Bring Owen home

[@yourservice 67]

Liverpool's two most important players, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, have asked the club's American owners to bring Michael Owen back to Anfield. George Gillett and Tom Hicks are keen but Rafa Benitez, the Liverpool manager, is less enthusiastic and any deal is unlikely.

 

Gerrard, Carragher and Owen trained together at London Colney yesterday as England began preparing for Friday's prestige friendly with Brazil at Wembley and next week's vital Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia. As is the way with England, there will be plenty of discussion amongst the players of future plans and hopes. Many a move has been mooted in England hotels.

 

The desire of Gerrard and Carragher to restore Owen to the Liverpool fold is hardly a secret. Both have talked openly about their admiration for Owen. All three came through the Academy ranks and remain good mates, despite Owen having left Anfield for Real Madrid and now Newcastle United.

 

This is more than friends wanting to be re-united. Owen is the type of serial finisher Liverpool are crying out for; their lack of a cutting edge was highlighted during last week's European Cup final defeat to AC Milan.

 

After the game, Benitez confirmed that he would be investing heavily in rebuilding the side, but Owen is not high on his shopping list. Benitez is more interested in Valencia's David Villa.

 

Most managers of elite clubs are searching for Didier Drogba clones: strong, muscular forwards who can fill the demanding, multi-faceted role of the lone target-man required by increasingly prevalent 4-5-1 tactics. Owen, small of frame despite his recent time in the gym, is ill-suited to holding the ball up and bringing midfielders in to play.

 

Owen is most dangerous when deployed alongside another striker, and particularly when chasing balls played over the top. A classic 'run-through' striker, Owen is a predator with pace, not an old-style No 9 or new-school Drogba who leads the line.

 

For all the dressing-room lobbying at Anfield, it would be a surprise to see Owen back in the famous red of Liverpool, despite the inviting £9m get-out clause in his Newcastle contract. He has been linked with Manchester United but many people in a sport that hardly prizes loyalty still believe Owen owes Newcastle one season.

 

Badly injured at the last World Cup, Owen has only just resumed wearing the celebrated black-and-white stripes and it would be an insult to the Toon Army, as well as the club's paymasters, if he jumped ship now.

 

With a respected new manager in Sam Allardyce, and potential new owners, Newcastle's future looks promising.

 

Owen should also be aware that a striker who excels in front of the Gallowgate will receive adulation unmatched anywhere in England. (Henry Winter,Telegraph)

[sammynb 2929]

A classic 'run-through' striker, Owen is a predator with pace, not an old-style No 9 or new-school Drogba who leads the line.

TBH it is yet to be seen if he still has the pace he once had.

When he first joined us, injury free he looked like he'd lost a yard now after an acl reconstruction chances are he's lost even more.

[TheMoog 0]

Fuck it, I'm fed up to the back teeth with the whinging scouse pricks, let them have the little shit - if he can't commit to us openly and this sort of crap is still rumbling on I say ditch him, I'm just really hacked off with hearing about it day in, day out.

[ewerk 26540]

"Bring Owen Home, Pleads Gerrard" yet not a single quote in the article? More media bollocks.

[tinofbeans 86]

truth of the matter is owen has never commited himself to us 100% and never will.

 

i'd take whatever money we can get for him at the moment. he'll go next year if he doesn't this year....

[Kid Dynamite 5941]

If we can get a decent replacement they can have him. I know its early days but he doesnt look the same player to me, and unlike shearer he doesnt have the other side to his game to adapt a different playing style.

[tinofbeans 86]

was going to say he looks pretty much as he did before but without all of the tremendous acceleration.

does make you wonder.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

But many people in a sport that hardly prizes loyalty still believe Owen owes Newcastle one season.

 

Badly injured at the last World Cup, Owen has only just resumed wearing the celebrated black-and-white stripes and it would be an insult to the Toon Army, as well as the club's paymasters, if he jumped ship now.

 

With a respected new manager in Sam Allardyce, and potential new owners, Newcastle's future looks promising.

 

Owen should also be aware that a striker who excels in front of the Gallowgate will receive adulation unmatched anywhere in England. (Henry Winter,Telegraph)

Spot on. Good piece I thought, from one of the better football writers.

[Papa Lazaru 0]

But many people in a sport that hardly prizes loyalty still believe Owen owes Newcastle one season.

 

Badly injured at the last World Cup, Owen has only just resumed wearing the celebrated black-and-white stripes and it would be an insult to the Toon Army, as well as the club's paymasters, if he jumped ship now.

 

With a respected new manager in Sam Allardyce, and potential new owners, Newcastle's future looks promising.

 

Owen should also be aware that a striker who excels in front of the Gallowgate will receive adulation unmatched anywhere in England. (Henry Winter,Telegraph)

Spot on. Good piece I thought, from one of the better football writers.

 

Its been mentioned before and was something i agreed with that, Owen knew if he did the business here as striker he'd be a legend and have support from the fans that he never got at Liverpool where Fowler is quite literally seen as god.

