Liverpool FC Forum

by **jonnymac1979** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:48 am

What about Josemi!!??

Looks like we've landed ourselves a bargain!!

by **A.B.** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 2:28 am

I forgot Josemi, cut me some slack.

by **anfieldadorer** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 11:23 am

What do you think of his ideas?

Being the best is Real challenge
By Michael Owen

SINCE I WAS 10, I DIDN’T just want to be a footballer — I wanted to be the best footballer in the world. There are still lots of people ahead of me but, if you want to get into that bracket, you have to break out of comfort zones. That, in a nutshell, is why I made the life-changing decision to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid.
I know that I am portrayed as a home boy, a Chester lad surrounded by my family, but I have always had a burning desire to push myself. That is why I was disappointed with some of the defeatist reaction to my transfer. I don’t know if it is an English trait to settle for what you’ve got, but I was taken aback when the first thing some people said was “how’s he going to get into the team?” — not “fantastic, he ’s moving to the biggest club in the world”.

I would be lying if I did not admit that I spent a couple of days wondering if I shouldn’t just stay at Liverpool. Part of my brain was saying “just let your career run down, you’re safe here, your family is around you, everyone likes you”. But the majority of me was being ambitious. I had ten days to make up my mind and, for eight of them, I felt the drive to better myself as a person and player.

The England head coach was among those who said that I would benefit from the fresh challenge. I gave 100 per cent in every game for Liverpool but, when you have been somewhere for 13 years, maybe it all comes too naturally. It is the same route to work every morning, the same faces and you are top goalscorer every season. You are not reaching for that extra yard from yourself and it is not for the want of trying. That is just nature, it is life.

Now I’m certainly going to have to stretch myself. I am pleased and proud of myself for making that step out of the comfort zone and going for something that is a bit scary, a bit nerve-racking.

Money never came into it, just pure ambition. To have stayed would have been like anyone turning down a promotion. If you are going to be considered as a top, top player then you have to win the league. Jamie Carragher said in an article that Michael Owen joins up with England and sees players who are not as good as him with ten league medals. I have total respect for the Arsenal and Manchester United lads who keep winning everything, but it does fill you with jealousy and envy. When you see their medals, you think “I could be doing that”.

I knew many of the Liverpool fans would be disappointed, but I like to think it is an amicable farewell. I never had any problems with Rafael Benítez and, if the transfer had broken down, I was ready to resume my career at Anfield. If I was disloyal, I’d have gone on a Bosman next summer. I said to the club that I wanted them to get a fee. OK, maybe it is not as much as they might have expected a few years ago, but if I’d had three or four years left on my contract, I might have been priced out of a move.

Now I have to prove myself at Real and I know that, in Ronaldo, Raúl and Fernando Morientes, they already have three of the best strikers in the world. I am different from all of them, which can only be a good thing. I expect I’ll have to sit on the bench once or twice, but so will everyone. It is a challenge but that is why I came here. I’ve had this sneaky suspicion all along that it will work out well.

Jonathan Woodgate joining is more good news. As well as another English speaker, it shows that Real are strengthening the team from front to back. I don’t really know him, but we did once meet at a Manchester United trial when we were 12 or 13. I am sure he will have got the same buzz as me when he walked into the dressing-room and saw the big picture of each player on their locker.

I’m just next to Raúl and Ronaldo. They are superstars, but they are also team-mates now. If I was meeting Tiger Woods, there would be more of a “wow” factor. I like to think I fitted in fine at my first full training session on Friday. I gave myself seven out of ten — nothing flash, but nice and steady.

It is a squad with many of the world’s best players but, as for being a galáctico, I blush when I hear the word. I am not going to call myself one, but I wouldn’t mind if other people start calling me that in a month or two because of my performances on the field.

THE TROPHIES

I HAVE 160 FANTASTIC MEMORIES of Liverpool, one for every goal in 297 appearances, but the outstanding occasion was the 2001 FA Cup Final, when I scored twice in the last eight minutes and we beat Arsenal 2-1. That whole treble year was unforgettable and my only regret is that we never won the big one — the Premiership.

When I first broke into the team as a teenager, it was towards the end of what people called the Spice Boys era. There were huge changes under Gérard Houllier. His priority was to shore up the defence and, when we won the League Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup in 2001, we were winning 1-0 just about every week.

We were criticised for not being pretty, but there was no disgrace in our method when we were winning trophies. But it didn’t take us on to the Premiership and you do get jealous when you see players from other clubs taking home the big prizes. I would also look at the chances that Thierry Henry or Ruud van Nistelrooy would get playing for Arsenal and Manchester United. They are superb strikers, but I also felt that they were getting those extra opportunities.

Now things are changing again at Liverpool and it was good news for the club when Steven Gerrard decided to stay on this summer. Rafael Benítez looks a safe pair of hands as manager and, given time, I think he will bring trophies to Anfield. I wish my old club all the best, but sometimes you have to make decisions for your own career. In 50 years’ time, I did not want to regret turning down the chance to move to a new country, learn a new language and play for Real Madrid.

by **stmichael** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 11:29 am

put it this way. i'll be in the pub, probably p#ssed after we beat bolton, and will be watching the real madrid match with great interest to see how mikey does, if he plays.

by **mynameisred** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 11:35 am

Nice post anfield adorer I hadnt read the full manuscript and reading this almost brought a tear to my eye. Its like that moment in your first love when you finally realise that the other person isnt going to spend the rest of your life with you even though you were both convinced it was the real deal. However just like those moments in Life you learn to cope first of all, then you learn to adapt to life without him/her (Im not Bi its just I dont want to be accussed of being sexist) then you find a replacement and realise you can love again all the while becoming stronger and more experienced within yourself.
Goddam this is good therapy.

by **redandblue** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 1:03 pm

Good post.

