Joe Kinnear came to the rescue of his captain today for the Saturday’s performance of Michael Owen against Middlesbrough, where it looked like Michael had an almost invisible performance.
Michael Owen – criticism of Michael way over the top
Kinnear told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle today:
“I thought some of the comments about Michael Owen’s display on Saturday were a bit out of order and well over the top.”
“Yes, Michael had a quiet game by his high standards, but the coaching staff on the bench could see how hard he was working, and we felt he did a lot of unselfish running for the team.”
“This was backed up when we had a look at the video after the game and studied each individual performance and saw what Owen had done.”
“Our big regret at Middlesbrough on Saturday was that none of the chances we created came Michael’s way, but this was not necessarily his fault.”
“He kept running into goalscoring positions, but he just never got the ball – and this is something we have to work on.”
We did review the game for a second time yesterday, and although he was not in the game much, Michael didn’t give the ball away, and he was making runs as Joe suggested. The Newcastle side looked very well organized although Middlebrough were closest to winning the game in the second half.
We think there were a couple of things about why Michael got criticized following the game:
- He didn’t score and didn’t look like scoring, and didn’t even have a shot on goal
- Fans were annoyed that Oba was taken off rather than Michael, when Mark Viduka came on, since Oba was having the better game and looked like he may be able to get a goal
It’s hardly a big deal, and we know that players need a few games to get back their sharpness, and that’s probably why Joe kept the England striker on for the whole game.
A goal from Michael against Stoke City on Saturday, and we’ll all soon forget this poor game, and maybe we’ll get one from Oba too. 
Comments welcome.
56 responses so far ↓
1 cooldj // Dec 3, 2008 at 12:56 PM
2 steve // Dec 3, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Some of the comments on the previous post are pathetic and show just how little people on this blog know about football or business.
Football: Owen is a proven goalscorer however he needs to be in a team that will create him chances, something sadly missing from our midfield, to say he is over the hill is beyond a joke – he’s scored as many goals as adebayor, defoe, crouch, bent – people were making similiar comments about anelka over the last few years and he now sits at the head of the prem goalscorers. Owen is still our top goal scorer !
Business: we’ll receive almost nothing for owen if anything at all – how much do you think it will cost to get a proven prem goalscorer 20 – 25 million? will they want to come to newcastle?
Will Ashley spend that much cash on a striker whilst knowing we desperately need a LB and a creative midfielder and possibly a replacement for Butt who is neraring the end of his career by his own admission
Do the sums – it should nt be to difficult
Nobody wants to buy us in the current climate and you can hardly blame them so lets just get behind the team and do what fans are meant to do SUPPORT THE TEAM
3 Matty // Dec 3, 2008 at 12:59 PM
The fact they had to check the video says it all. Nothing like turning to hindsight when three points were up for grabs. This is perhaps one of the most ridiculous things I’ve heard all season, and there were lots!
4 beyethegreat // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:00 PM
http://soccerlens.com/awards/best-football-blog-community-of-2008/
5 ObaMartins // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:05 PM
Joke kinnear came to the rescue of his captain , lets see if he sells him in january …Michael is needed by us, we must do all we can to keep him but Ashley and co have known this for a while but did NOTHING….you people who support Ashley and Co on here are as much to blame as him…wake UP.
6 UTD111 // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Our relegation rivals would love to have a player of the quality of MO – he’s a world class striker, and if it turns out he wants to stay at United that would be great…..
7 Spyro // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Owen is proven this and proven that blah blah blah…It does not mean anything. He has never scored more than 12 goals for us in a season so people need to stop praising him. He is replaceable.
8 HeronMag // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:07 PM
The reason that Kinnear left Owen on is that if there was only going to be one chance left in the game and it was going to fall the either Owen or Martins, who would be the more likely to score? – I’d say Owen. He’s saved our skins enough times for us to understand that.
