Michael Owen

[Carra_is_legend]

What would piss me off most would be the 27 versions of how much he gets paid.

 

He'd become a new stick to beat Rafa with too - not to mention Dirk and others.

 

If he turned out to be shit/perma-crocked after all, as many predict, Rafa would be a silly boy for signing him. And then we'd find his wages and signing on fee were massive.

 

If he turned out to be pretty good and hardly injured, Rafa would be a silly boy every time he left him on the bench or subbed him. We'd then be told his wages were high and Rafa was wasting money leaving him out. That would also be the stick to beat Kuyt with because he was keeping Owen out.

 

Even if he turned out to be really good, as good as he could/should have been by now, you can still imagine we'd hear how he was earning a pittance and how it was an insult to his abilities etc. And Kuyt would be called every time he got picked ahead of him.

 

Even worse would be him putting a blue shirt on and playing for his boyhood team. Not so much how he'd be, but how Luvvie Bill would be about it.

 

He needs to go and play in America or something instead.

 

We will have the same discussion even if we sign Villa or Tevez or Silva or anyone. I'm not saying we should sign Owen but just saying these things will always be discussed regardless of who we sign.

 

If Rafa goes out and signs Silva and if Kuyt keeps him on the bench for 3 games having played 2 bad games previously, some fans will ask why Silva is on the bench. If Silva plays a few bad games people will say Rafa wasted the money on Silva.

 

Every fan is a football manager and all that.

[Whelan]

Owen is nowhere near good enough but Kuyt, N'gog, Nemeth and Voronin are? I don't think so. I like Dirk as much as anyone (except Thants) but he's no lone striker. N'gog and Nemeth are miles away from being ready for the first team and Voronin is just shit.

 

I'd rather have Owen any day. He can lead the line on his own and has the understanding with Gerrard, in the same way that Torres does.

 

I don't think this will happen though, as much as I think it would be a good deal for us.

 

I don't think he can, certainly not the way we play. I think Owen would need to play alongside someone, Kuyt or N'gog.

 

I can't make my mind up, to be honest I could have forgiven him for leaving us but I couldn't forgive him for choosing Newcastle! He wanted Rafa to take a chance on him but didn't want to take the chance with his England position and he ended up at the circus!

[Scott_M]

I would not like us to re-sign Owen.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

This is the same rumour that was doing the rounds over the weekends that he was going to Everton.

 

He aint coming back to us.

 

His ego will not be stroked enough under Rafa.

[Carra_is_legend]

What is this pay-as-you-play deal anyway? If we sign him and if he is injured when we sign him, ok, we won't pay him until he gets fit.

 

But, what if he is fit when he comes to us and then gets injured playing a game for us? He could get a severe knee injury and might get ruled out for 6 months. Don't think we can stop paying him for 6 months surely! I can't see him or any professional footballer agreeing to this kind of a deal.

[t1971]

Even on pay as you play i wouldnt be too happy. I think hes a poor shadow of his former self. We need a backup to Torres and a backup to Torres should be available when called upon. You cant really rely on Owen to be fit. If we are going to sign another striker it should be one you can rely on.

 

 

It may not cost is anything if he isnt fit but it will cost us heavily in results and team performance.

[Ian Sea]

I don't think he can, certainly not the way we play. I think Owen would need to play alongside someone, Kuyt or N'gog.

 

I can't make my mind up, to be honest I could have forgiven him for leaving us but I couldn't forgive him for choosing Newcastle! He wanted Rafa to take a chance on him but didn't want to take the chance with his England position and he ended up at the circus!

 

I reckon he could play up top on his own in our team as he'd get plenty of support from Gerrard and the wide players.

[Carra_is_legend]

I see some are still talking about the word "backup". What is a "backup" and since when top clubs have started to sign "backup" players?

 

There is no such thing called a "backup" player. Not a single decent player will be happy to sit on the bench. Top clubs need top players to stay top and those players will DEMAND to play. They add value to the squad and add competition to keep everyone on their toes - including Torres and Gerrard. This is the way it should be.

 

Anyway, we already have a "backup" to Torres in Babel, N'gog and now Voronin. These are the kind of players we will get as "backup". We need a David Villa or a Tevez or a Silva. Not a "backup" Babel or N'gog or Voronin.