The saddest thing about Michael Owen leaving is that we will never know just how good he could have been. He played for much of his career under Houllier and was given precious little service. It must have been soul destroying watching the likes of an Nistelrooy and Henry getting chance after chance, and then looking around at the negative side which Houllier created. GH......you have a lot to answer for. Had we been winning things at Anfield he would still be here.

by **fivecups** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 11:05 pm

redandblue wrote:Good post.

The saddest thing about Michael Owen leaving is that we will never know just how good he could have been. He played for much of his career under Houllier and was given precious little service. It must have been soul destroying watching the likes of an Nistelrooy and Henry getting chance after chance, and then looking around at the negative side which Houllier created. GH......you have a lot to answer for. Had we been winning things at Anfield he would still be here.

For me that article was just pure honesty. I'm not bitter anymore, I still think he took too long to go and lost us money, but overall I wish him all the best.

My feeling - we'll miss him more than he misses us.

Will he succeed at Real? Injury free I think he will.

Is he world class? Injury free I think he is. He loves a challenge and enjoys the big games. He's 24 with a mass of experience.

Good luck wee man.

by **The Manhattan Project** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:00 pm

I’m just next to Raúl and Ronaldo. They are superstars, but they are also team-mates now.

I hope he enjoys watching the Superstars from the bench.

by **Fowler_E7** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:40 pm

personally im not to fussed that michael owen has left, i think it was time for a change because in my view he was a reminder of the previous regime, notice how the owen's dip in form coincided with the whole clubs decline

i cant be completly sure but do ypu think owen could have changed to suit benitez's passing system?

to me owen is quite one dimensional and needs the team to built to his strengths, thats why when houllier tactics were found out owen was too. I see furhter proof in the fact that virtually no one could combine well with owen to make a decent partnership, heskey was decent for a while suppliying him but that clearly effected heskey not being allowed to play as a goal scoring striker.

Also owen has clearly lost some of the pace that made him famous and in my opinion dosn't have enough in his arsenal to make up for it, and finally his attitude in his final with liverpool stank, he clearly didnt care anymore. I think he will be missed for the time being but in the long run he probably wont be missed, he never scored more than 20 league goals in a season for us anyway.

by **anfieldadorer** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:40 am

Again after carlos, Figo has questioned Michael Owen's arrival at the Bernabeu, claiming his £8million move from Liverpool was "unnecessary".

by **jymbojetset** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 1:36 pm

anfieldadorer wrote:Again after carlos, Figo has questioned Michael Owen's arrival at the Bernabeu, claiming his £8million move from Liverpool was "unnecessary".

Like the song though, the old woman swallowed a spider to catch the fly.

Have they gone for Michael Owen to get to Stephen Gerrard?

by **106-1093504160** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 4:49 pm

although i was gutted that owen left, be rest assured he would be a success where ever he goes. We have to move people

by **anfieldadorer** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:19 am

Owen: I can't get my first goal for Real unless they play me

He apparently begins to be unhappy and I reckon there is going to be lots of "i told you"s

by **anfieldadorer** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 4:10 am

Stevie:
"Of course I would welcome him back. He is a good friend of mine off the pitch and I love playing with Michael Owen. He is a world-class footballer, why wouldn't I want him back?
"I came back in the summer expecting to play another season alongside Michael. I think it surprised all the fans and the players but Michael makes his own decisions"
"He saw an opportunity that he did not think he could turn down and I do not blame Michael for making that decision"
"He had dreams and ambitions to play abroad and Real Madrid came in for him so he wasn't going to turn his back on that, and good luck to him."
"I think such things are always going to happen if I am playing well. If I stop playing well and have a dip in form I do not think you will see me linked with many clubs"
"It happens to all the good players around the world. If you're playing well teams will show an interest. I'm no different. I'm aware of it but don't take much notice of it and it will never affect my performances."

Owen
"I am aware of what is being said about me in this country and it is upsetting that people are not more supportive,"
"I thought we were meant to be encouraging our top players to take on the challenge of proving themselves abroad"
"I heard there was talk over the weekend about me coming back to Liverpool. Give me a chance. I have only been in Spain for six league matches. And I have never been the quitting type."

Emilio Butragueno
"We are at a time when all of us have to stick together. Michael is one of our squad and we have great faith in him. We have confidence in Owen. I spoke with him and he seems in good spirits"
"He's only just arrived and all players need time to adapt. The same happened to Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo. If he stays calm everything will work out well."
"I don't want to get involved in technical matters about whether Owen or Morientes should play"
"I was a striker too and the important thing is to have chances, the problem is when you don't have any chances"
"So we need to stay calm. His time will come and he will help us in the future."

Are you sure you want Owen to be back?

by **Fowler_E7** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:13 pm

anyone hear about how Owen apparantly was furious that he didnt get awarded the goal on saturday? personally i think it's disgraceful that he claimed it in the first place i wouldnt admit to scoring that one :laugh:

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