On BT Sports’ “What I Wore” show, former players go through a series of kits they wore during their time playing for certain clubs and talking about their time there. It’s a really good premise for a show and interesting to get a peek behind the footballing curtain.
This week was the turn of Newcastle United favourite (that’s sarcasm by the way, but I’m sure you knew that), Michael Owen.
We all know by now the story that Owen didn’t want to come to Newcastle and that all he wanted was to play for Liverpool again, and of course we all know how he got a PR team to knock up a desperate Michael Owen brochure in order to pimp himself out to other clubs to get his escape from Newcastle.
Yet, here we are getting all riled up again because he’s doubled down on his story about wanting to join Liverpool, saying that when the Real Madrid president came to see him to say that there was a bid from England he assumed it was Liverpool and jumped at the chance. He was then told it was Newcastle who’d come in with the highest offer and his choice was to stay at Madrid or go to Newcastle. Liverpool weren’t willing to fork out anywhere near what Newcastle paid.
What Are Your Thoughts On Owen?
Loved him at the time. Hate him now.
Never liked him
Loved him then. Still love him now.
So, playing Devil’s Advocate here, Owen is right when he says that a player being offered the chance to return home and play for the club he loves is a dream come true, and yes, Shearer would absolutely have done the same for Newcastle. But, Mickey, lad, the difference is, had Shearer not got his wish and ended up somewhere else, he absolutely would have been professional enough to give 100% every game, remained completely professional throughout his time there and shown his fans the respect they deserve.
Owen on the other hand seemed to knock on the managers’ door daily asking if Liverpool had bid for him yet. He had clauses in his contract that if Liverpool bid a certain amount he could leave – but they never did. Do you know why? Because his attitude reeked and they could smell it on Merseyside.
Michael then tried to cover his backside saying he “loved” his time at Newcastle. Yeah, mate? Tell that to your face.
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