Michael Owen

[Captain Stu]

Actually, Did he even write the blog ?

Well he's got plenty of time on his hands.

[dom9]

So judge each player on his merits then, seems obvious really.

It doesn't take long to see if a player is ready, and there are so many other things to take into consideration, like speedy players suffering more.

I don't think it's something people were'nt aware of tbh.

It's a bit simplistic imo, powerful young players can play early with no ill effects later in their career, while smaller players can't, not sure that is strictly the case, so many other things have an effect imo, like how an early injury is treated for instance.

Er, that is what he is saying.

He has drawn a parallell with early physical development and longevity after playing a lot of games at an early age. But that is about it. I don;t think it's a generalisation.

I can't believe I'm debating this.

[Vermilion]

Er, that is what he is saying.

He has drawn a parallell with early physical development and longevity after playing a lot of games at an early age. But that is about it. I don;t think it's a generalisation.

I can't believe I'm debating this.

He's drawn a parallel

Oh really, i'd never ever heard this theory before.

On the debating point, i concur.

[Fivex]

Owen in talking sense shocker.

Although I don't think it merits the thread title being changed to 'Lusional midget'.

[dom9]

He's drawn a paralell

Oh really, i'd never ever heard this theory before.

On the debating point, i concur.

Even more now.

What's funny?

BTW we both spelled parallel wrong.

[Vermilion]

Even more now.

What's funny?

BTW we both spelled parallel wrong.

Spells at Real Madrid, Newcastle, Manchester United and Stoke have given me a career to be proud of. Now it's time to finish it off in style! writing blogs about what might have been and other stuff we already know.

[ChesterDave]

I thought that the Stoke have given me a career to be proud of was a Shaggy Edit.

Its not. I don't know if I should laugh or cry

[peekay]

For the select few who have the talent and mental strength to make it, what is the next step? What happens once you make the transition from academy prospect to first team squad member? Well, first of all you need to be managed well. The amount of football you are exposed to in 'the big league' is vital. Of course, it's easier to manage if you have a big squad full of quality players as there is no need for the manager to rely on a youngster week in week out to earn him the results he needs. This has been perfectly illustrated by Sir Alex Ferguson over the past 20 years with home grown talent such as Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Butt, Neville to name just a few. For me, the most impressive part of these players respective careers is the longevity displayed. Surely that has been influenced by the way they have been managed from their academy days to today?

380 - Wayne Rooney
316 - Michael Owen
284 - Emile Heskey
261 - Jermaine Defoe
261 - Steven Gerrard
243 - Darren Bent
201 - Alan Shearer
184 - David Beckham
147 - Robbie Fowler
123 - Paul Scholes
112 - Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs was born in 1973. He turned 24 in 1997. I looked up his appearances from 1990 to 1997 in wikipedia.

90- 91 2
91- 92 51
92- 93 46
93-94 58
94-95 40
95-96 44
96-97 37

That is 278 games. Not sure where he got that 112 from. It is not far from Owen's 316 games.

[ChesterDave]

Fowler had also played in excess of 200 games prior to his 24th birthday.

If he is this **** at counting I hope he doesn't paint by numbers.

[dom9]

Why didn't he include any defenders in his list?

[Bender]

Stoke City striker Michael Owen is still weeks away from a first-team return despite a 70-minute run-out in a private friendly, boss Tony Pulis said.

Owen, 32, declared he was "raring to go" after playing against Preston behind closed doors on Tuesday, but Pulis is wary of rushing him back.

"He needs another couple of weeks of full training," said Pulis.
"Every time we've tried to get him in there he's broken down. Maybe that's because we've tried to push him a bit."

[McDermotX]

Great signing.

*******.

[Norbs]

[Vermilion]

I hear he's been having a go at the media of late, for having the nerve.....the brazen gall, to talk about how much he's earning sat down there at Stoke.

[Norbs]

Panto beckons