Owen to retire

[magicrat]

What might have been if he had stayed put.

 

---------------------------------------------------

Former England striker Michael Owen is to retire from football at the end of the season.

Owen, 33, who scored 40 goals in 89 internationals, played for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United and Manchester United and is now at Stoke.

He said: "It is with an immense amount of pride that I am announcing my intention to retire.

Michael Owen's career stats

 

Liverpool (1996-2004): 297 games, 158 goals

Real Madrid (2004-05): 40 games, 14 goals

Newcastle (2005-09): 79 games, 30 goals

Man Utd (2009-12): 52 games, 17 goals

Stoke (2012-13) 7 games, one goal

England (1998-2008): 89 caps, 40 goals

 

"I have been very fortunate in that my career has taken me on a journey I could only have dreamed of."

Owen burst on to the scene as a teenager at Liverpool and made England's 1998 World Cup squad aged just 18. He announced himself on the world stage with a memorable solo goal against Argentina in that tournament and scored a hat-trick as England beat Germany 5-1 in Munich in September 2001.

[Magic Sponge]

I thought he already had.

[Josef Svejk]

Who?

[setreal]

Hargreaves I assume.

[fowler9]

he retired in 2004

[Baltar]

His 'retirement speech' is just typical Owen. Vomit-inducing stuff from an arrogant tosser whose best years were more than a decade ago. Fuck off Owen.

[fowler9]

 

He said: "It is with an immense amount of pride that I am announcing my intention to retire."

 

 

.

 

Ands thats a fucking weird thing to say

[xerxes]

A fine player with an impressive scoring record, one of our, and England’s best ever strikers.

 

He has paid the price physically for his early success, but his goals scored, clubs played for, and honours won tally is matched by few. Missing out on the Miracle of Istanbul will be his biggest regret, but there have been plenty of compensations, most financial.

[Guest San Don]

'Immense amount of pride announcing my retirement'?

 

That 'immense' pride is no doubt because you've been forced to say it before tony pulis and scfc say it for you.

[Trumo]

What the fuck happened with this guy? It's often said that players go downhill once they leave Liverpool, but that is certainly true with Owen. He might say differently and point to having played for Real Madrid and 'won' medals with ManU, but the reality is vastly different. He was a bit-part player at Real Madrid for one season, he was only ever half-fit at Newcastle, and he spent 95% of his time at the Mancs picking splinters out of his arse and bickering with the likes of Piers Morgan on Twitter - something he carried on with after joining Stoke.

 

A career as a bland TV pundit offering absolutely no insightful commentary beckons.

[Josef Svejk]

A career as a bland TV pundit offering absolutely no insightful commentary beckons.

 

A double-act with Jamie Redknapp.

 

Lord.

[fowler9]

What the fuck happened with this guy? It's often said that players go downhill once they leave Liverpool, but that is certainly true with Owen. He might say differently and point to having played for Real Madrid and 'won' medals with ManU, but the reality is vastly different. He was a bit-part player at Real Madrid for one season, he was only ever half-fit at Newcastle, and he spent 95% of his time at the Mancs picking splinters out of his arse and bickering with the likes of Piers Morgan on Twitter - something he carried on with after joining Stoke.

 

A career as a bland TV pundit offering absolutely no insightful commentary beckons.

 

 

the way him and Torres have turned out has made me believe in karma, although I'm getting closer to indifference with regards to Torres these days, Owen will always be a cunt

[Tony Moanero]

What might have been if he had stayed put.

 

 

It was the injuries, not leaving Liverpool that fucked him. You can't blame a player for wanting to play for a club like Real Madrid. It was the seemingly snide way he went about getting his move that left a bitter taste. Not unlike a lot of footballers, he comes across as a bit of a prick, but I enjoyed his goals and still have fond memories of them, especially the ones in the FA and League Cup Finals.

[fowler9]

Just seems the appropriate place to mention I was playing Football Manager the other day and he became Southport manager and I beat him 1-0 in the Blue Square North play off final and he got sacked immediately afterwards, was in my lifelong top 5 satisfying moments

[Tony Moanero]

Just seems the appropriate place to mention I was playing Football Manager the other day and he became Southport manager and I beat him 1-0 in the Blue Square North play off final and he got sacked immediately afterwards, was in my lifelong top 5 satisfying moments

 

A photograph of fowler9 celebrating said victory.

 

[Pureblood]

Hah. Stick that in yer brochure.

[Captain]

His 'retirement speech' is just typical Owen. Vomit-inducing stuff from an arrogant tosser whose best years were more than a decade ago. Fuck off Owen.

 

Indeed, Owen in sucking-his-own-cock shocker.

[xerxes]

It was the injuries, not leaving Liverpool that fucked him.

 

I agree.

 

His leaving was the pivotal vote of no confidence in a club that then won the CL without him.

[Johnny Cougar]

If he dies, he dies.

[johnno]

His 'retirement speech' is just typical Owen. Vomit-inducing stuff from an arrogant tosser whose best years were more than a decade ago. Fuck off Owen.

 

This is correct one horrible self obsessed twat.

[navbasi]

England always came first for Owen, that's why I never connected to him. I was more gutted when Torres left than when Owen did. His autobiography is the only one I didn't finish, think I got half way through, when he joined the mancs it went to the charity shop.

[RobbieOR]

Hardly anybody ever leaves Liverpool and goes onto to better things.

[navbasi]

Hardly anybody ever leaves Liverpool and goes onto to better things.

 

The only player I can think of in recent history is Steve McManaman.

[fowler9]

The only player I can think of in recent history is Steve McManaman.

 

Xabi,Arbeloa and Masch

[navbasi]

Xabi and Masch

 

How could I forget...