Liverpool FC Forum

by **maximus** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:22 pm

Very interesting article on BBC website:

Inside Michael's mind
By Caroline Cheese

Owen transfer latest
So, after weeks of speculation, Michael Owen has finally come clean over where he sees his future.

Or has he?

In fact, with Wednesday's statement, Owen has done exactly what you would expect from a man regarded as one of football's Mr Nice Guys: kept everyone happy.

But the canny 25-year-old has also ensured that the one person who cannot lose is him.

Ideally, says Owen, he wants to "start the season in the Real Madrid team".

Realistically, he knows that will not happen, with Ronaldo, Raul, Robinho and Julio Baptista all ahead of him in the pecking order.

But by reiterating his desire to stay and play, Owen, already a popular figure at Madrid after his 16 goals last season, has ensured he would not lose any of that affection should he opt to leave.

He will also maintain the good will he has built up among many football fans in general, who have watched and admired Owen's battle to overcome the unique situation at Real where status guarantees you a starting place, but form does not.

Beckham tells Owen to stay

If he does not stay at Real, Owen says he favours a return to Liverpool, the club he left 12 months ago.

That admission has twin benefits.

Firstly, it encourages the Reds to make an offer, but secondly it appeases the Liverpool fans if he signs for one of their Premiership rivals.

Eveton fail in Owen bid
Although it seems unlikely now, Owen could yet end up at Everton or Manchester United, a prospect which would previously have been completely unpalatable for the Anfield faithful.

But now Owen has stated his ideal destination is Liverpool, they cannot really justify turning him into a hate figure if he goes to another club - because if he does, it means the Reds did not want him.

Option number three for Owen is a loan move to Newcastle for the rest of the season, although the Magpies have since launched a bid to sign him on a permanent basis.

In World Cup year, Owen needs to be playing regularly, a luxury Newcastle can certainly offer - even if it is not in Europe.

Robson backs Owen for Magpies
But by committing himself to only one season, Owen gives himself a get-out clause.

If all goes well, he could sign permanently at the end of the season, taking on the mantle of goalscoring hero from the retiring Alan Shearer.

But if Newcastle show no sign of matching his ambitions of challenging for trophies, no one would blame an England striker, potentially approaching his peak age, for moving on.

With one week to go until the transfer window closes, Owen has put the ball in Liverpool's court, while keeping Newcastle and any other interested parties dangling.

But with Milan Baros gone, his current strikers struggling to score and many fans keen to see a former favourite return, Owen's statement may force Rafael Benitez to take the bait.

by **Therealreds** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:23 pm

Rafa has been working to organise a team to play a certain way for the last year since Owen left (4 2 3 1). That why he working to get a winger rather than a striker. And just because Owen has decided he wants to come back things should change. I dont think so. Can Owen play up front on his own? I dont think so.

by **mistyred** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:26 pm

All Anybody really wants is a strong team for the prem season, And i think most peoples insecurity comes from is that Rafa's predesessor told some untruths and as a conclusion people don't know what to believe.

by **craig da Toxteth iron** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:28 pm

If he Goes To Newcastle it will be good for them. If he come to Liverpool him and Cisse or Crouch will be good partnership.

by **stoney** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:30 pm

adamnbarrett wrote:I tell you what rafa if you don't take him back you're a fool. He wants to come back, stevie G wants him back, the fans want him back, the board want him back. You must be the only one who doesn't want him. Yes we have 5 strikers but they arn't good enough. I'll be surprised if with the current form they are all in then they will struggle to score 20 goals between them whereas owen gives you 20 anyway.

RAFA YOU FOOL BRING HIM BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the centre back and right winger are the MAIN priorities. I want owen back but I do not want these postions sacrifised by 1) not even getting a player for that position or 2) filling those voids with sub standard bull shiit. You may have the best striker in the world but if your WHOLE team is not up to stratch then it means nothing. For all the idiots that say :censored:

a centre back and get owen, I don't think you guys understand the potential consequences of this. If carra or sami got injured or (god forbid) say both. WE WOULD BE IN :censored:

. That would mean, yes we would have owen getting the goals, but we would be relying on owen to outscore the opposition due to then having a defensive heart of josemi and whitbread. We would be having 5 goals thrillers every week and they would not always go our way. Always make sure you've got the squad depth first then you can gradually start improving the quality of the team.

by **LiverpoolMadman** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:32 pm

RB please sign CiCinho ......

by **Red Red Tom** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:35 pm

I really am sick of waiting, and waiting. I wake up this morning and find the Barcodes splashed all over SSN, and on the net. MO would be mad to join them. Sven has stuck with him thus far at Real, and realistically who else could partner Rooney? Owen will start the world cup for England, even if he played for some New Zealand reserve team. (Not this is not a slur on NZ, just that is about as far from Sven's usual area for watching games as you can get!)

