Owen's Performance today ... hope it's really good

[KaKa]

So we can move him on. No more excuses, with the new investment we will be able to afford another top striker so cut the guy loose. Reading this article in the times just doesn't fill me with much confidence in wee Mickey ...

 

 

Owen ready for England return but remains silent on his future

 

George Caulkin

 

It has been a week of surprises at St James’ Park, but Michael Owen’s reluctance yesterday to discuss life at Newcastle United did not count as one of them. As the forward prepares to wear an England shirt for the first time since suffering a knee injury at last summer’s World Cup finals – in this evening’s B international against Albania – club matters were strictly off bounds. In itself, it told a story.

 

Amid reported interest from Manchester United and Liverpool, as well as repeated public airing of a £9 million release clause in the 27-year-old’s Newcastle contract, Owen’s future has become a source of intrigue. Freddy Shepherd, the Newcastle chairman, recently requested that Owen should “come out and tell our fans he is happy here”, but that statement of loyalty has yet to be heard.

 

While Owen has made no request to leave the club that paid Real Madrid £16 million for his services in 2005 – and for whom he has made only 14 appearances – and his prospective departure is no fait accompli, silence lingers. Last week, he held a positive telephone conversation with Sam Allardyce, the Newcastle manager, without any direct reference to his own position.

 

Allardyce held his first face-to-face discussions with Owen – as well as with Kieron Dyer, his Newcastle teammate – at England’s team hotel on Wednesday night. He again spoke at length about his plans to revamp the coaching and medical set-up on Tyneside, as well as energise a deflated first team. The effect of Mike Ashley’s proposed takeover of the club remains an uncertain commodity. Neither Owen nor Dyer were placed under pressure by Allardyce to commit themselves, even if Glenn Roeder’s replacement is keen to discern his scope for leeway in the transfer market.

 

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Ashley aims for ‘biggest and best’ at Newcastle

Allardyce would not have learnt anything new from yesterday’s press conference at Old Trafford, with the FA insisting that questions about Owen’s club would not be permitted, yet on the topic of England, he was fluent and articulate.

 

Owen will start against Albania at Burnley’s Turf Moor stadium – and captains the side – in preparation for the friendly match with Brazil at Wembley a week today and the European Championship qualifying group E fixture in Estonia five days later. After 11 months enforced exile from the global stage, he is thrilled to be back.

 

Given Wayne Rooney’s suspension and Andrew Johnson’s unavailability through injury for the pivotal tie in Tallinn, there is an added edge to Owen’s return, but the man who has scored 36 goals in 80 appearances for his country is enthused by the prospect of pressure.

 

“That’s the life I live,” he said. “I feed off expectations, wanting to make myself happy, wanting to make my friends and family proud, and the same with the country. Winning games with England makes the entire nation feel a better place. I like it when there’s something competitive on a game and my best performances have usually come when there’s been a lot riding on the outcome.”

 

Not many Newcastle supporters would share the sentiment, but Owen is desperate for more matches. “If there was a massive game tomorrow I’d be fine to play,” he said. “I can’t get enough of games at the minute. I don’t want the season to end.

 

“I don’t think there’s too much room for slip-ups now. If we lose a game it doesn’t mean we’re not going to qualify, but you don’t want to be slipping up against a team like Estonia when you have big games to come.”

 

England B

 

S Carson (Liverpool) – P Neville (Everton), L King (Tottenham Hotspur), M Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur), N Shorey (Reading) – A Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), G Barry (Aston Villa), J Jenas (Tottenham Hotspur), D Bentley (Blackburn Rovers) – M Owen (Newcastle United), A Smith (Manchester United).

 

Television: Live on Sky Sports 1 from 7.30pm (kick-off 7.45pm).

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/euro_2008/article1837973.ece

 

 

 

[KaKa]

I have to say I love the way Big Sam is handling this situation too. No begging or pleading. If he senses they are eager to play for the clu then fine, but if not get them out pronto!

