"It is time to bring the boy home" Daily Telegraph on Owen - 11th May

[Guest graemeh72]

Anfield calls for boy who never wanted to leave

By Tim Rich

Last Updated: 1:20am BST 11/05/2007

 

The question was put to me by the host of an Irish football talkshow but it really should be asked by the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. "Why on earth should a club pay £16 million for a player and then insert a clause in his contract that he can leave for £9 million?" Because they were desperate. Because they were Newcastle United.

 

Like Ian Rush: Michael Owen looks out of place in black-and-white

The buy-out clause in Michael Owen's contract is exhibit A for the argument that he never really wanted to go to Newcastle. Although his chairman, Freddy Shepherd, might make a desperate plea for the player to show some loyalty to the club for whom he has played 13 games in two seasons, he ought not to feel betrayed. Owen never really wanted to play for Real Madrid either. Like Ian Rush, Owen looks out of place in a black-and-white shirt, let alone an all-white strip. All he has ever wanted to do is play for Liverpool and England.

 

Given that almost his first act as Liverpool manager was to sell him, it is strange to think that, initially, Owen was far more positive about Rafael Benitez's appointment than Steven Gerrard, who had a deep bond with Gerard Houllier and was for a time suspicious that an influx of Spanish players would make Anfield a Valencia on the Mersey.

 

Had Houllier stayed, Liverpool would not have reached two European Cup finals but Owen might have remained. As a manager, the Frenchman was inferior to Benitez in every respect bar one. He was far better at dealing with players. Owen needed an arm round his shoulder, to be reminded of what he was to Liverpool and what Liverpool were and could be again. Benitez gave him no reassurances and Real Madrid stood glittering on the horizon. So Owen went and although he could talk about the lifestyle, the fact that in terms of goals per minute played he was a success at the Bernabeu, he was never at the heart of the club as he had been at Liverpool, he was never a galactico.

 

On the afternoon of Liverpool's European Cup final in Istanbul, Owen was in Madrid conducting a photo-shoot for Esquire magazine. "How was I meant to know?" he remarked. "If Steven Gerrard hadn't scored that goal against Olympiakos, they would have been out in the first round of the Champions League and the third round of the FA Cup. They finished fifth in the league, it would have been their worst season in 20 years." But Gerrard did score, they did win and when Owen, who had made little secret of his desire to return to Anfield, left the Bernabeu after a single trophyless season, neither Liverpool nor Benitez would sanction paying £16 million for someone they had sold for £8 million the summer before.

 

Newcastle is a kind of Real Madrid Lite. If in Danny Blanchflower's words, football is all about the getting of glory, then Newcastle can offer plenty of the synthetic variety. At Bilbao, they call the San Mames Stadium, the "Cathedral" but compared to St James' Park, whose stands dominate the skyline of Tyneside, it is very low church.

 

The crowds are vast, the salaries huge - Owen was paid nearly £6 million a year - the interest all consuming. There were 15,000 there to watch him sign while Alan Shearer told him how the Gallowgate End reveres its strikers. And they were desperate - hence the suicidally-low buy-out clause.

 

When Gerrard and Owen discussed moves to hypothetical clubs away from Liverpool they always stipulated that wherever they went should be in the Champions League. Whatever Sam Allardyce is promising it is not an immediate return to Europe's top table but a root-and-branch reform of an institution who have somehow managed to spend more than £236 million in 15 years without winning anything more than the Intertoto Cup.

 

Owen is 27; he has not played properly since December 2005, he would be a risk for any manager but with American money about to flood through Anfield, Benitez has room to gamble and, as he proved with Peter Crouch and Robbie Fowler, he likes a wild card. It is time to bring the boy home.

 

[Guest smoggeordie]

Yawntastic.

[Northern Monkey]

Lets not pretend he had any reason to coem here other than money, and a way out of where he was.

 

He doesn't owe us fuck all, he doesn't feel he owes us fuck all, and he'd go to a bigger club (of which there are many) without any hesitation at all. (imho, etc etc).

[Guest Ridzuan]

Dont believe all the nonsense that has been said.We wait till the summer and see what will happen to him.

[GM]

I won't hold a grudge against the lad if he goes. Not his fault he got injured. Not his fault he pines for Merseyside. Not his fault either if Shepherd did accept a ridiculous escape clause in the contract. Hopefully, rather than blaming Owen and trying to turn the Toon Army against him, Shepherd will learn the lesson having got his fingers burnt - better still, he'll crawl back under the rock from whence he came.

[Guest Gemmill]

Lets not pretend he had any reason to coem here other than money, and a way out of where he was.

 

He doesn't owe us fuck all, he doesn't feel he owes us fuck all, and he'd go to a bigger club (of which there are many) without any hesitation at all. (imho, etc etc).

