The Michael Owen saga isn't over yet ye kna!
Michael Owen's future at Newcastle United may well be precarious but while many people appear to be jumping the gun about the player quitting St James's Park in January - there is another school of thought that the out of favour England man but in form Toon striker could well remain on Tyneside.
Owen broke his silence about contract talks at United after the 2-2 draw with Stoke and expressed his annoyance at quotes being spun - significantly he appeared particularly irritated and annoyed by reports that he was ready to quit the club or that Joe Kinnear had given up hope of keeping him.
Basically contract talks haven't started yet but while it is accepted that Owen can talk to clubs in January about a move to a new club and arrange a transfer, it doesn't mean he will.
The suggestion by Owen that talks have been put on the backburner also indicate that he is willing to talk, certainly the skipper seems to be keeping cool on the situation and keeping it all in perspective.
A couple of months down the line and he could still extend his contract or at least honour the one he's got, keep Newcastle up, and then say he's made the best job out of far from perfect situation.
Who knows, going could jeopardise a dream partnership with Alan Shearer if the club is sold and new owners bring back the man who helped get him here in the first place.
OK, he probably doesn't drink Broon Ale and he probably doesn't eat chip stotties but Owen is a man of the world at the end of the day and like most decent human beings, he's got a conscience - despite his millions in the bank.
Money has changed footballers, they are no longer like me and you.
In terms of lifestyle they are a million miles away - but in terms of winning and will to win, I didn't see one Toon player smiling as they filed out of St James's Park on Saturday night after Stoke - and that was mirrored by fans who went home to seek shelter after watching their side chuck away a 2-0 lead.
Getting back to Owen, he's a decent bloke and while this is only an observation, he seems to be proud to be captain of Newcastle.
Therefore, does he want to be the man who hammered the first nail in Newcastle United's relegation coffin?
Does he want to be the man who sparked off a mass Leeds-style exodus?
And at a time when he is valued so highly at Newcastle and not by the national side, would he really want to turn his back right now?
Without Owen, Newcastle have a great chance of going down but with him they can lay the foundations for another year in the Premier League.
Owen will be looking deeply into the next six months and although it seems like the longest of shots, Joe Kinnear has already spoke about actually winning the FA Cup and leading Newcastle to a respectable position in the Premier League, the little striker will be thinking on the same lines.
Pie in the sky?
Quite possibly, but at least there are positive noises coming from the only place that really counts - the dressing room.
At the end of the day, even he stays to the end of the season it will help Newcastle United and it's up to the men running the club to put down a contract in front of him and get the right the players around him.
Owen, he could still end up being a Toon legend, ye kna.
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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But do Ashley, Llambias and Wise want to keep him beyond January?
Lee, can you also forward this on to ALAN OLIVER.
Sorry to come on and have a moan but it’s a big, big mystery to me why Oba Martins never, ever gets criticized for not scoring nearly enough goals, Saturday was a prime example. I was at the game and he never looked like scoring, all the time he was on the pitch, but all people can say, Local Radio, Tabloid Newspapers ect., is that it was a pity Michael Owen couldn’t have got a 3rd ????? This guy Martins has got a No.9 on the back of his shirt and up in Newcastle, you know as well as I do, that means one thing and one thing only – GOALS, and lots of them, not darting runs, not wild scuffed mis –directed shots that someone else puts away, or rubbish first time touches - we lost 3-points because we do not have anyone other than Owen who can put the ball in the back of the net with regularity – this guy Martins must be the worst No.9 in the history of Newcastle United, but its mystifying why he never gets blasted over it, the Newcastle Evening Chronicle were even paying him complements after he was sub’d, because unlike at Boro’, where he was also useless, he didn’t storm off the pitch in a strop and down the tunnel ????