[Legacy]

 

England B

 

S Carson (Liverpool) P Neville (Everton), L King (Tottenham Hotspur), M Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur), N Shorey (Reading) A Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), G Barry (Aston Villa), J Jenas (Tottenham Hotspur), D Bentley (Blackburn Rovers) M Owen (Newcastle United), A Smith (Manchester United).

 

Television: Live on Sky Sports 1 from 7.30pm (kick-off 7.45pm).

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/euro_2008/article1837973.ece

 

 

 

 

I don't see how that is an England B team.. You see most of those players bar carson, barry, bently and shorey get a run out for the England A team. Where is the young talent?

[Northern Monkey]

 

England B

 

S Carson (Liverpool) P Neville (Everton), L King (Tottenham Hotspur), M Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur), N Shorey (Reading) A Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), G Barry (Aston Villa), J Jenas (Tottenham Hotspur), D Bentley (Blackburn Rovers) M Owen (Newcastle United), A Smith (Manchester United).

 

Television: Live on Sky Sports 1 from 7.30pm (kick-off 7.45pm).

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/euro_2008/article1837973.ece

 

 

 

 

I don't see how that is an England B team.. You see most of those players bar carson, barry, bently and shorey get a run out for the England A team. Where is the young talent?

 

in the U21s?

[Shearer9]

Unless he gets injured in this game, does anyone think that Michael Owen won't be in McClaren's squad on Saturday?  If he's desperate enough to be on the cusp of calling back Beckham, surely he'll name "England's saviour" Owen in the squad. 

[Skirge]

Fk him tbh!!

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/news/tm_headline=owen-stays-silent-over-his-future-at-united%26method=full%26objectid=19195286%26siteid=50081-name_page.html

Owen stays silent over his future at United

May 25 2007

By Paul Gilder, The Journal

 

His presence at Old Trafford had nothing to do with a long- rumoured transfer to Manchester United, but Michael Owen did nothing to reassure Newcastle's supporters about his future plans last night.

 

In the North-West to prepare for his return to action in England colours, a player Freddie Shepherd has challenged to underline his commitment to the Gallowgate cause refused to discuss events at St James's Park.

 

It has been a week of surprises at a club that has become the latest to attract a multi-million pound takeover bid but Owen's silence was not among them.

 

Since Shepherd's recent outburst, Owen has been steadfast in his reluctance to respond. Until he addresses the issue, it is inevitable that fears on Tyneside will persist.

 

The 27-year-old has met Sam Allardyce for talks for the first time since his appointment, with the Newcastle boss having visited the striker and team-mate Kieron Dyer at England's team hotel on Wednesday evening.

 

Allardyce is understood to have outlined an ambitious vision that he hopes will convince Owen that St James's Park is the place to be, although it remains to be seen whether his persuasive powers will be sufficient to succeed.

 

The striker would not discuss his club manager's merits during a Press conference in which England was the sole topic on the agenda. But, while he would not reassure Newcastle's supporters about his intentions, Owen was keen to assuage concerns about his fitness as he prepared for his first appearance for the Three Lions since he suffered a career-threatening knee problem during an abortive World Cup campaign 11 months ago.

 

"It won't even enter my mind," said the striker, who will captain an England B team against Albania at Turf Moor. "That might be the case if I could still feel something. But right from the start I've sailed through the rehab. Every time I've been asked to I've stepped it up with no problems at all. I've done everything that has been asked.

 

"Unless you looked at the knee and saw the scars, you wouldn't realise I had done it. It (the recovery process) has been textbook.

 

"I've had the bit between my teeth because I was determined to come back better and stronger than ever. I was getting in for training before everyone else in the morning and leaving at night after dark.

 

"I just wanted to feel that I was doing more than anyone else could have done in their rehabilitation and it would have been impossible to do more. I'm feeling the benefits of that now."

 

Owen returned for Newcastle's final three Premiership fixtures - taking his United appearances to 14 in two seasons plagued with fitness problems - but it remains to be seen whether he will pull on a black-and-white shirt again.

