Michael Owen Offered 3 Year Extension - Club Statement.

[Unbelievable]

That's a fair point as well, but the club do not seem so worried about the signals they are sending out do they? For me, I would like to keep Owen but on our terms, not his. This just feels like we are being held to randsom, and if he doesn't want to be here and help the club out we should just sell him and cut our losses. In my opinion we could be better off in the long run.

 

The figures bandied about are just guesses aren't they though? And even if the £120k is correct, we'll surely have done something to protect ourselves in case of his injuries recurring - I imagine there will be some kind of build up to that figure based on appearances and stuff. I'd f***ing hope so anyway.

 

Btw don't forget he held us to ransom in the first place because it was pretty clear he didn't really want to come here. So we've already screwed ourself from that front and set the precedent.

 

Also don't forget what KK would think. I'm sure he doesn't care about wages, he'd just see one of his best players leaving. I think the difference with Milner going is clear, just in case you bring it up.

 

Agreed about the KK part.. It's not because you make a mistake once, that it is the logical thing to do it again though. If this is what KK wants than the club is doing the right thing in making it happen, but I can personally disagree with Keegan's judgement in this matter, can't I?

[Consortium of one]

Owen is still scoring goals. Sometimes it's easy to take it for granted but it's a precious commodity, especially in a side like ours where so many players look flash but can't produce end product. I have my doubts about him, but he's worth a bit extra everything considered.

 

Put it this way, if we could sell him tomorrow for let's say 7 million and we could save 18 million in wages over the next 3 years, thatr would give us 25 million to attract a striker (transfer fee and wages) to build our team around. I think there are options out there who would prove to add more value than Owen has done in the past three years for us.

 

Obviously I appreciate there is only one day left in the transfer window, so all of this is now merely a theoretical possibility, which is exactly why I am not happy with this news: we have failed to deal with this situation when we could and are now in a position where we are no longer the party in control..

 

You make some really good points but what top flight striker would come to us when we can't offer European football?  Perhaps the thought is that by paying Owen to stay gives us a better chance at Euro football next year with him than we would have without him.  It's a gamble and the team loses if he has a lot of those niggling injuries but if he stays healthy, we know he can hit the back of the net and maybe steal a berth in Europe next year.

 

It's a tough call.

[Guest]

Another point is, any striker who comes to replace him will think, "Well Owen was on £xk and I'm replacing him, so I want close to £xk as well"...so really selling him wouldn't save a great deal I'd imagine even in terms of wages, and signing a player as good as him will be hard.

[TRon]

Owen is still scoring goals. Sometimes it's easy to take it for granted but it's a precious commodity, especially in a side like ours where so many players look flash but can't produce end product. I have my doubts about him, but he's worth a bit extra everything considered.

 

On the other hand when you look around the league there are players scoring more that probably aren't on a 3rd of what Owen is being offered. Yakubu, Santa Cruz, Carew, Berbatov, and Keane were all more productive than him last season. I won't mention Benjani because he's shite.

 

Do those guys come free or will we have to pay a transfer fee? Did you factor that in?

[Unbelievable]

Owen is still scoring goals. Sometimes it's easy to take it for granted but it's a precious commodity, especially in a side like ours where so many players look flash but can't produce end product. I have my doubts about him, but he's worth a bit extra everything considered.

 

On the other hand when you look around the league there are players scoring more that probably aren't on a 3rd of what Owen is being offered. Yakubu, Santa Cruz, Carew, Berbatov, and Keane were all more productive than him last season. I won't mention Benjani because he's s****.

 

Do those guys come free or will we have to pay a transfer fee? Did you factor that in?

 

None of them came for significantly more than 10 million and their wages will be well, well below Owen's reported (offered) wages. Also, there would be an incoming transfer fee for Owen, so a deal for a player like this would be cost neutral financially.

[Kimbo]

Owen is still scoring goals. Sometimes it's easy to take it for granted but it's a precious commodity, especially in a side like ours where so many players look flash but can't produce end product. I have my doubts about him, but he's worth a bit extra everything considered.

