Michael Owen gets injured; rejoice!

[Cronky]

The club has made a series of blunders with Owen. We shouldn't have bought him in the first place when he'd made it publicly clear he didn't want to come except on loan. He shouldn't have been made Captain when he wasn't committed long-term to the club. He should have been sold and replaced at the start of the season when he didn't sign a new deal.

 

However, there's nothing we can do about that now. We just have to wait to see whether he gets what he considers a better offer at the end of the season. I very much doubt whether he'd get more money. He may get an offer from the likes of Villa or Man City, but I think they're both after Bellamy. We may well end up with him again, but I'd much rather have players who see us as a good opportunity, rather than as a club that they have to settle for.

[Syrette]

I'm sure he doesn't mean to get injured.

 

He seems fit and less injury-prone at the moment, so no, no good riddance from me. The past is the past.

 

Calm down by the way, I'm not actually trying to wind you up.

 

I just think it isnt the end of the world if he goes. He has only been key to us since last season when he was fit and scoring, if he goes and we replace him with a player similar to Martins i.e. will score a similar amount of goals, will get more appearances in than Owen would and wont be linked away constantly, then we will look back at the whole Owen saga and be glad its in the past.

 

Nah it's not the end of the world, and if could/can get in a similar quality forward then I'm fine with Owen being a thing of the past (as I said he is 29 so not getting any younger).

 

I don't personally hold much - or anything really - against him, and he'd be very hard to adequately replace (we're hardly an attractive proposition to anyone at the moment, nor do we have much in the way of funds). So with that in mind I'm happy if he stays here at least till the end of this season. Him leaving half way through would seriously disrupt things and we need everyone we can get at the moment.

[Zero]

TBH I can see us keeping him if we really get a UEFA spot this season.  He is firmly established as a starter here and is captain of the team.  He probably couldn't get it from the other big teams --- just like why his career is ruined in Real Madrid.  Captain for a "rising" club with Europe competition (and certainly acceptable wages) is the best way for him to get back to the national team.  He cannot risk another year as a bench warmer in other clubs --- but obviously none of the big clubs will give him such a definite starter role like us.

 

We do have a good chance and it is up to us imo. 

[Tooj]

TBH I can see us keeping him if we really get a UEFA spot this season.  He is firmly established as a starter here and is captain of the team.  He probably couldn't get it from the other big teams --- just like why his career is ruined in Real Madrid.  Captain for a "rising" club with Europe competition (and certainly acceptable wages) is the best way for him to get back to the national team.  He cannot risk another year as a bench warmer in other clubs --- but obviously none of the big clubs will give him such a definite starter role like us.

 

We do have a good chance and it is up to us imo. 

 

Some extremely nice positivity there. 

[juniatmoko]

Did anyone really think this would play out any differently?

 

If you apply some very simple logic to it then it's obvious, simply ask yourself what would be the costs and benefits to him of each of his options:

 

Sign the contract:

 

Costs: £20k a week lower than he's on now, committed to a club whose future is uncertain, no chance of signing for a club in a better position.

 

Benefits: It's still a lot of money, erm... ...certainty? I'm really struggling here.

 

Definitely reject the contract:

 

Costs: Possibility that he'd get sold to the highest bidder - who might be s*** - and end up somewhere he doesn't really want to be (again), possibility that there simply isn't anyone interested at all, the likelihood that whoever was interested wouldn't want to pay anything up front in January when they could get him for nowt in the summer leaving him with a very awkward few months left to play here, the fact that of those clubs that might be interested a number of them are in an equally perilous position as us - I seriously doubt he'd want to play in the Championship, whatever money he was on - etc.

 

Benefits: It might force the hand of any of the big four teams to make a move, he could move to a more stable club and perhaps benefit form that in terms of winning something or playing in Europe or whatever, that's about it.

 

Delay his decision until the summer:

 

Costs: None.