He keeps whining on that there are a host of European clubs breaking their necks to get his signature – lets hope one of them takes him in January, I am a Geordie, and a Toon supporter for 30 years or more and I am personally sick to the back teeth of him under performing - he needs to watch a few videos of Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Super Mac, the Mighty Quinn at work and he might start and realise what a centre forward should be doing at Newcastle United.
People need to start and wake up and realise this guy should not be in the team.
Surely we must keep Owen and get a midfield to feed him. In response to John [above], I for one criticise Martins a lot; he isn't a great finisher and doesn't score enough for a £10m striker. They should still keep him though, especially with MO's fitness record.
Here's hoping you know something we don't Lee. The somewhat apparent acceptance that many have with regards to Mickey leaving is tinged with a sadness of what might have been but for a mountain of 'ifs'. Injuries, Shearer and him not getting a good run together, not having the same standard of player to compliment him and the recent Keegan horror show. Yet above all that, the wee man has been coming to his aunty's at Whitley Bay for his holidays since childhood, and probably knows the Geordie psyche as well as any outsider. Your mention of his conscience seems to me like a hint of something you might be privvy to, I'd love to think that he feels our disappointment at what he might have achieved under better circumstances and at least stays for the season. I personally don't give a monkey's if the club lose out on any January transfer fee. He could mean the difference between staying up and the other, with his natural gift of scoring goals. John Park hit the nail on the head about Oba's ratio of goals per game against Owen's ( 28 in 50 starts )which is better than anyone's I've ever heard of. Yes Oba coming off at Boro and Stoke seemed nuts when we desperately needed goals, but his reading of the game, his first touch and positioning leave a lot to be desired when he's got the number 9 shirt at NUFC. I only hope Michael Owen reads this stuff and realises how much we NEED, and WANT him to stay.
Here's hoping you know something we don't Lee. The somewhat apparent acceptance that many have with regards to Mickey leaving is tinged with a sadness of what might have been but for a mountain of 'ifs'. Injuries, Shearer and him not getting a good run together, not having the same standard of player to compliment him and the recent Keegan horror show. Yet above all that, the wee man has been coming to his aunty's at Whitley Bay for his holidays since childhood, and probably knows the Geordie psyche as well as any outsider. Your mention of his conscience seems to me like a hint of something you might be privvy to, I'd love to think that he feels our disappointment at what he might have achieved under better circumstances and at least stays for the season. I personally don't give a monkey's if the club lose out on any January transfer fee, however small. He could mean the difference between staying up and the other, with his natural gift of scoring goals. John Park hit the nail on the head about Oba's ratio of goals per game against Owen's ( 28 in 50 starts )which is better than anyone's I've ever heard of. Yes Oba coming off at Boro and Stoke seemed nuts when we desperately needed goals, but his reading of the game, his first touch and positioning leave a lot to be desired when he's got the number 9 shirt at NUFC. I only hope he reads this stuff and realises how much we NEED, and WANT him to stay right. now
Yeah: he had every right to be upset. First and worst among those reports was The Jounrla's fabricated story where the first two paragraphs were never backed by quotations. Don't say that though, do you Lee?
It's good to see Newcastle fans on here coming out in support of Owen. I can't believe that anyone can even begin to believe that Martins is a better player than Owen - yet there are plenty of Toon fans that do.
Owen has scored 28 goals in 50 starts BUT in the vast majority of those games he has been coming back from injury, not match fit and for the second half of last season he played almost as a midfielder. How BRILLIANT is that?!
Martins CAN be brilliant and 32 goals in 77 games is not a bad return. But, unlike Owen, he can't pass, can't link play, and rarely scores the clever 'tap in' goals inside the 6 yard box that make Owen a natural goalscorer.
A fan said to me on Sunday (after Owen had scored 2!!) "but he's not the player he was". Well actually, I agree. But Owen, like Shearer before him, has changed his game to adapt to the fact that he is no longer lightening quick.
The great Bobby Robson told Shearer immediately on becoming manager to stop coming deep and going wide like he used to and to plough a path up and down the middle and make sure he was first in the box. Result? 5 goals in Robsons first home game.