 

On the other hand when you look around the league there are players scoring more that probably aren't on a 3rd of what Owen is being offered. Yakubu, Santa Cruz, Carew, Berbatov, and Keane were all more productive than him last season. I won't mention Benjani because he's s****.

 

Do those guys come free or will we have to pay a transfer fee? Did you factor that in?

 

None of their fee's were close to Owens.

[Dave]

None of them came for significantly more than 10 million and their wages will be well, well below Owen's reported (offered) wages. Also, there would be an incoming transfer fee for Owen, so a deal for a player like this would be cost neutral financially.

 

Uh-oh, that's not good.

[TRon]

Owen is still scoring goals. Sometimes it's easy to take it for granted but it's a precious commodity, especially in a side like ours where so many players look flash but can't produce end product. I have my doubts about him, but he's worth a bit extra everything considered.

 

On the other hand when you look around the league there are players scoring more that probably aren't on a 3rd of what Owen is being offered. Yakubu, Santa Cruz, Carew, Berbatov, and Keane were all more productive than him last season. I won't mention Benjani because he's s****.

 

Do those guys come free or will we have to pay a transfer fee? Did you factor that in?

 

None of their fee's were close to Owens.

 

That's relevant to ongoing deals I'm sure.

 

 

[Cronky]

Owen isn't a world class player ffs. World class is Eto'o, Drogba, Ronaldo, Totti etc. If he was in that league he wouldn't be with us.

 

This is what bugs me. Why pay a player as though he's one of the world's best when he patently isn't?

 

People are trying to introduce all sorts of unnecessary complications ie what is the cost of replacing him, does his reputation attract other players, will it annoy Keegan, will his replacement expect the same money, will someone else snap him up. Just offer the guy the going rate for a player of his standard, and if he doesn't sign, listen to offers.

 

We got into this mess by trying to be too clever and over-paying him to overcome his reluctance to sign. Let's just play it straight from now on. In the long run, that'll pay dividends.

[Kimbo]

Owen is still scoring goals. Sometimes it's easy to take it for granted but it's a precious commodity, especially in a side like ours where so many players look flash but can't produce end product. I have my doubts about him, but he's worth a bit extra everything considered.

 

On the other hand when you look around the league there are players scoring more that probably aren't on a 3rd of what Owen is being offered. Yakubu, Santa Cruz, Carew, Berbatov, and Keane were all more productive than him last season. I won't mention Benjani because he's s****.

 

Do those guys come free or will we have to pay a transfer fee? Did you factor that in?

 

None of their fee's were close to Owens.

 

That's relevant to ongoing deals I'm sure.

 

 

 

Well why bring up transfer fee's if they're not relevant?

[brummie]

If the likes of Boro, West Ham, etc. were big enough to sign, or could afford Michael Owen, do you think they'd have signed who they have done rather than Owen? I doubt it.

 

But how many other PL clubs would be prepared to pay Michael Owen over 100k a week? Serious question, how many? My money's on very, very few indeed.

 

I think he's a good player. I do think he's a massive injury risk, but that salary (I'm assuming it is in that region, I cant be arsed to traipse through the whole thread for it) is absurd.

 

3 years at 100k a week is what, 15m ish, plus signing on fees etc etc etc. That's a huge commitment.

[TRon]

Owen is still scoring goals. Sometimes it's easy to take it for granted but it's a precious commodity, especially in a side like ours where so many players look flash but can't produce end product. I have my doubts about him, but he's worth a bit extra everything considered.

 

On the other hand when you look around the league there are players scoring more that probably aren't on a 3rd of what Owen is being offered. Yakubu, Santa Cruz, Carew, Berbatov, and Keane were all more productive than him last season. I won't mention Benjani because he's s****.

 

Do those guys come free or will we have to pay a transfer fee? Did you factor that in?

 

None of their fee's were close to Owens.

 

That's relevant to ongoing deals I'm sure.

 

 

 

Well why bring up transfer fee's if they're not relevant?