 

Aye, spot on unfortunately.

 

This get-out clause is an absolute disgrace though, and is evidence if any more was needed of Shepherd's incompetence.  As soon as Owen and his agent started asking for a get-out clause at that sort of reduced price, alarm bells should have been ringing, and Shepherd should have kicked the pair of them out and told Owen to go and rot in Madrid's reserves.

 

We'll still have some utter cretins on here blind to his incompetence though because "we were worse than this pre-1992".

[Tisd09]

If he is going I'd rather it happen sooner rather than later so that we can identify and pursue other targets.

 

If he ever hit top form here then we would have one hell of a player but at the moment if he did go I wouldn't feel it as a massive loss as we have not see too much from him because of injury.

 

The biggest thing is that I don't want this to drag on and on!

[Northern Monkey]

Lets not pretend he had any reason to coem here other than money, and a way out of where he was.

 

He doesn't owe us fuck all, he doesn't feel he owes us fuck all, and he'd go to a bigger club (of which there are many) without any hesitation at all. (imho, etc etc).

 

Aye, spot on unfortunately.

 

This get-out clause is an absolute disgrace though, and is evidence if any more was needed of Shepherd's incompetence.  As soon as Owen and his agent started asking for a get-out clause at that sort of reduced price, alarm bells should have been ringing, and Shepherd should have kicked the pair of them out and told Owen to go and rot in Madrid's reserves.

 

We'll still have some utter cretins on here blind to his incompetence though because "we were worse than this pre-1992".

 

The Fat Man SHOULD have said that, but he is the same as sime fans (we're a massive club, BOUND to get into Europe, etc), and he was deseprate, because he had to prove his 'member of the Geordie nation' tag and provide an annual sacrifice to appease the fans.

 

 

[Guest Gemmill]

Lets not pretend he had any reason to coem here other than money, and a way out of where he was.

 

He doesn't owe us fuck all, he doesn't feel he owes us fuck all, and he'd go to a bigger club (of which there are many) without any hesitation at all. (imho, etc etc).

 

Aye, spot on unfortunately.

 

This get-out clause is an absolute disgrace though, and is evidence if any more was needed of Shepherd's incompetence.  As soon as Owen and his agent started asking for a get-out clause at that sort of reduced price, alarm bells should have been ringing, and Shepherd should have kicked the pair of them out and told Owen to go and rot in Madrid's reserves.

 

We'll still have some utter cretins on here blind to his incompetence though because "we were worse than this pre-1992".

 

The Fat Man SHOULD have said that, but he is the same as sime fans (we're a massive club, BOUND to get into Europe, etc), and he was deseprate, because he had to prove his 'member of the Geordie nation' tag and provide an annual sacrifice to appease the fans.

 

 

 

Aye, it was definitely an ego signing.  From a business point of view inserting a "sell player on at a huge loss" clause was.....well....just beyond any level of stupidity we've previously seen from Shepherd.

[junkhead]

well done Fred once again..

[Northern Monkey]

Lets not pretend he had any reason to coem here other than money, and a way out of where he was.

 

He doesn't owe us fuck all, he doesn't feel he owes us fuck all, and he'd go to a bigger club (of which there are many) without any hesitation at all. (imho, etc etc).

 

Aye, spot on unfortunately.

 

This get-out clause is an absolute disgrace though, and is evidence if any more was needed of Shepherd's incompetence.  As soon as Owen and his agent started asking for a get-out clause at that sort of reduced price, alarm bells should have been ringing, and Shepherd should have kicked the pair of them out and told Owen to go and rot in Madrid's reserves.

 

We'll still have some utter cretins on here blind to his incompetence though because "we were worse than this pre-1992".

 

The Fat Man SHOULD have said that, but he is the same as sime fans (we're a massive club, BOUND to get into Europe, etc), and he was deseprate, because he had to prove his 'member of the Geordie nation' tag and provide an annual sacrifice to appease the fans.

 

 

 

Aye, it was definitely an ego signing.  From a business point of view inserting a "sell player on at a huge loss" clause was.....well....just beyond any level of stupidity we've previously seen from Shepherd.

 

I'm not sure about THAT. I think the annual "try to fool the fans before the season ticket renewal, and keep them off my back" routine.....a la NUFC going to sign Ronaldo/Rivaldo/Rooney; build a casino and flats made out of solid gold, with diamonds coming out of the taps...yadda yadda.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Lets not pretend he had any reason to coem here other than money, and a way out of where he was.

 

He doesn't owe us f*** all, he doesn't feel he owes us f*** all, and he'd go to a bigger club (of which there are many) without any hesitation at all. (imho, etc etc).

 

Aye, spot on unfortunately.