I’m not saying I agreed with Joe’s call, cos I reckon Martins is capable of making chances out of nothing, but I could understand his thinking.
9 tyneside tommo // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:09 PM
I’m having a quiet day at my work – but that doesn’t mean I’m crap.
The criticism simply highlights some of the nonsense that is NUFC.
10 toonoot // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:21 PM
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Let zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz the zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Little zzzzzzzzzzzzz Waster zzzzzzzzzzzz go!
11 toonoot // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:25 PM
cooldj: Wher’ve ya been man? Did Curries repossess ya PC?
12 Macas // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:39 PM
The main reason we stopped up last season was Owen’s flurry of goals in the last few games. To get rid of him would be madness, especially as it wouldn’t generate enough cash to get someone in as good as him.
13 Ian // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:40 PM
The majority of people told me they know football better than me, they told me Cisse was rubbish and didnt want him in this team, that Owen is much better.
Well Cisse is in front of a dire team with very few chances, new in the premiership and has scored 6 goals to date and been available every single match, he also creates chances for other players and carries the ball for large distances up the pitch, his daft hairstyle did make him miss two goals I do concede.
However my point was that Cisse was an excellent player to have alongside Martins, if we considered Martins our main striker, they both are good at assists, both are one touch if playing in the right team, both fast and both good if a ball is played beyond the defenders, both of them usually beat defenders to the ball.
Trouble is we remain with the notion that Owen is our number one striker, we think that we will find international quality midfielders for buttons somewhere and we will not, we will never have the midfield that a striker such as Owen requires.
Cisse is for sale in the Summer at £10m, we should do the deal and sell Owen, then build around fast mobile strikers with Zog on the left and Jonas on the right.
Duff is an excellent left back, or can be central midfield depending upon the formation.
We need to move on, Owen isnt for us, when are we going to wake up and realise this? If he went to Manchester United or somewhere similar he would be a better player, because of the quality of their midfield, not him.
14 Ryan Peacock // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:40 PM
how can some of you say, get rid off owen? UNBELIEVABLE!
15 Punk Skunk // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Aye Steve!..
…Sensible post!..
16 Ryan Peacock // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:41 PM
if we get rid off owen for just 3m or 4m then its just silly but IF WE SWAP HIM WITH ANOTHER PLAYER then it would be fine
17 Shearbliss // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:43 PM
Steve and all those on Owen side.
1)I he wanted to stay he would have signed two seasons ago!
2)At the moment NUFC has to rebuild and MO is a luxury we dont need at the moment.
3)For a record signing he hasn’t produced the goods.
4)There are many other players out there that could make there own goals through pace alone!
5)There are many clubs in the prem that there leading scorers aren’t in the 10+ mill range. That is why MA stated that he wanted young, hungray players that would increase in value! Business.
6)Capallo thinks he is over rated and even could not get a game in Real Madrid because of that.
7)For the money we spent on MO, we could have got 10 unproven goal scores to fin one outstanding talant!
18 Ian // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:48 PM
It isnt just the goals he scores when he is on the pitch, it is the games we lose when he isnt available and we do not have the threat to the opposition. If we arent dangerous on the counter that fills the opposition with confidence.
19 The Entertainers // Dec 3, 2008 at 1:58 PM
The Owen comments were over the top.
Yes he did have a poor game
Yes he should have made way instead of Oba
But some of the comments by’fans’ were crazy.
He is our and Englands best striker when fit and on form.
We would be a poorer team without him.
20 Punk Skunk // Dec 3, 2008 at 2:07 PM
Shearbliss, soz man, this is not a dis…
1) We’ve had nowt but turmoil for 2 seasons…
2) We defo need him now, he scores goals…Everyone needs a bit of luxury!..
3) He’s had unfortunate injuries playin’ for his country that no-one could have predicted & 1 in 2 otherwise…
4) Debateable…
5) Owen draws in players from other leagues, business!..