 

Benefits: All of the above are still options, things may change in his favour, he can go anywhere he wants (if they're interested obviously), more likely that he'll get the move he wants if he's on a free, he can always fall back on our offer if nothing else appears or what does appear isn't considered good enough and in the meantime he's earning £20k more a week.

 

 

It's a total no-brainer as far as I can see.

 

yes option 3 going to cost him none... but cost us much.

 

it not about fair or not fair... it's just business

[Baggio]

When are England playing next?

[Mick]

 

Praying NE5 puts it in his sig for life.

 

On a serious note, agreed with both fellas on this one, he's got a huge decision to make, and the club need to show its ready to put itself back where it was the 1st time he signed on, that position being what Villa are doing now.

 

 

 

We'll have to finish 3 places lower than out current position to be where we were when he first signed, we'd just finished 14th.

[ChezGiven]

it's just business

 

[Syrette]

He should have been sold and replaced at the start of the season when he didn't sign a new deal.

 

See, this again - to state the obvious replacing someone like Owen would be a difficult task for most teams. We'd struggle to get someone of his quality and scoring record in for fair money. I'd rather we kept him for the season and got what we could get out of him during it, than take the risk on a replacement whose quality we could not guarantee.

 

I can't fault his commitment for the most part. He's done the business when we've needed him to.

[David Icke - Son of God]

The club has made a series of blunders with Owen. We shouldn't have bought him in the first place when he'd made it publicly clear he didn't want to come except on loan. He shouldn't have been made Captain when he wasn't committed long-term to the club. He should have been sold and replaced at the start of the season when he didn't sign a new deal.

 

However, there's nothing we can do about that now. We just have to wait to see whether he gets what he considers a better offer at the end of the season. I very much doubt whether he'd get more money. He may get an offer from the likes of Villa or Man City, but I think they're both after Bellamy. We may well end up with him again, but I'd much rather have players who see us as a good opportunity, rather than as a club that they have to settle for.

 

Bollocks. Owen is a class player and we were right in doing everything in our power to get him. The bloke has been a stand up professional who, despite his supposed lack of commitment, has given 110% in everything he has did for Newcastle United.

 

We'll not see someone of his type at this for a long, long time if we keep going on the way we are.

[NE5]

Didn't Liverpool sell him because they felt he was trying to run his contract out?

 

Not 100% sure of that but Liverpool didn't want another Macca situation on there hands were they ended up getting nothing.

 

thats what Benitez said

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/3567702.stm

 

 

Cheers, saved me looking for it.

 

aye, he clearly says they didn't want another McManaman situation, although there is no suggestion that Owen was going to leave.

 

Note that it was the managers decision, not Owens, or a DOF

 

 

[dustynrg]

To me it just seems like he's decided that waiting to see what state the club is in is the best option. Can't say I blame him.

 

More likely he's waiting to see what wages he can get out of a club in the North West, but who? Not Everton because their ceiling is something like 50k a week, Liverpool aren't interested, Man U not interested, Wigan can't afford his wages, surely to God he wouldn't go to Bolton or Blackburn, Man City seem to be his only option, but if and when Hughes is sacked they'll bring in a foreign manager and they aren't interested in his type of player either.

 

So he might stay? Honestly I can't see anyone else wanting him, Spurs maybe? Villa?

[Decky]

He said it isnt about the money and will accept a cut in wages, so i wouldnt rule out Everton. I think he is destined for Villa if he leaves.

[Thespence]

Man U not interested

 

I think that could be where he ends up as I think them signing Tevez is very unlikely & Owen for a free would be nice deal for Man Utd.

[David Icke - Son of God]

To me it just seems like he's decided that waiting to see what state the club is in is the best option. Can't say I blame him.

 

More likely he's waiting to see what wages he can get out of a club in the North West, but who? Not Everton because their ceiling is something like 50k a week, Liverpool aren't interested, Man U not interested, Wigan can't afford his wages, surely to God he wouldn't go to Bolton or Blackburn, Man City seem to be his only option, but if and when Hughes is sacked they'll bring in a foreign manager and they aren't interested in his type of player either.