 

This get-out clause is an absolute disgrace though, and is evidence if any more was needed of Shepherd's incompetence.  As soon as Owen and his agent started asking for a get-out clause at that sort of reduced price, alarm bells should have been ringing, and Shepherd should have kicked the pair of them out and told Owen to go and rot in Madrid's reserves.

 

We'll still have some utter cretins on here blind to his incompetence though because "we were worse than this pre-1992".

 

The Fat Man SHOULD have said that, but he is the same as sime fans (we're a massive club, BOUND to get into Europe, etc), and he was deseprate, because he had to prove his 'member of the Geordie nation' tag and provide an annual sacrifice to appease the fans.

 

 

 

Aye, it was definitely an ego signing.  From a business point of view inserting a "sell player on at a huge loss" clause was.....well....just beyond any level of stupidity we've previously seen from Shepherd.

 

The bizarre thing (if you like) is that as far as the acocunts go we won't be making a loss on Owen at all if he goes for £9m, infact we make a small profit.

 

Expect that to go in the annual report

[Guest Gemmill]

Lets not pretend he had any reason to coem here other than money, and a way out of where he was.

 

He doesn't owe us f*** all, he doesn't feel he owes us f*** all, and he'd go to a bigger club (of which there are many) without any hesitation at all. (imho, etc etc).

 

Aye, spot on unfortunately.

 

This get-out clause is an absolute disgrace though, and is evidence if any more was needed of Shepherd's incompetence.  As soon as Owen and his agent started asking for a get-out clause at that sort of reduced price, alarm bells should have been ringing, and Shepherd should have kicked the pair of them out and told Owen to go and rot in Madrid's reserves.

 

We'll still have some utter cretins on here blind to his incompetence though because "we were worse than this pre-1992".

 

The Fat Man SHOULD have said that, but he is the same as sime fans (we're a massive club, BOUND to get into Europe, etc), and he was deseprate, because he had to prove his 'member of the Geordie nation' tag and provide an annual sacrifice to appease the fans.

 

 

 

Aye, it was definitely an ego signing.  From a business point of view inserting a "sell player on at a huge loss" clause was.....well....just beyond any level of stupidity we've previously seen from Shepherd.

 

The bizarre thing (if you like) is that as far as the acocunts go we won't be making a loss on Owen at all if he goes for £9m, infact we make a small profit.

 

Expect that to go in the annual report

 

Aye, it's an accounting profit, but it's still an utterly ridiculous clause.

[Guest Kenton Magpie]

If he really wants to go let him go, no point keeping a lad against his wishes, would be a bitter pill to swallow if he left mind as i don't believe there is anyone else better out there who possesses the same talent as him!

[ChezGiven]

Lets not pretend he had any reason to coem here other than money, and a way out of where he was.

 

He doesn't owe us fuck all, he doesn't feel he owes us fuck all, and he'd go to a bigger club (of which there are many) without any hesitation at all. (imho, etc etc).

 

Aye, spot on unfortunately.

 

This get-out clause is an absolute disgrace though, and is evidence if any more was needed of Shepherd's incompetence.  As soon as Owen and his agent started asking for a get-out clause at that sort of reduced price, alarm bells should have been ringing, and Shepherd should have kicked the pair of them out and told Owen to go and rot in Madrid's reserves.

 

We'll still have some utter cretins on here blind to his incompetence though because "we were worse than this pre-1992".

 

Why are you talking as though this clause is a fact? Has it been confirmed? The only argument i have seen is 'newcaslte were desperate, therefore it was very low' which is a load of shite nor does it prove anything. Yeah, we're shit, yeah we're the sort of club, blah blah blah...

 

If there is a clause, you cant blame him really but it was probably imagined on the basis of playing 2 full seasons then fucking off, not 11 games. 

[Guest smoggeordie]

Lets not pretend he had any reason to coem here other than money, and a way out of where he was.

 

He doesn't owe us f*** all, he doesn't feel he owes us f*** all, and he'd go to a bigger club (of which there are many) without any hesitation at all. (imho, etc etc).

 

Aye, spot on unfortunately.

 

This get-out clause is an absolute disgrace though, and is evidence if any more was needed of Shepherd's incompetence.  As soon as Owen and his agent started asking for a get-out clause at that sort of reduced price, alarm bells should have been ringing, and Shepherd should have kicked the pair of them out and told Owen to go and rot in Madrid's reserves.

 

We'll still have some utter cretins on here blind to his incompetence though because "we were worse than this pre-1992".

 

The Fat Man SHOULD have said that, but he is the same as sime fans (we're a massive club, BOUND to get into Europe, etc), and he was deseprate, because he had to prove his 'member of the Geordie nation' tag and provide an annual sacrifice to appease the fans.

 

 

 

Aye, it was definitely an ego signing.  From a business point of view inserting a "sell player on at a huge loss" clause was.....well....just beyond any level of stupidity we've previously seen from Shepherd.

