Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has admitted that this Sunday’s game with bottom of the league Derby County may come too soon for England striker Michael Owen.
Michael Owen – 50-50 for Derby Game
The 28-year-old has been out since injuring his thigh during England’s pointless friendly in Austria on 17th November, presumably the match being in preparation for England’s game against Croatia the following Wednesday, which England lost and therefore failed to qualify for the European Finals next summer. So that’s 31 days today that Michael has been out, and of course he has only started 21 games in 28 months for the Newcastle club.
Big Sam says Owen only has a 50-50 chance of making Sunday’s game.
“Michael’s going to hopefully get back into some form of training this week,” “Derby might still be a bit soon, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed.”
We need Michael Owen to start helping the team, but with all these injuries it’s been hard for him to get going. He’s so far scored just 10 goals for the club, and since we’ve paid him around £13M in wages so far (and £17M to Real Madrid in transfer fees), that’s over £1M per goal. Yes, we know – it’s not his fault, but we’ll be a lot happier when Michael is back helping the team, by scoring goals for Newcastle.
Comments welcome.
12 comments so far
Steve_48
Dec 18, 2007 at 11:14 AM
Comment #1If he’s only 50-50 why bother? This means he’s not match fit – give him the last half hour and no more IMO.
Loyalty and patience count for me; if he simply waltzes back into the team this weekend it’ll only shatter the team bonding which has reported [readily through this site] through his absence.
Richy
Dec 18, 2007 at 11:36 AM
Comment #2does anyone care anymore about michael owen, we should let him go at the end of the season. his contract is up at the end of next and the club have not made any moves to address the situation. we did however address steven taylor, n zogbia and milner’s contracts. i think the clubs silence on the owen contract situation is deafening. he is an expensive luxury who has been completely ravaged by injury to the extent where I can not justify the ridiculous wages he receives. Non of the “big four” want him and over the last 2 years we have had so little return from him that I would be more than happy for him to move on to man city or Pompey. If he is breaking down all the time in the manner in which he did against Russia is he really worth keeping on the Payroll. we should get rid while we can receive a fee for him and at the very least we dont have to tolerate him trooping around St james’s park with a face like a smacked arse every time he pulls on a black and white shirt. 24 games in over 2 years??? thanks for nothing Michael.
bobby
Dec 18, 2007 at 11:43 AM
Comment #3it will be highly unlikely he goes in the January transfer window (given Martins is away on African Nations duty) all of the indications are that he will leave the club at the end of the season. There has been no talk about a new contract from the club and really why would there? He has barely played for us since his arrival two and a half years ago and it would seem the player is in a downward spiral with regards to his injuries and general level of fitness. If he can get hurt as he did in Russia, then you have to ask just how resilient he is to the punishing nature of Premier League football. Owen is on a massive contract for a club without Champions League or even UEFA Cup earnings and frankly, with all due respect to the lad , he just isn’t earning his money. That’s not to say Owen is a bad lad, a poor pro or he wants to play for England ahead of NUFC etc its just he’s been ravaged by injuries and I don’t think anyone could even begin to justify his place on the payroll. Speaking personally, it would seem folly to offer Owen anything like the kind of contract Shepherd put him on and it would be foolhardy to keep a player hanging around the club who has his eye on leaving at the end of next season on a Bosman. Sorry, but he’s for the off at the end of the season from where I’m sitting. I just wonder who would be as daft to put him on £120k pw like we have? None of the current top four it would seem.
Frankieboy
Dec 18, 2007 at 11:45 AM
Comment #4Agree with Steve.He has gotta be content with being on the bench and if the unbeaten run continues that is where he should remain. With Capello new England manager he may have to get used to same with the National team too. If he aint fit and doing it for club then likewise for England
This, if it does happen will be to the Toon’s advantage long term.
We may have the pleasure of the “OLD” Micheal Owen for the first time at the Toon.
Leo
Dec 18, 2007 at 11:58 AM
Comment #5i wouldnt even put him in the 16 going out there, because it will lower team spirit, that they have to have him in there somewhere.
let him play a couple of reserves matches. that will bring him down to earth, and also give the reserves a boost haha.
Chicken
Dec 18, 2007 at 1:32 PM
Comment #6I’m going to the game on Sunday and I really hope MO is fit to start because quite honestly Oba has been doing my f’ing head in lately. The kid’s heart is in the right place but he has got no brain for football. A spell on the sidelines watching MO might actually do him some good. He rarely chooses the right moment to pass or shoot and doesn’t hold his position properly. It was always obvious he wasn’t the finished product and was a bit rough around the edges in terms of technical ability, but I really think he needs to start performing and start delivering.
Chicken
Dec 18, 2007 at 1:35 PM
Comment #7where’s my two pence worth gone Ed?
t-g-w
Dec 18, 2007 at 3:51 PM
Comment #8Cappello’s comments about how no one’s place is guarenteed are very encouraging. If Owen wants to get back into his beloved England team he’s going to have to perform for us. Great news.
Chris Bunton
Dec 18, 2007 at 6:00 PM
Comment #9If Owen went to Man City he will bang em in….Sams style of footy is the problem as we don’t create chances. Owen is a world class finnisher, to get rid of him would be stupid
big pea ov the weab
Dec 18, 2007 at 6:24 PM
Comment #10sell sell selll get the injurd party off to some 1 else to pay while he sits on his arse all day
Adam B
Dec 19, 2007 at 12:57 AM
Comment #11i say he is on the bench and may may a last 15 mins cameo at most…..to be honest, im not that excited about it. the team as looked pretty good over the last few weeks. That being said we are going to need a fit scoring MO back in january. It may be better to avoid risking him at all this weekend, and save him for the busy period!
Chicken
Dec 19, 2007 at 8:49 AM
Comment #12Ah aye – It was like watching Brazil on Saturday night wasn’t it?