 

So he might stay? Honestly I can't see anyone else wanting him, Spurs maybe? Villa?

 

I don't think there is any doubt that we'll be the only club offering him first team football and the most financially rewarding contract, but i've no doubt he's completely fed up of the situation behind the scenes and would probably like to play for a team which isn't constantly battling relegation.

 

Will he stay? Who knows. But I think a lot of it depends on the transfer window in January, where we finish and the other offers on the table. Now is the time to show ambition.

[Baggio]

Didn't Liverpool sell him because they felt he was trying to run his contract out?

 

Not 100% sure of that but Liverpool didn't want another Macca situation on there hands were they ended up getting nothing.

 

thats what Benitez said

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/3567702.stm

 

 

Cheers, saved me looking for it.

 

aye, he clearly says they didn't want another McManaman situation, although there is no suggestion that Owen was going to leave.

 

Note that it was the managers decision, not Owens, or a DOF

 

 

 

They must of felt there was a chance he was going to leave otherwise they wouldn't have sold him for £8 million.

 

The article says it was the clubs decision btw.

[midds]

Struggling to see what people are up in arms about tbh.

 

He's doing nothing wrong and if I were him, I'd be making a decision in May -certainly not December or January. I think the vibes are quite good actually and if they're both prepared to sit down and haggle it out then there should be an agreement.

 

If, on the other hand, he walks away then we've got to accept it. If he's not interested in being here then I don't particularly want him to sign. Seems like he's jus letting a few people know he won't be rushed into signing the first thing that's put in front of him.

 

Nothing wrong with what he's come out with today at all.

[Skirge]

All he wants is to wait and see where we finish this season and how stable the club will be ownership wise.

[Newcastle Fan]

I can't blame him, at least that means he's staying untill the end of the season.

[NE5]

Didn't Liverpool sell him because they felt he was trying to run his contract out?

 

Not 100% sure of that but Liverpool didn't want another Macca situation on there hands were they ended up getting nothing.

 

thats what Benitez said

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/3567702.stm

 

 

Cheers, saved me looking for it.

 

aye, he clearly says they didn't want another McManaman situation, although there is no suggestion that Owen was going to leave.

 

Note that it was the managers decision, not Owens, or a DOF

 

 

 

They must of felt there was a chance he was going to leave otherwise they wouldn't have sold him for £8 million.

 

The article says it was the clubs decision btw.

 

Somehow I don't think people would tell Benitez what to do, but I expect you know better  you might even think they have a closet DOF they aren't telling us about

[Baggio]

The best thing the club could do now is respect his decision and give him the time he wants without putting any pressure on him, while getting a back up plan ready in case he does leave.

 

Not go down the road of questioning his loyalty or demanding he commits to the club like we've done in the past.

[Optimistic Nut]

I still don't get why people automatically assume this means he'll leave by the way.

 

He could easily have said something like, "It's a good offer, but I'm going to look to pursue my career elsewhere and talk to other clubs in January".

[Optimistic Nut]

The best thing the club could do now is respect his decision and give him the time he wants without putting any pressure on him, while getting a back up plan ready in case he does leave.

 

Not go down the road of questioning his loyalty or demanding he commits to the club like we've done in the past.

 

I'd say the fans should take that bit in bold more importantly.

[midds]

I still don't get why people automatically assume this means he'll leave by the way.

 

He could easily have said something like, "It's a good offer, but I'm going to look to pursue my career elsewhere and talk to other clubs in January".

 

That's exactly how his comments today have been interpreted by some on here already though... 

[Optimistic Nut]

I still don't get why people automatically assume this means he'll leave by the way.

 

He could easily have said something like, "It's a good offer, but I'm going to look to pursue my career elsewhere and talk to other clubs in January".

 

That's exactly how his comments today have been interpreted by some on here already though... 

 

That's what I mean. He's said nowt of the sort. If he wanted to do that, he'd have just said that. There's nothing we could have done about it because it's well within his rights to do so.