6) He was injured when capello dropped him, so was never gonna pick him anyway…& he still scored a bag of goals(16, i think?) from the bench at madrid…
7) Doubt that man, easy to say/think, a lot harder to do!..
21 John // Dec 3, 2008 at 2:17 PM
There is no question that most fans want to see Michael stay but what they don’t want is uncertainty. The fact that Michael has not signed a contract, attracts unwelcome media hype. Fundamently, there is a difference in the player’s contract value. On one side Owen has a figure on what he expexts and on the other what the club are prepared to pay. This problem lies with Ashley and his advisors who are basically unwilling to meet the players demands and was of course one of the reasons Keegan moved on. Joe Kinnear wants the same as Keegan and that is to get Owen’s contract sorted out but Joe has hit the same brick wall. Ashley may appoint managers but does he support them? Until Ashley accepts that managers are paid to manage then he should find another interest that gives him direct control!
22 Shearbliss // Dec 3, 2008 at 2:24 PM
punk skunk
Good points!
But if you asked me a year ago I would have agreeded with all your points.
This Owen draws in players from other leauges, I don’t buy. Players want to play for clubs not team mates. If that was the case why haven’t we attracted more England internationals and world class players since he has been here. (again I say he is not Shearer)
Capello has not dropped him because he was injuried, Capello has been in the job for a year! Defoe, agbon, even Bent are in the line before Owen. And you have to admit would you take any three of them NOW over Owen.
Now what I know about football is that if you have hunger, confidence, pace and a bit of ability you could put the ball in the back of the net. Here is a little list of players that might have made the diffrence over the years.
Andy Johnson when at palace
Ashley young at watford
Jones at southampton
These are players that collectivly would have cost less than MO. They all would have scored if they had come to a big club like NU.
I think we should shop around more and look at the talent coming from eastern europe.
I don’t think any of the top 4 clubs would want MO at the moment nor did they want him when he left RM. So his time is up. We have built his stables now it is time for him to build our team. So sign up or ship out.
23 Shearbliss // Dec 3, 2008 at 2:31 PM
John good point but with any job if your manager wants you to stay flipping burgers, but you are willing to stay for x amount of money. Does the owner give in to your demands. it does not work like that in the real world and football is no diffrent.
We have to stand our ground and don’t give in to player demands, and that is for all clubs. average players are getting multi million pound salarys for what?
I would not give in to MO demands. He would get a basic £80000 per week with add ons that could take him to a max £130000 per week without european football. If another club can offer better (Man City) let him go!
How much are you willing to pay for robinho. 2x every other player for what.
24 Punk Skunk // Dec 3, 2008 at 2:36 PM
Ta for the measured reponse shearbliss,
…But i still think Owen attracts players, specially from other countries!..
…I wouldn’t want bent, while i think he’s ok, he still ain’t all that…agbon, well the juries out…He plays his ass off for his home town team, don’t know he’d cut it somewhere else, with added pressure, a bit headless sometimes…It would take 3/5 dodgy games at the Toon to ruin his confidence…
…Defoe, he seems to be a poor mans Owen & would cost too much & we’d have the same problem…People whinin’ about cost etc…
…johnson is hot & cold, cost £10m+ & is a divin’ cheat, yuk!..
…young, again £11m+, yea he’s good, but no striker!..
…Jones, how much did he cost ‘underland?..
…capello’s tryin’ out newer faces in friendlies, so we’ll see on that one!..
25 Shearbliss // Dec 3, 2008 at 3:08 PM
I have to agree punk, we do need these big players to handle the pressure that comes with playing at SJP!
It is a very unique situation this club and I always thought we need to build the structure of the club similar to the International set up or the likes of the super clubs. meaning with managers and players that could handle the pressure and the praise! Be able to proform at the highest level always. again SBR was the only manager in years that understood this and we need another Bobby back. Jose mourino for me!
26 Stardust // Dec 3, 2008 at 3:21 PM
Ian
We have been at loggerheads many times – although never on Cisse – I will give you that – you were screaming from the rooftops we should sign him.