Come on Rafa, lets get the boy here - he made a mistake and he's been punished. His suntan from Spain will fade in time, but Stevie and Carra will always have a CL medal...

Tom

by **Paul C** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:36 pm

cisses_gona_get_ya wrote:From the echo: Liverpool will make a statement after the super cup game on friday FFS its only wednesday

Surely Newcastle will sign him over the next 48hrs, so by Friday it will be too late

by **mistyred** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:38 pm

What about the Media confrence at 3:00 oclock what's that for

by **adamnbarrett** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:42 pm

stoney wrote:
adamnbarrett wrote:I tell you what rafa if you don't take him back you're a fool. He wants to come back, stevie G wants him back, the fans want him back, the board want him back. You must be the only one who doesn't want him. Yes we have 5 strikers but they arn't good enough. I'll be surprised if with the current form they are all in then they will struggle to score 20 goals between them whereas owen gives you 20 anyway.

RAFA YOU FOOL BRING HIM BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the centre back and right winger are the MAIN priorities. I want owen back but I do not want these postions sacrifised by 1) not even getting a player for that position or 2) filling those voids with sub standard bull shiit. You may have the best striker in the world but if your WHOLE team is not up to stratch then it means nothing. For all the idiots that say a centre back and get owen, I don't think you guys understand the potential consequences of this. If carra or sami got injured or (god forbid) say both. WE WOULD BE IN . That would mean, yes we would have owen getting the goals, but we would be relying on owen to outscore the opposition due to then having a defensive heart of josemi and whitbread. We would be having 5 goals thrillers every week and they would not always go our way. Always make sure you've got the squad depth first then you can gradually start improving the quality of the team.

No i'm saying why not get all 3 after all we got £30 mil from winning the champions league. All summer we've bought cheap zenden (free) and the incoming stelious (£1 mil) we havn't spent excessivly. I mean you sell 1 striker (baros) and you've got to bring another 1 in. And yes i do understand the potential consequences of sami and jamie getting injured. We have the money so why don't we spend it. Get a defender a right winger and owen.

by **stoney** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:48 pm

You do know that the 30m from the champions league win was on the whole not just from that final

therefore some of that moeny was spent along time ago during last summer possibly and in january on the likes of morientes

by **Anfield rapper** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:50 pm

I really can't see him signing for newcastle he'll go on loan for a season but a contract would be out of the question. Its similar to Lyon offering £8.5m for Baros at the end of the day he didn't want to go so the amount they were going to pay was irrelevent.

by **red_indian** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:53 pm

Rafa, Parry et al know how high expectations are and what is expected of them - the Premiership - none of us have ever run/managed a football club - i say we let them get on with things and trust their judgement on this saga. Yes i would like to see MO back, especially now that Milan has gone but at the end of the day Rafa probably knows that this year if all we manage is 4th in the league, 30+ pts behind the champs and realistically no Champ Lge trophy then that will not go down too well, more so if our top striker scores only a handful of goals - he knows the pressure he would be under in such a scenario

i trust whats happening is happening for a reason, either we cannot afford MO, Rafa has other plans, or he will be here in time for the summer bank holiday weekend

by **adamnbarrett** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:55 pm

stoney wrote:You do know that the 30m from the champions league win was on the whole not just from that final therefore some of that moeny was spent along time ago during last summer possibly and in january on the likes of morientes

you get £100, 000 per game you win so what you have just said is very unlikely. Oh and I forgot to mention we get £15-20 mil after qualifying for the group stages of the CL last night.

by **7_Kewell** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 3:30 pm

Surely Newcastle will sign him over the next 48hrs, so by Friday it will be too late

I doubt it...Fat Freddie shepard is playing his old games of bidding for players he knows he can't get, just to keep the fans happy. He done this last year with Rooney....the fact is, Newcastle don't have 18 million.they can't even afford Anelka ffs! and he's valued at 10 million.

Liverpool FC Forum

THE MICHAEL OWEN THREAD - all owen talk here from now on please

Who is online