 

Because those players you mentioned will all command a transfer fee.

[Dr Venkman]

trust your managers judgement, keegan knows what he thinks he's worth, he talked in his book about how he would give pay rises to players when he felt they deserved them, even if the players didnt ask, he is loyal to the players who deserve it and expects the same in return, he's no fool.

[Kimbo]

Owen is still scoring goals. Sometimes it's easy to take it for granted but it's a precious commodity, especially in a side like ours where so many players look flash but can't produce end product. I have my doubts about him, but he's worth a bit extra everything considered.

 

On the other hand when you look around the league there are players scoring more that probably aren't on a 3rd of what Owen is being offered. Yakubu, Santa Cruz, Carew, Berbatov, and Keane were all more productive than him last season. I won't mention Benjani because he's s****.

 

Do those guys come free or will we have to pay a transfer fee? Did you factor that in?

 

None of their fee's were close to Owens.

 

That's relevant to ongoing deals I'm sure.

 

 

 

Well why bring up transfer fee's if they're not relevant?

 

Because those players you mentioned will all command a transfer fee.

 

I didn't say we should buy them, i'm comparing Owens wages to more productive players in the same league. The question is, assuming these players are on less than 50k, why does Owen get 120k for doing less?

[Dr Venkman]

i also find it remarkable that having come off the bench to score the winning goal for us twice in a row, people are still questioning his worth to us.

[Guest]

i also find it remarkable that having come off the bench to score the winning goal for us twice in a row, people are still questioning his worth to us.

 

Also remarkable that even if Capello didn't think he was ready/good enough to start, he wasn't named in the squad to bring off the bench if needed for that very reason you've mentioned...particularly against Croatia.

[Kimbo]

i also find it remarkable that having come off the bench to score the winning goal for us twice in a row, people are still questioning his worth to us.

 

What is the maximum you would pay him? There needs to be limits.

[Cronky]

i also find it remarkable that having come off the bench to score the winning goal for us twice in a row, people are still questioning his worth to us.

 

Also remarkable that even if Capello didn't think he was ready/good enough to start, he wasn't named in the squad to bring off the bench if needed for that very reason you've mentioned...particularly against Croatia.

 

Even more remarkable that the likes of Ferguson, Wenger, Mourinho, Benitez and Scolari, despite having clear opportunities to take the player from us, have failed to make any move. Clearly there has been a collective failure of judgement here, among those who really should know better.

 

Or maybe the player isn't actually good enough for that level.

[Dave]

The unofficial response from Owen:

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article4649286.ece

Newcastle United risk alienating their most important player after publicising details of their contract negotiations with Michael Owen yesterday. The England striker will resume talks this week about extending a deal that is in its final season and he is committed to the club, but there is concern at the club’s negotiating tactics. Owen will not be bounced into anything.

 

After selling James Milner to Aston Villa on Friday for a fee that could rise to £12 million and with the transfer window closing tonight, Newcastle’s decision to release an official statement claiming that Owen had been offered a three-year extension on improved wages caught the striker’s camp unawares.

 

There was more news for Owen to digest last night when Fabio Capello, the England manager, left the forward out of his squad for the World Cup qualifying matches against Andorra and Croatia.

 

Discussions between Owen and Newcastle are continuing and the player is relishing working under Kevin Keegan’s management, but the contract on the table does not equate to a pay rise on his basic £115,000-a-week terms, but contains incentives and reams of small print. Owen, who could leave Tyneside on a free transfer next summer, is entitled to enter talks with rival clubs in January.

 

“Newcastle United can confirm that captain Michael Owen has been offered an extended and improved three-year contract,” a club official said. “The proposed terms of the new deal include an increased salary for Michael and demonstrate the club’s commitment to keeping him.”

 

Given that the Newcastle hierarchy ignored Keegan’s pleas until the end of last season to secure the future of their most high-profile player, it is believed that they have brought this state of affairs upon themselves.

 

Newcastle have until midnight to bolster a first-team squad that was small even before Milner’s move to Villa Park. While the winger submitted a transfer request, his chief frustration was that Dennis Wise, the club’s executive director, had refused to discuss awarding him a new deal.