 

What happens remains to be seen, though its clear that the media is goign to explode in a jizz fest if he signs for one of their beloved Manu/Arse/Pool and leaves us. If he stays, they'll be gutted apart from the few half decent journalists!

[Bombadil 0]

But many people in a sport that hardly prizes loyalty still believe Owen owes Newcastle one season.

 

Badly injured at the last World Cup, Owen has only just resumed wearing the celebrated black-and-white stripes and it would be an insult to the Toon Army, as well as the club's paymasters, if he jumped ship now.

 

With a respected new manager in Sam Allardyce, and potential new owners, Newcastle's future looks promising.

 

Owen should also be aware that a striker who excels in front of the Gallowgate will receive adulation unmatched anywhere in England. (Henry Winter,Telegraph)

Spot on. Good piece I thought, from one of the better football writers.

 

Exactly.

[toontoasey 0]

Bloody doing me tits in all this speculation, the lad should come out and say what he is doing rather than all this cloak and dagger bollocks.

[Sima 0]

I'd sell him this summer tbh. He only has two years left on his contract and he'll have use over even more of a barrel next summer.

[Jimbo 133]

I'd sell him this summer tbh. He only has two years left on his contract and he'll have use over even more of a barrel next summer.

 

 

Good point, although I still feel he owes us a good season, it would be more wasteful to lose him on a free than to cash in on him early and use the money to rebuild with players that actually want to play for us.

[Bombadil 0]

I'd sell him this summer tbh. He only has two years left on his contract and he'll have use over even more of a barrel next summer.

 

 

Good point, although I still feel he owes us a good season, it would be more wasteful to lose him on a free than to cash in on him early and use the money to rebuild with players that actually want to play for us.

 

He'd be a great asset when it comes to attracting top-class players though, like Shearer was.

[sandman02uk 0]

I'd sell him this summer tbh. He only has two years left on his contract and he'll have use over even more of a barrel next summer.

 

 

Good point, although I still feel he owes us a good season, it would be more wasteful to lose him on a free than to cash in on him early and use the money to rebuild with players that actually want to play for us.

 

He'd be a great asset when it comes to attracting top-class players though, like Shearer was.

 

even when they know hes only discharging a debt of honour and will be out the door come the end of the season?

[Papa Lazaru 0]

I'd sell him this summer tbh. He only has two years left on his contract and he'll have use over even more of a barrel next summer.

 

 

Good point, although I still feel he owes us a good season, it would be more wasteful to lose him on a free than to cash in on him early and use the money to rebuild with players that actually want to play for us.

 

He'd be a great asset when it comes to attracting top-class players though, like Shearer was.

 

even when they know hes only discharging a debt of honour and will be out the door come the end of the season?

 

If he starts the season here and there aren't any quotes of him saying he's off after a year then i think players would accept him as being a toon player an want to play alongside him, if they were of that opinion.

 

Also whilst i can see the idea that it could be worse next year, the positive side is the effect having Owen in the team scoring as he does, could have on the coming season and the really positive side that everything goes well enough to convince him to stay longer.

[Park Life 70]

They'll sign Owen just as Gerra leaves for Real.

[sweetleftpeg 0]

No quotes. The Liverpool loving press trying to talk up the move? Surely not.

[Capo 0]

According to well-paced sources on Shanklygates, Benitez will hand in his resignation on return from holiday on Monday.

[ewerk 26540]

According to well-paced sources on Shanklygates, Benitez will hand in his resignation on return from holiday on Monday.

 

Seems strange after these comments were reported today.

 

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has held clear-the-air talks with club owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

 

Benitez warned the club's owners last week they need to back him in the transfer market if they want to be successful.

 

The Spaniard spoke of his frustration in delays over bolstering his squad, but he was given assurances by Gillett and Hicks that he would be given the funds to take the team forward.

 

"Rick Parry (chief executive) and I had a good meeting when we spoke to the owners and we all agreed what is important is for everyone to work together to do the right things for the club," Benitez told the Mirror.

 

"That means changing the structure of the club and spending money on players, both young players and players who will go straight into the team.

 

"We have not talked about budgets, but I know the owners are backing me. That's what is important now, and it is time for us to be positive.

 

"It's not just about buying players who might be more expensive, but getting players for the right price."

 

The Reds recently signed Hungarian youngsters Krisztian Nemeth and Andras Simon and Benitez was delighted to land the pair ahead of some other top clubs.

 

"They are two top talents. There were a lot of big clubs interested in them, such as Real Madrid, Ajax and PSV," added Benitez.

 

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=4...tball_home&

[Capo 0]

We'll see

[ewerk 26540]

Well seeing as he has had talks it's unlikely he is on holiday, unless it was via a conference call.

Edited May 31, 2007 by ewerk

[Guest alex]

I know Liverpool are a huge club but I think anyone would have to think long and hard about the chance to go and manage Real Madrid. Especially a Spaniard.

[Capo 0]

Well seeing as he has had talks it's unlikely he is on holiday, unless it was via a conference call.

 

Just putting what I heard, its from a lad who got a few other things right.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Gillett & Hicks would do better to sack Parry and hang on to Rafa.