Good Call – but no one took any notice – shame really – but I gather that he isnt perm signed yet – cant see him staying at Sunderland.
27 ObaMartins // Dec 3, 2008 at 3:33 PM
Shearbliss >>Owen scored 18 goals from 41 games, 15 of which were starts,He ended the season with highly respectable thirteen goals in La Liga, with the season’s highest ratio of goals scored to number of minutes played<<<Owen is top class when fit, you on the otherhand shearbliss are Pathetic….
28 ObaMartins // Dec 3, 2008 at 3:36 PM
If we lose Michael Owen in January i would not bet on us staying up ….
29 Shearbliss // Dec 3, 2008 at 3:42 PM
Oba Owen is top class when fit no doubt!
WHEN FIT! enought said. You must learn oba that to play you must be fit! No sense giving me stats that dont mean anything. Shearer is the prem highest scorer because he was FIT! Ashton has a fantastic scoring recored when FIT! You get the point oba, we need fit players, we could have been in europe if owen was fit! I want players who could last the season not breakdown all the time, fans want to pay to see thier top players play not hear excuses about tight groins!
30 Ian // Dec 3, 2008 at 3:42 PM
Thanks Stardust. Cisse may have caught the eye of one of the top teams, he is a brilliant player.
You are right he is available to sign for between £8 and 10m.
There appears to be trouble with our neighbours, Keane is looking unsettled, Djiouf isnt being played, which is really stupid as the strikers are missing his supply, but this all may help us pinch Cisse.
Owen doesnt fit in with our team, Cisse would, plus like I said before the same team would work with Martins or Cisse at the front on their own if a player was injured or had to sit one out for tactical reasons, or they could be subbed during the game.
31 ObaMartins // Dec 3, 2008 at 3:52 PM
Shearbliss wrote >>>6)Capallo thinks he is over rated and even could not get a game in Real Madrid because of that <<<but finished the season with highly respectable thirteen goals in La Liga, with the season’s highest ratio of goals scored to number of minutes played….not bad eh lolol
32 Punk Skunk // Dec 3, 2008 at 4:26 PM
Aye Shearbliss,
Bobby had it sussed, what the FFFFFFFFF was fat fred thinkin’…How can you sack a guy like that…Oh, for a proper, intelligent owner, huh?..
…We’re knackered ’til we sort the top of the club out!..
33 Shearbliss // Dec 3, 2008 at 4:54 PM
I respect your opinion Oba but the question still remains why did real sell after one year? Look I like MO like any other NU fan but I think it is time to move on! I want players wanting to play for us, not on the field for reputation alone. That is what I was saying about capello and rm, that reputation alone should not guarentee you a starting place in any squad. A club is all about teamwork not individuals. The reason MO would not fit in a top 4 club because it is build around teams supplying talented individuals.
Look at liverpool, man utd. These are good teams with very talented individuals. Now chelsea have very talented individuals but lack team spirt.
Now if MO went to wigan tommorow wigan would be in europe by the end of the season. That is because the team work so hard that MO would be the tailsman they need to move them to the next level.
What we need is a fantastic midfield. One that works VERY hard and has a bit of creation. That way even you could score oba! Then add the top striker to take us the next level. Our defence is not that bad if the midfield work hard enough in front of the defence.
So I am not anti MO, I think if he really was serous about NU he would have signed before so this would not happen. Ask yourself, how many captians and good players in teams take it this far to put pen to paper. Heskey is doing the same to wigan, in your opinion does heskey want to stay? Most sign contract two years before it ends and extentions on top of that. Gerrad contract runs out 2013, barry 2012,ferdinand 2013, nolan 2011, the list goes on. When you are commited you do things diffrently and money would not stop your committment. Well it doesn’t stop the fans!
