bunch of english ******. the next step would be to try to break away to form an independent state (think there was a thread on this a while back). My dream would be an equivalent to Catalunia, so our national team could still play in the premier league. Although we'd adopt Athletic Bilbao's tradition of only allowing local-born players to play for us, obviously we'd nationalise the current first team squad apart from Carr and Baba to give us a fair start. Mike Ashley could be the king or alternatively we could be a communist state (can't see MA handing over the football club to the people though so unfortunately we'd have to assasinate him) - what happened to that flag I used to see at matches that said People's Republic of Geordieland? We could set up an army and have battles and that, it would be mint. I agree Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 The only time when his commitment to his club seemed questionable was just before the World Cup, when he was getting a little bit of gip from a previous injury just before the final game of the season against Chelsea. It looked like he opted not to play for us rather than risk aggravating it just before the World Cup. Apart from that, I can't see a reason to doubt that his injuries have just been bad luck from our point of view. Certainly on his occasion, it just so happens that it's coincidental that he's back from injury in time to play for England. A major part of the problem is that he made it absolutely clear that he didn't want to come to us except on loan. We took advantage of the fact that he was desperate to secure his England place by playing first team football. We put in an inflated offer which made it virtually impossible for Madrid to sell him to the club of his preference. We were out of order in putting Owen in that position, so there's some poetic justice in the problems that are created every time Owen gets injured like this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jimmy1982 Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Hard to argue with what they've written there. I'm hoping this is this whole Owen England v Newcastle business is going to fester and grow so much that it sickens our supporters to the extent that we all end up hating England so much that we get a real us vs rest of the country complex, which would help to stoke up the atmosphere at home matches, cos we'd absolutely hate every team we'd play against, even if it was Kidderminster cos they'd be a bunch of english ******. the next step would be to try to break away to form an independent state (think there was a thread on this a while back). My dream would be an equivalent to Catalunia, so our national team could still play in the premier league. Although we'd adopt Athletic Bilbao's tradition of only allowing local-born players to play for us, obviously we'd nationalise the current first team squad apart from Carr and Baba to give us a fair start. Mike Ashley could be the king or alternatively we could be a communist state (can't see MA handing over the football club to the people though so unfortunately we'd have to assasinate him) - what happened to that flag I used to see at matches that said People's Republic of Geordieland? We could set up an army and have battles and that, it would be mint. I agree Nice one Nobby, that's the spirit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Hard to argue with what they've written there. I'm hoping this is this whole Owen England v Newcastle business is going to fester and grow so much that it sickens our supporters to the extent that we all end up hating England so much that we get a real us vs rest of the country complex, which would help to stoke up the atmosphere at home matches, cos we'd absolutely hate every team we'd play against, even if it was Kidderminster cos they'd be a bunch of english ******. the next step would be to try to break away to form an independent state (think there was a thread on this a while back). My dream would be an equivalent to Catalunia, so our national team could still play in the premier league. Although we'd adopt Athletic Bilbao's tradition of only allowing local-born players to play for us, obviously we'd nationalise the current first team squad apart from Carr and Baba to give us a fair start. Mike Ashley could be the king or alternatively we could be a communist state (can't see MA handing over the football club to the people though so unfortunately we'd have to assasinate him) - what happened to that flag I used to see at matches that said People's Republic of Geordieland? We could set up an army and have battles and that, it would be mint. I agree Nice one Nobby, that's the spirit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TêteDeMaure Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 I wish he'd just fuck off altogether. Wish we'd never bought him. Nothing but bloody hassle and media shit that's come with it. If he wasn't at Newcastle, then we'd never have anything media worthy, we'd be a football club and not a media circus for once. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superior Acuña Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 I wish he'd just f*** off altogether. Wish we'd never bought him. Nothing but bloody hassle and media s*** that's come with it. If he wasn't at Newcastle, then we'd never have anything media worthy, we'd be a football club and not a media circus for once. We are in the media a hell of a lot for what is essentially a midtable club, at least atm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TêteDeMaure Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 I wish he'd just f*** off altogether. Wish we'd never bought him. Nothing but bloody hassle and media s*** that's come with it. If he wasn't at Newcastle, then we'd never have anything media worthy, we'd be a football club and not a media circus for once. We are in the media a hell of a lot for what is essentially a midtable club, at least atm Minus Owen they'd have nothing to talk about. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thenorthumbrian Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 "You'd have thought an injury would prevent a player playing for club and country in equal measures." That for me is the key sentence in the piece and speaks volumes. As NUFC.COM say the fact that Owen will have played more games for in-ger-land than Newcastle if and when he plays against Estonia and Russia is staggering. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Minus Owen they'd have nothing to talk about. They would find summik, they know NUFC stories flog papers up here. Just like that dodgy spygate story in the NOTW that came up and quickly disappeared again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superior Acuña Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 "You'd have thought an injury would prevent a player playing for club and country in equal measures." That for me is the key sentence in the piece and speaks volumes. As NUFC.COM say the fact that Owen will have played more games for in-ger-land than Newcastle if and when he plays against Estonia and Russia is staggering. But look at the timing of the injuries. It's just incidental. The norm is injuries will affect club more than coutry, but there are always anomolies and owen is one. He gets an injury in january that was always expected to have him out for just less than 5 months. England played in just over 5 months. He then gets injured for nearly a year, so he's back just before england's summer games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jimmy1982 Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 spygate, toongate, freddy on youtube, mido chants, owen england v newcastle... there's always something. and thats without their 'creative' transfer speculation! just waiting for something more about that Quest bungs investigation to pop up again when there's nothing else to make up stories about. strange how there's been relatively little written about it since he came here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dev Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Hang on doesn't the assumption that he will have played more games for country than club hang on the assumption that he will make it through the Estonia game without picking up any kind of injury at all? HAVE YOU ALL GONE MAD?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skirge Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 He will use all of this grief he is getting as a reason to leave in January, some mental Prem club will pay the £9mill. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garth Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 God this whole saga is getting tedious. ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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