The bad news we heard last night is that captain Michael Owen, who is scheduled to return to full training tomorrow, may not make the Sunday game after all, because his groin is still said to be very tight.
Michael Owen – not fit – well what a big surprise!
It will be a terrible way for Owen to leave the Tyneside club, if he doesn’t play and Newcastle get relegated. But as we said earlier this week, it’s somehow appropriate.
He’s on the sidelines again, and this game is one of Newcastle’s most important game in their history. But sick note is injured again.
We’ve never taken to Owen, as you may have guessed, and have never been able to rely on him. He’s scored just 30 goals in 4 seasons on Tyneside, with each goal costing the Newcastle club £1.3M, and it looks like that amount will not be reduced on Sunday, because he will very likely not be fit.
A friend close to Michael said last night:
“He is struggling,’ said a friend. ‘It could be bad news. He is very distressed, because he so wants to play.”
There are a number of Newcastle players who have been injured this last week or two, which is a thing that has dogged the club for years, but nothing has been done to try to fix the problem, probably because it has given Newcastle managers a good excuse for under-performance, since the great Bobby Robbson left in 2004.
For Sunday Beye is already out, and Bassong and Barton of course have managed to get themselves suspended, so they miss the game too. Given those are three of our best players, it certainly doesn’t auger well for Sunday’s game, does it?
But we’ll just have to hope that some players with heart at Newcastle, we are told there are still one or two left, can play the game of their lives on Sunday, and save the proud Newcastle club from humiliation and disgrace – relegation.
Mark Viduka will need to take on extra responsibility for putting the ball in the net, because to win – the last time we checked – you still have to score at least one goal, and we’ve been unable to that in 5 of the 7 games Alan has been in charge.
This is not looking good right now, and it’s odds-on we will not survive after Sunday’s game. Those are the betting odds we are quoting, and in a recent poll on another sire, we saw that 66% thought Newcastle will be relegated on Sunday.
If that happens, expect a fierce attack on the Newcastle players, who have continued to let the Newcastle club and the faithful fans down this season – they should give their wages back.
Come to think of it, that would help our financial situation, since the Newcastle revenues will be cut by at least £50M next season in the Championship.
This terrible season could be lurching towards a disastrous ending.
But we will live in hope and prayer – as usual.
30 comments so far
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:21 AM
Comment #1FIRST! WHOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
😀
…I’ve got FA to say
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Comment #2Fight my brute
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Comment #3Bite my fruit
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:23 AM
Comment #4Fright my Boot
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:23 AM
Comment #5I bought my freight
ScottyT
May 23, 2009 at 12:24 AM
Comment #6well all i can say is w/e happens ill be their at st james next season. whether its peterborough or man u. stupid but what can i do eh
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:25 AM
Comment #7My boot frightens
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:36 AM
Comment #8this blog is full of plastic fans, and I, for one, are one of them.
Come on you Mighty Sunderlands!
I love the reds
Cooper
May 23, 2009 at 12:41 AM
Comment #9Everyone football thing iv seen on tv tonight has written us off. Everyone wants us to go down.
So it would be all the more sweeter if we stayed up. Theres no place for phil brown and his fake tan in the premiership.
I will go WILD if we stay up 😀
… We still follow united !!
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:41 AM
Comment #10fkn bunch of tw@ts
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:46 AM
Comment #11Cooper, Coop, Coopsy-baby, or whatever…….
We may go down, let’s face it.
…will it hamper my in-grained optimistic TOON complex, I don’t know.
FU<K THE LOT OF YERS.
WE ARE STAYING UP!
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:48 AM
Comment #12TOON TOON!
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:48 AM
Comment #13TOON TOON!
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:50 AM
Comment #14…come on the town, okay
Cooper
May 23, 2009 at 12:53 AM
Comment #15Who the fk does tony cotty think he is
“cant see newcaRstle beytin viwwa”
Cockney B@astard
Rodzilla
May 23, 2009 at 12:56 AM
Comment #16…speech impediments nil, TOON 7
Tom_Toon
May 23, 2009 at 3:00 AM
Comment #17#
reillers
May 23, 2009 at 3:40 AM
Comment #18I’m glad he’s not starting, or on the bench for that matter, but he’s a disgrace.
A “tight” groin, suck it up ffs. God forbid he’d actually make an effort for the club that has treated him so well, seeing as he (God only knows why) is the captain.
I know players who on any given day, no matter what match or what importance they had, would put their body on the line for their team.
A “tight groin” is the reason he’s not putting himself up for consideration to play in what is the most important game for this club, for years. It’s a wee bit of a cop out. What a pathetic excuse. What a joke of a player.
In hurling, an amateur game, Cork were playing Waterford there a year or so ago, both two massive teams, the equivalant of Man U v Arsenal I suppose, and there was one player, a young Cork lad, Brian Murphy, he’d been in bed sick all week but he played, it was a massive game, but he played because he was needed in defence, and he didn’t want to leave his team down. He played anyway, despite the fact that someone had to run on the odd occasion to give him his inhaler, I mean out on his feet, dying sick, had to be dragged off in the end after doing a good enough job.