34 steve // Dec 3, 2008 at 5:25 PM
Ashleys prob going to spend 10 million tops so we’ll be lucky to get one decent player out of that and most likely it’ll be a player that can’t currently get into thier current team. We should not be looking to sign players like Guthrie who I like but he’s a long way off the finished article – we need quality now if we’re going to avoid relegation and Owen gives us that (at least when he’s fit) we need to spend that 10 million and whatever money we get from cast offs on a decent creative midfielder and a left back – it’s likely we’ll only end up getting one perm player and another on loan for the rest of the season – the squad is small enough without selling even more players
35 Piers // Dec 3, 2008 at 6:01 PM
I agree lets move on……Not signing Owen will definitely free up a lot of more money to go elsewhere. For example, say we transfer Owen and get about (10-15mil) for him. With the money from Milner (9mil), we could one star striker that is younger and not as injury prone, or get two quality players at are needs: lb and cdm/creative midfielder.
36 Punk Skunk // Dec 3, 2008 at 6:25 PM
Piers,
there’s no way that we’re gonna get anything like £10/15m for Owen in his last 6 months of his contract…& We got £12m for milner, they was robbed!..
37 Piers // Dec 3, 2008 at 6:27 PM
Ok Punk Skunk so ya it still makes sense, sell him for like 8 mil…..we still have 20 mil…..
38 Punk Skunk // Dec 3, 2008 at 6:39 PM
Piers,
i can’t see us gettin’ that for him mate…Any club that wants him will know full well that his contracts nearly up & they are gonna have to pay him top wages…So there’s no way we’ll get more than £5m max!..Possibly less!..
…Which begs the question: What’s the point in sellin’ him…& to a rival…Dumb move if you ask me!..
39 Piers // Dec 3, 2008 at 6:47 PM
Ok i see your point…..but we can’t keep paying top wages for a player that hasn’t played half the time he’s been here. We need to move on, Owen hasn’t gotten us anything.
40 Punk Skunk // Dec 3, 2008 at 6:56 PM
Aye man i hear ya’,
but he did totally help us stay up last season with his goals in the second half of the season…
…& i can’t see him bein’ as unlucky with injuries as he has been…& his record is really good when he does play!..
…& who we gonna get to replace him, for the money we get if we sell?..
…It’s the same with Viduka, great player, we just have to keep ‘em both fit…’cos there’s no monetary gain if we get rid…Some will argue wages, but, there’s not gonna be that much difference…Top players cost top cash, unless they’re damaged goods!..
41 Piers // Dec 3, 2008 at 7:22 PM
Right you make some good points…..i dunno, i mean he did save us from a relegation battle, a battle in which we should have never been in. We should be a top club, all i’m saying is that we haven’t improved since he has been at the club. Yes he’s been great when he has played, theres no denying that…..but a club can’t improve when their star doesn’t play half the time. Although he’s unlucky with his injuries, at a certain point you have to say enough his enough.
42 Punk Skunk // Dec 3, 2008 at 8:01 PM
Totally understand mate…You also make a good point!..
…But to be honest, we’ve not moved forward more becos’ of internal wranglin’ than anything else…
…That defo had an effect last season & again this!..
…Until we sort that out we’re stuck here, sad isn’t it?..
…I do think that in these weird times at the club, that it’s very important to keep ‘figure head’ players at the club, as is does help attract better players which can only benefit the club…If we got to a point of ‘no name’, for the want of a better desprtion, players & we’re in this position, we’re defo not gonna attract anyone!..
…Know warra’mean?..
43 Piers // Dec 3, 2008 at 8:31 PM
Ya true that makes sense….but on the other extreme, what makes a good team is a good spot in the final table. The reason why we are not attracting players is because we are fighting a relegation battle, not because we don’t have marquis players on our team. It goes hand in hand, why would i want to come to a team that was battling for relegation, even if they have Owen on their team. Players become well known from doing well on a winning team.