 

Newcastle, who had ambitious targets such as Javier Saviola, Luka Modric and Arda Turan, have left things late. They have asked about Olivier Kapo, who only recently joined Wigan Athletic from Birmingham City, and, according to reports in Spain, have agreed a season-long loan deal for Ignacio González, the Valencia and Uruguay midfield player.

[Guest WashyGeordie]

The unofficial response from Owen:

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article4649286.ece

Newcastle United risk alienating their most important player after publicising details of their contract negotiations with Michael Owen yesterday. The England striker will resume talks this week about extending a deal that is in its final season and he is committed to the club, but there is concern at the club’s negotiating tactics. Owen will not be bounced into anything.

 

After selling James Milner to Aston Villa on Friday for a fee that could rise to £12 million and with the transfer window closing tonight, Newcastle’s decision to release an official statement claiming that Owen had been offered a three-year extension on improved wages caught the striker’s camp unawares.

 

There was more news for Owen to digest last night when Fabio Capello, the England manager, left the forward out of his squad for the World Cup qualifying matches against Andorra and Croatia.

 

Discussions between Owen and Newcastle are continuing and the player is relishing working under Kevin Keegan’s management, but the contract on the table does not equate to a pay rise on his basic £115,000-a-week terms, but contains incentives and reams of small print. Owen, who could leave Tyneside on a free transfer next summer, is entitled to enter talks with rival clubs in January.

 

“Newcastle United can confirm that captain Michael Owen has been offered an extended and improved three-year contract,” a club official said. “The proposed terms of the new deal include an increased salary for Michael and demonstrate the club’s commitment to keeping him.”

 

Given that the Newcastle hierarchy ignored Keegan’s pleas until the end of last season to secure the future of their most high-profile player, it is believed that they have brought this state of affairs upon themselves.

 

Newcastle have until midnight to bolster a first-team squad that was small even before Milner’s move to Villa Park. While the winger submitted a transfer request, his chief frustration was that Dennis Wise, the club’s executive director, had refused to discuss awarding him a new deal.

 

Newcastle, who had ambitious targets such as Javier Saviola, Luka Modric and Arda Turan, have left things late. They have asked about Olivier Kapo, who only recently joined Wigan Athletic from Birmingham City, and, according to reports in Spain, have agreed a season-long loan deal for Ignacio González, the Valencia and Uruguay midfield player.

 

 

 

[Guest KeithKettleborough]

I am wondering if Owen is really that keen on playing for KK. There was some concern I believe from him when Kevin was England manager and I am wondering if this still exists.

 

It may be nothing but during the Coventry game, I noticed Owen on the bench while KK was going on about something that had happened on the pitch. The body language and look on Owen's face made me think he was saying something like, "Oh there he goes again!" .

 

Think I would like to have a fit Owen staying as without the goals I would expect him to score, we could be struggling again.

[Dave]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/new-improved-deal-may-not-suit-owen-914662.html

It is also understood that Owen's basic pay, believed to be £115,000 per week, is being reduced and that the "increased salary" referred to is dependent on appearances, goals scored and other factors.

 

I'd be 'happy' with that tbh.

[KaKa]

This is strange. It's almost as if we released the info to show that the club have offered him a good deal, and therefore it isn't their fault if he chooses to leave sort of thing.

 

Interesting stuff.

 

Earlier I was thinking that the loan signing from Valencia might have been cover for Barton, but he seems to be more of a player that slots in behind the front two, which is a role I think Keegan was looking to have Owen continue from last season.

 

Maybe the Valencia player is a temporary solution to Owen not being around.

 

No matter what happens I think we'll be okay. I believe in this new regime. They seem to be making solid decisions and aren't being bullied into anything.

[rocksammy]

now sign it michael, you owe us that much.

[Guest Saint Andy]

how can he justify wanting a pay rise?? Is there any other club that would pay him that much considering his injury record and the fact he's not even selected for England?