Owen now uses the speed of his brain more than the speed of his legs to make the short runs around or in the box that give him the chances he usually buries. For example - how many 6 yard box headers has Owen scored for us compared to the rest of his career?
I also agree with Lee that Owen's comments, effort, goals and body language are not those of a player desperate to get away.
For me, Owen has proved himself both a consumate goalscorer and professional and if we allow him to leave (especially when I believe he would stay) it will just prove how far this once ambitious club has fallen.
For God's sake Ashley - give Owen a contract NOW.
You said it, Lee.
Pie in the sky!
Ashley has only on way to run Newcastle
( CHEAP AS CHIPS )
He does not want to pay Owen his high wages anymore and a host of players leaving in Jan.
and with 12 million to spend in Jan
( CHEAP AS CHIPS )
I don't think Owen has any intentions of leaving. No other club will pay the wages, even if they're halved. Owen will be here for another few years if we want him. On Martins, he causes fear in defenses and has a decent time making goals for others. I think we should sign Heskey to play with owen in the short term.
It would be good to see Hesky at Newcastle, but no chance?
We are going to struggle to get players at Newcastle with the regime that we have in place plus there is a very good chance we will be relegated?
if he really wants to leave, i dont blame him, the team is doing pretty %&/ at the moment
If I was our current owner I would do the following.Firstly I would come out and be a man,stand on the steps of the Gallowgate like Keegan did when we sold Cole and apologise for the clubs lack of communication since September and state I hold my hands up and admit that mistakes have been made, and now we are going to set about putting them right,as I like u only want the best for this football club judge me now on where we go from here.If I am selling In the future I will make sure the club isn’t the mess it is now when it is sold.I would sack Dennis Wise Derek Llambias and Jeff Vetere. I would pay whatever it takes to get Chris Mort back in as Chairman as He had a great rapport with the fans and was and still is universally respected in Newcastle- If not Mort then someone of his calibre,someone who is a good communicator, pay them Wises salary im sure it would cover it.
I would thank Joe Kinnear for doing the job when no one else would, but that as we need to push on we will be appointing someone long term.
I would appoint a decent manager who likes to play attacking passing football and some experienced coaches that he is willing to work with.
If I was manager In January I would inject some pace and athleticism into the team straight away. Id buy a solid left back and right back- two mobile and strong central midfielders (one attacking, one defensive)
If Owen wants to go I would ask him to hold on for a Bosman in the summer rather than leave in Jan for a nominal fee
In the summer I would ship out Smith, Geremi, Viduka, Butt, Duff, Enrique, Xisco, Cacapa and Barton and martins as I feel he isn’t a team player.
And build a squad with 2 players as competition for each position
I wouldn’t go out looking for big names or injury prone players. I would then coach the be Jesus out of them, passing and movement off the ball being the key.
Good Point Danny, but I don,t think that will ever happen?
(Kill the captcha)
I agree with a lot of what Danny describes as the way forward, particularly his outgoing transfer list, although I'd keep Jose Enrique and Joey Barton.
My next comment may not be popular, but I hope it is taken as intended and not as a staunch show of support for the current setup.
I actually think some credit needs to given to the recruitment team. Granted things went much too far at the end of the transfer window, but before that point they picked up Jonas Gutierrez (the best signing since Shearer and we haven't even seen the best of him yet by far), Fabricio Coloccini & the promising Sebastien Bassong. We certainly wouldn't have these players if was up to Keegan, who seemingly hadn't heard of any of them.
Unfortunately the carry on on deadline day was what messed everything up. (I have a theory that they didn't get a left back because they were so busy trying to get Xisco in as last ditch cover for the sale of Owen on deadline day which never materialised.)
Unfortunately though Danny, I don't see the much needed admission of error coming from Mr Ashley - and I certainly don't see it coming on the steps of St. James's!