The same team, two lads, O Connor twins, there was one year not so long ago where they played so much hurling with club and county, and it was only a matter of time before they picked up injuries, Ben did his groin in and Jerry did his hip in, both still play and are massive players for Cork, you need leaders, you need people to stand up and take the game by the throat and pull the team on it’s these two lads. They are so important to their teams. Both till this day carry those injuries from time to time, but you’d have to shoot the lads to get them off the pitch, to stop the playing. They love playing and no “tight groin” or sore hip would stop them getting out on the pitch to help club or county.
Joe Canning, he’s the most targeted player in the game, he’s 20 and he is beyond words, truely amazing, and he gets knocks and bruises and battered, every game, players try and stop him anyway they can, he gets more tackles on him then Ronaldo I’d say, but unlike football, in hurling you get knocked to the ground, it’s not always illegal, and the pressure he has to deal with is ridiculous amount for anyone, never mind a wee lad at the age of 20.
Yet he does it, all the time. He’s the one who’ll lift the team and the crowd, he’s the one who’ll carry all that expectation on his shoulders, a college student, he’s (along with every other GAA player) no social life, at all. If he’s not with the club, he’s with the county, training. There’s so much pressure on him, so much expected all the time yet he delivers, all the time. Even his bad days are good to us mere mortals.
Owen is captain, he used to be a great player, but he puts nothing on the line for this club, he’ll sacrifice nothing, he wont work, he gets the odd goal and thinks he’s the next best thing, captain, a joke. Overpaid is an overstatment, he thinks he’s so much better then this club, did us a favour sure he did.
I think he’ll get one hell of a shock when it comes to the transfer market and nobody over the 10th place in the table will want him.
He’s lazy and he will not fight for it when he’s needed. Where is he when Newcastle need him to play like he once could? Off with a”tight groin.”
I’ve absolutely no time for him.
Gunners
May 23, 2009 at 4:31 AM
Comment #19reillers,
“I’ve absolutely no time for him.”
Have you realised how much text you have typed for him? Cool down dude, I’m sure he wants to play his last match for Newcastle.
Ericles
May 23, 2009 at 7:36 AM
Comment #20As expected. Do not want the tacky little turd to ever wear our shirt again. All clear scan? Now it is tight? I would not trust Owen with a duck’s arse and that is waterproof! Watched my new DVD of the 1955 cup final last night. A real pleasure to see Jackie, and Mitchell, and Scoular etc play again. Howay the lads on Sunday. Forget Owen and let’s go with those who WANT to play for NUFC!!!!
ian
May 23, 2009 at 9:11 AM
Comment #21I cannot stand the man either, I do not like his behaviour at Newcastle and do not like his general behaviour in a sport which has given him so much.
If there is a team that wants him they must be stupid.
I understand why we took him even though I wanted Anelka, Johnson or Mccarthy at that time (in that order) because his stats were so good, but he isnt worth 30k per week, he has no pride or loyalty in his work, he also does nothing for the thousands of fans who love the game.
He is a waste of space and all of those types of players need dropping out of the game.
harry861
May 23, 2009 at 9:39 AM
Comment #22I would like to know how much in total the cost of him being at this club. Was he worth it ? I think not.
Will not be missed on his performances this season. The cost of transport to & from Newcastle by Helicopter, this is another of Sheperds mistakes.
No doubt he was a great player in the past & I am afraid he his no more. He certainly owes us for the loyalty we gave him through his injuries.
Toon_Factor
May 23, 2009 at 10:33 AM
Comment #23He is fit to play, its a stunt to ‘frighten’ Villa when they see the team sheet.
Sav
May 23, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Comment #24He is the modern professional. With al that goes with it, good and bad, but its mostly bad. Dunno what he makes of Shearer being back at the Toon. I’d guess he just doesn’t ‘get it’.
Good player but won’t be missed or lamented when he leaves shortly, for nowt.
davis_toons
May 23, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Comment #25Owen at his age is still young i can’t understand why he could not run at nornal speed anymore?
He used to be very super pacy.
Giggs can maintain himself
Speed can do it
Tugay (properly the oldest player in EPL@ 38/39)can do it
Why can’t he?
(Frankly speaking, i still feel he still have something inside him)
His professionallism is what the club needs.
This have to be tranfer to the youngster in the club.
But in the end its still goes back to the top
Top Management…Manager….the Players
This chain can’t be broken. For us there ALL the department is just POOR and broken down fill with worms.
BUT STILL
GOOD LUCK TO NEWCASTLE. THEY WILL STAY IN THE EPL.
THE CHANGE IS COMING!!!! YEAH
cooldj
May 23, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Comment #26Owen’s out. What’s the bad news?
Tom_Toon
May 23, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Comment #27###
JJJ
May 24, 2009 at 9:24 AM
Comment #28Best news Ive heard this week!!!
He is a terrible player and would only weaken the side.
So glad he’s played his last game for the club. My support for Newcastle will only strengthen when he is no longer our captain.
Good riddance and apologies to the next club that has to suffer through having him as part of their squad…
JJJ
May 24, 2009 at 9:28 AM
Comment #29davis-toon
You left out one very very important factor in your chain of command… CAPTAIN.
When Shearer was here we had leadership on the pitch.
All the great teams have leadership, Keane had Man United… this season their leader has been Giggs. And what an example he has set.
Liverpool have incredible inspiration in Gerrard.
Chelsea have Terry and Lampard.
Who do we have??? Owen… enough said.
Tom_Toon
May 24, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Comment #30///