[EVO VIP BUNKER]

I would have him back.

Rafa's mantra in the last few weeks has been, we need to improve the squad by getting in players that are better than what we currently have and this is getting harder as the squad is stronger.

 

Is Owen better than what we have up front at the moment?

 

The other quote he made was in comparing the return of Robbie to the possible return of Michael.

Not got the exact quote but went something along the lines of, that was different, Robbie was coming to the end of his career and was happy to return for a bit part but Owen is still a top striker and wants to play all the time.

 

Would Michael be happy with coming off the bench / a bit part at Liverpool.

 

If Rafa thinks, or can be convinced that the answer to those two questions is yes, then it may happen.

 

If not, it wont.

[Anny Road]

He knows where the goal is. You don't forget that.

[Joe Le Taxi]

I've got to admit I would love to see him back. He was my idol but I really do doubt this is true.

[hamstrung]

He knows where the goal is. You don't forget that.

 

Problem is, its too far in the distance to get to.

[RedinSweden]

He knows where the goal is. You don't forget that.

 

I know where Angelina Jolie's minge is. That doesn't mean I can do anything about it, even if i got near it.

[Code]

I wonder if people have actually watched Newcastle this season, their midfield is abysmal and their strikers have got fuck all support all season.

 

Even Torres would probably have struggled in that sorry excuse of a team.

 

Owen is not the kind of player who will create loads of chances for himself even if it happens on occasions, but he wil be in the right place at the right time and he will give you goals more often than not in those situations, this is exactly what we need since we hardly can expect any other of our players to do this consistently apart from Torres.

[Hermes]

Owen is not the kind of player who will create loads of chances for himself even if it happens on occasions, but he wil be in the right place at the right time .

 

In the treatment room when the team is playing?

[Anny Road]

We are looking for a striker who can back up Torres. Not start every game, not cost a lot, settle quickly. Perfect for it.

 

Those who say he is past it must be forgetting his early season form. Towards the end of the season as has been said before Messi would have struggled in that Newcastle side.

Yes he has lost a yard of pace. But look at players like Shearer who also lost a lot of speed after injuries but they adapt and continue to score goals.

[stephen.archiba]

He's a Judas wee shite. Left us in the last days of the transfer window with no chance of a replacement. Thanks Michael...............but no thanks!!!

[Randy Marsh]

For arguments sake, I think on a free, and with significantly reduced performance based wages I'd take him. No big wages, no long contract, whatever he get's he has to earn. If he stays fit then he could bang a shedload in with the amount of chances we create. He doesn't create much himself but is as good as most at finishing moves off.

 

I highly doubt this is true and I'd be astounded to see him back in a red shirt. Not overly arsed either way if it happens.

[RedinSweden]

He's a Judas wee shite. Left us in the last days of the transfer window with no chance of a replacement. Thanks Michael...............but no thanks!!!

 

If your real name is Stephen Archibald and you ran out of space, then your forum name is the best ever. in fact, i am assuming this to be the case and i am going to rep you. Please do not think this is anything to do with what you wrote though.

[Hermes]

If your real name is Stephen Archibald and you ran out of space, then your forum name is the best ever.

 

I remember a great quote from Achibald regarding his time at Barca and the signing of Maradona.

 

He said Maradona was introduced to the players in the dressing room prior to a training session.

 

"Maradona picked up a rolled up pair of socks and played keepy-up for several minutes before volleying them into a bin at the far side of the changing room. The dressing room burst into a plause, I just looked at him and thought -there's my place in the team gone".

[Lefti]

The problem is Michael isn't good enough for Liverpool now. Nothing against him on a personal level. However, its a step back if we re-sign him. Hows about we resign Diouf, Diao, Biscan and Traore whilst we're at it, heard they are going cheap...

[Hooch]

Jesus, talk about split opinion.

That poll solves nothing in terms of majority consensus.

 

I'd take him back by the way.

[Antynwa]

I don't know what people where expecting from an injury hit Michael Owen playing for a relegated side.

[WaltonRed]

its a good move

[Lupin]

His time has gone. Not good enough for some time now.