 

What is certain is that the forward will return to action for England in tonight's B international with a view to winning his 81st cap against Brazil next week.

 

Both games are precursors to the summer's main event - the Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia on June 6 that Steve McClaren's side cannot afford to lose.

 

Given Wayne Rooney's suspension and Andrew Johnson's absence, England's hopes in Tallinn will lie with Owen. Considering his recent problems with fitness, it is a lot to ask of the Newcastle striker, although he is not daunted. "That's the life I live," said a player who spent 10 months recovering from the ruptured knee ligaments that he suffered when last in action for England, against Sweden in Cologne last June. "I feed off the expectations, I want these expectations. I have expectations of myself because I want to make myself, and my friends and family, proud. I also want to make my country happy.

 

"Winning football matches makes this country a better place. This game is no different to many of the other big matches that I've been involved in. I like the pressure and I want there to be something on the game. I will be going into the (Estonia) game under pressure but I think my best performances come in games like that."

 

Owen's return has given England's demoralised supporters renewed hope that a troubled-torn qualification campaign could still have a stirring conclusion and McClaren understands the striker's importance to his out-of-sorts side. "We've missed Michael," admitted the former Middlesbrough manager. "I've sat on that bench and watched numerous close games when he has popped up with the winner, the vital goal.

 

"You miss players like that. It is a boost, a bonus for us (to have him back). He is a player who has shown great character to come back from a bad problem, he has dug deep and worked hard and got back to this level. But we shouldn't expect too much. There shouldn't be too much pressure.

 

"His is an important position, all teams need their goalscorers and we've always had Michael Owen. We've found it difficult to replace him while he has been missing and we're pleased he's back.

 

"He still needs more practice but if he can get back to the level he was at before, he will be invaluable for us."

 

Owen is adamant he can get back to his best and although it was difficult to judge his performances in a pitiful Newcastle team during the closing weeks of the Premiership season, he believes he will soon demonstrate that his talents remain intact.

 

"I've got no worries whatsoever," he added. "It's just the sharpness that I need and that will come. I might need to change my game when I get older and all players evolve with time. But I'm at an age where I can still come back and be stronger than ever. I'm fine to play and I can't get enough of games at the minute. I just don't want the season to end."

 

What Newcastle supporters want to end is Owen's silence on a matter of great significance at St James's Park.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I'd say staying silent on this speculation and press nonsense is the right way to go - and I wouldn't be convinced by another 'quality article' from the Journal.

[Skirge]

If he wanted to stop the speculation in the press he could, by simpley just saying he intends on seeing out his contrat with the Toon, he is not not saying anything just to keep out of it all, he is saying nowt because he knows he is looking for a move.

[Cajun]

I am more worried about him seeing out his contract at Newcastle tbh!

[Unlucky Luque]

would sell him for £10m now and get a target man striker in. Cant really see him making an impact next season. I think Martins will steal the show.

[Skirge]

 

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/chroniclesport/tm_headline=allardyce-holds-meeting-with-owen%26method=full%26objectid=19197026%26siteid=50081-name_page.html

Allardyce holds meeting with Owen

May 25 2007

By The Evening Chronicle

[Guest rosstoon]

Owen has never scored 20 goals in a season since the premier league started. As far as I am concerned if he wants to go then let him. There are plenty of people who can score goals and be a bigger nuisance than him.

[Guest Stephen927]

The whole situation smells funny. I can't see him signing another contract so now is probably the best time to sell him.

 

Either way, we're pretty much guaranteed to have a huge loss on him, any club coming in for him now will know that he's unsettled and that we're likely to accept a loss on him because he's unlikely to sign another contract unless the club miraculously reach the Champions League next season.

[Newcastle Fan]

Owen has never scored 20 goals in a season since the premier league started. As far as I am concerned if he wants to go then let him. There are plenty of people who can score goals and be a bigger nuisance than him.

 

As suprising this is its actually true, premierleague wise..

 

But he did score more then 20 goals in 5 seasons in all tournments that is.