Michael Owen

[Vermilion]

Anyone seen that joker Paul Hayward on Twitter essentially blaming Benitez for the downturn in Owen's career

Yeah, joining Madrid because he wanted it sooooooo much was Rafa's fault.

Also, Madrid ffs! a downturn!?

[Leyton388]

Meh

[Buzzo]

Those Mitre balls were absolutely rock solid, it was like kicking an atlas stone

I remember being a kid playing a school match on a wintery saturday morning and one of those big frozen *******s getting fired at your head.

Headers for the under 12's were very much an unknown skill/artform.

[The Erectile Banana]

So long midget.

Thanks for the 2001 Cup final. T'was rather good.

[fah-q]

I remember being a kid playing a school match on a wintery saturday morning and one of those big frozen *******s getting fired at your head.

Headers for the under 12's were very much an unknown skill/artform.

You should have seen the balls they played with in Lecters day

[PTP]

I remember being a kid playing a school match on a wintery saturday morning and one of those big frozen *******s getting fired at your head.

Headers for the under 12's were very much an unknown skill/artform.

we had a lad in our under 11's team - he was a big fat ******* of a kid - probably about 5 foot 10 and 14 stone when he was 10!

he was the only player in the league who could kick one of those balls off the deck, up in the air, over a reasonable distance at a reasonable pace - he took all goal kicks, free kicks and corners

battered everyone we did

[rodo]

I watched him in the youth cup run were he first stood out and he was some striker then and was brilliant for us even though he turned into a prick which is a shame really as are there any fans of a club who will remember him fondly??
that day against arsenal in the fa cup was one of my greatest as a red and the scenes in the end when the winner went in will long be remembered

[Chazza]

Argentina v England WC98 Senisble Soccer style

[dom9]

Danny Murphy didn't join until the close season after that game. He made his debut in the 1-1 draw on opening day. I think, I was drunk a lot then.

I was at that game too.

He did make his debut as a sub the previous season at Wimbledon too.
I was also at Fowler's league debut at Chelsea too. An insipid 1-0 defeat due to a Grobellaar fumble.

[S-RED]

Argentina v England WC98 Senisble Soccer style

That's Southamptons 3rd goal from saturday isn't it?

[Tee]

Argentina v England WC98 Senisble Soccer style

[cream]

Argentina v England WC98 Senisble Soccer style

Haha, look at gingerhead Scholes

[Phoenix07]

Why was Newcastle such a big mistake from him? Owen was before my time so all I really know is he forced a move to Madrid for far less money than we should have got. The rest is all grey until his later Newcastle days.

Anyone care to fill me in?

We wanted to re-sign him in the summer of 2005 after Istanbul (along with Crouch, Sissoko, Zenden, Reina), but we were only willing to stump £8m-£12m (depends on the source, but they were all adamant Owen wanted to sign for us). Benitez and Parry expected Owen to force Madrid's hand by saying he'd only sign for us, but he didn't. Newcastle came along and offered top buck for him, despite Owen not wanting to go to Newcastle. Madrid threatened to bench him and Owen had his England career to think about. We signed Bellamy and Kuyt in the summer of 2006 and Torres in the summer of 2007.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2005/08/31/the-truth-behind-owen-switch-100252-15915315/

http://myliverpoolfc.org/owennews.htm#Owen_too_expensive,_says_Benitez_

In 2007, we were linked with Owen again, but Benitez said Torres was top of the list because he was younger and had more pace, but Owen was further down that list.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/rafa-benitez-why-liverpool-football-club-724222

In 2009, we were once again linked with Owen prior to his free transfer to Man Utd, but Benitez decided against it as he couldn't guarantee him games.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/5263744/Rafael-Benitez-rules-out-cut-price-Michael-Owen-option.html

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/07/12/1377684/rafael-benitez-considered-michael-owen-signing-for-liverpool

Think about what Rafa wanted to build. We'd just won the European Cup and Owen could've returned to the club and restore a lot of love for him. Despite his medals with Man Utd, none of the fans at Real Madrid, Man Utd, Newcastle and now Stoke love him. Some have forgotten him, others laugh at him. We just look back at the good times and think 'what might've been'. I don't begrudge him a move to Real Madrid, but the return to the club is perhaps something that should've happened, and it didn't.

Look at Torres now. Alright, Torres contributed a lot more to his medals, but Owen didn't at Man Utd. He could've returned to the club and things may have been so different.

[Lee]

Suppose that's a bit more detailed than my version.

[Phoenix07]

Suppose that's a bit more detailed than my version.

I didn't even see your post!

I've got links and a few extra details, but it pretty much backs what you're saying.