 

I'm not sure about THAT. I think the annual "try to fool the fans before the season ticket renewal, and keep them off my back" routine.....a la NUFC going to sign Ronaldo/Rivaldo/Rooney; build a casino and flats made out of solid gold, with diamonds coming out of the taps...yadda yadda.

 

Freddy was merc'd then because we signed him three weeks into the season.

[gray]

i stopped caring about pikey playing for us about 18 months ago, tbh

 

get rid i say

[ChezGiven]

Again, evidence for this clause? Some prick in the telegraph who's argument goes 'they were desperate therefore there is a buy-out clause'. Dont insult my intelligence.

[Guest Gemmill]

Again, evidence for this clause? Some prick in the telegraph who's argument goes 'they were desperate therefore there is a buy-out clause'. Dont insult my intelligence.

 

Re-read Shepherd's comments yesterday where he says that "This information is coming from people close to the player because it hasn't come from the club."  As far as I can see, the only "information" that has been leaked to the paper is £9m being the value of the min release clause. 

[ChezGiven]

Again, evidence for this clause? Some prick in the telegraph who's argument goes 'they were desperate therefore there is a buy-out clause'. Dont insult my intelligence.

 

Re-read Shepherd's comments yesterday where he says that "This information is coming from people close to the player because it hasn't come from the club."  As far as I can see, the only "information" that has been leaked to the paper is £9m being the value of the min release clause. 

 

I was going off the video when he was asked and he says no and doesnt look like hes lying. What information was he referring to? A story about the 9m buy-out clause? If its agent led, that is in no way evidence that there is one, just another means of straining the relationship. Owen knows he morally has to stay or most people will regard him as a cunt. As much as these boys are selfish multi-millionaires, some are still concerned with reputation.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Again, evidence for this clause? Some prick in the telegraph who's argument goes 'they were desperate therefore there is a buy-out clause'. Dont insult my intelligence.

 

Re-read Shepherd's comments yesterday where he says that "This information is coming from people close to the player because it hasn't come from the club."  As far as I can see, the only "information" that has been leaked to the paper is £9m being the value of the min release clause. 

 

I was going off the video when he was asked and he says no and doesnt look like hes lying. What information was he referring to? A story about the 9m buy-out clause? If its agent led, that is in no way evidence that there is one, just another means of straining the relationship. Owen knows he morally has to stay or most people will regard him as a c***. As much as these boys are selfish multi-millionaires, some are still concerned with reputation.

 

I work with/for people like Fred on a daily basis. They can lie through their teeth and make it look like its gospel.

 

And he only said he can't leave for £9m, the clause may be £10m, it may be £5m.

 

I'd be amazed if there isn't some clause in there allowing Owen to leave for £xm if conditions a,b,c aren't met

[jackyboy]

When the clause was put in, FF and most of us would never have dreamt that we wouldn't qualify for europe, if Owen hadn't been injured things may not have turned out the way they have, so I don't blame Fred at all.

 

[ChezGiven]

Again, evidence for this clause? Some prick in the telegraph who's argument goes 'they were desperate therefore there is a buy-out clause'. Dont insult my intelligence.

 

Re-read Shepherd's comments yesterday where he says that "This information is coming from people close to the player because it hasn't come from the club."  As far as I can see, the only "information" that has been leaked to the paper is £9m being the value of the min release clause. 

 

I was going off the video when he was asked and he says no and doesnt look like hes lying. What information was he referring to? A story about the 9m buy-out clause? If its agent led, that is in no way evidence that there is one, just another means of straining the relationship. Owen knows he morally has to stay or most people will regard him as a c***. As much as these boys are selfish multi-millionaires, some are still concerned with reputation.

 

I work with/for people like Fred on a daily basis. They can lie through their teeth and make it look like its gospel.

 

And he only said he can't leave for £9m, the clause may be £10m, it may be £5m.

 

I'd be amazed if there isn't some clause in there allowing Owen to leave for £xm if conditions a,b,c aren't met

 

Thats not an argument really. 

 

My argument is that it doesnt matter if there is a clause to an agent, they would put stuff out to unsettle the relationship. If your view is that the chairman is more likely to lie than an agent then that fair enough. Not mine though.

[Guest alex]

When the clause was put in, FF and most of us would never have dreamt that we wouldn't qualify for europe, if Owen hadn't been injured things may not have turned out the way they have, so I don't blame Fred at all.

 

Can't speak for Shepherd but anyone with half a clue should have had their doubts.

[Ally]

I really don't care if he goes anymore, he'd be a cheeky bastard but i'd accept it. Its not as if we'd miss him. You only miss someone when you have them for a period and they are consistently good, ie we miss Shearer. We don't miss Owen as we've never really had him.

 

£9m is still a stupid price though, FS is a spastic.