44 Piers // Dec 3, 2008 at 8:33 PM
Let’s be honest, we need to go after promising young players with potential for about 4-5 mil right now. We have to start building our future and become a solid premier league team before we are gonna attract major talent
45 Piers // Dec 3, 2008 at 8:36 PM
*only then can we attract major talent
46 Punk Skunk // Dec 3, 2008 at 9:39 PM
Yes mate,
but i the meantime, there’s no point sellin’ your best players when you are down the bottom end…The season is far from over, so we don’t know where we’ll end up…If we go down that path, we will be endin up down there & defo no chance of attractin’ anyone…If we keep our top performers, we stand a far better chance of climbin’ the table…
47 Punk Skunk // Dec 3, 2008 at 9:42 PM
We already have started buildin’ for the future…
…But, if the young lads we have play average, they’re slagged off & it’s a downward spiral from there…We need to be patient, but that rarely happens, does it?..
48 Piers // Dec 3, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Yea haha your right it wouldn’t make sense to sell Owen, i know you want him, i just hope we don’t resign him.
49 brutooooon // Dec 4, 2008 at 1:03 AM
Our main striker is Oba and not Owen
Our main striker wear no. 9
Our main striker score goals and create chances
50 michael12 // Dec 4, 2008 at 3:01 AM
It is one bad game for Owen. Against Chelsea, no one was doing anything up front anyway so he can be forgiven for this.
That is the strength of Owen, he does not have to look dangerous to be dangerous.
51 JJ // Dec 4, 2008 at 7:01 AM
Steve
After having perused your comment and pondered about all the implications in both positive and negative aspects of Michael Owen being at Newcastle. I have come to the following conclution:
He is an overated twat and I would love it, just love it if he left the club and stopped preventing Obafemi from being a deserved first choice striker over the next two years.
Like Spiro said, he is very replacable – we can find better partners for Oba, and he has never ever scored 20 premiership goals in a season. And considering he is useless when not poaching goals. He is definatley not worth 110000 a week. We could get someone fantastic on half those wages who is younger and more hungry. Plus I have no doubt he would command a big signing on fee. And do you really think he is over his injuries… they will only get worse…
Owen must go!!!!
52 Piers // Dec 4, 2008 at 7:07 AM
How do you know the player’s wages!!!! Haha i keep asking this question, where do you find out how much a player’s wage is?
53 wilko // Dec 4, 2008 at 9:42 AM
Has Michael Owen ever been offered a contract which he could sign to stay with us ? That’s what I wonder, I think not, that’s why he’s never signed, there’s never been a contract on the table for him to sign, anybody know ?
54 davy boy // Dec 4, 2008 at 9:42 AM
Problem….
Owen is a proven goalscorer. If he plays he will score.
Owen is not a team player. If he plays as an out and out striker he does not work for the team. Essentially, you have a team of 10 and a half players
55 Ian // Dec 4, 2008 at 12:00 PM
brutooooon,
Doesnt look like anyone wants to hear the truth.
I am with you, Oba is by far our best striker, he scores goals, creates goals, forces the opposition to keep players back to defend their goal on the counter etc.
The only problem we have with Oba is he is one person.
With Keane leaving Sunderland it seems, we should go for Cisse in the Summer, that way we have two Obas on the pitch, bioth with the same speed and counter threat, both who assist other goals annd create chances from nothing.
We are never going to spen the £45m plus needed to get the midfield that the likes of Owen needs to score his max goals.
If we stumble across some on the cheap, then Martins and Cisse can score more goals with their assists anyhow.
We already have Jonas and Zog who link well with Martins, build on our styrong points instead of trying to change the whole team for one striker.
56 mag mike // Dec 4, 2008 at 12:05 PM
We do expect allot from MO. We want him to score goals and when he doesn’t we automatically slap his performance. If MO plays a decent game he is often told that he was underachieving. But i reckon that comes with the territory of being a quality striker. Even so, I don’t think it is fair to judge him if he gives a mediocre performance.
You must log in to post a comment.