i thought he might have picked a team that were going places:hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

Well, they might well be going places Kirky.

A four year contract, three of which may well be spent in the Championship. They're a useless team with an even more useless manager.

The problem with Newcastle is that they're prepared to pay way over the odds for average players. Owen isn't average but the only attraction I can see in him for joining Newcastle is the fat pay-packet he'll be picking up (plus ofcause, regular first-team football).

And now he's mastered one strange language (spanish), he's now going to have to learn another (geordie)!

Finally, his being in the side will add 1 to the attendance. That of Sven 'I'll always pick Owen and Beckham' Goran-Erikson.

I think its probably a bad move for him, but obviously he knows best what is right for him. He is unlikely to win any trophies at Newcastle. But if they stay up he will receive a lot of the credit for saving them for relegation. If they go down, he will probably be on his way again next year. In the meantime, he will be very well paid for his services and will also be getting regular first team football, in preparation for the world cup. But I will wager that the main reason is that Liverpool didn't really want him (at least not at the price Newcastle were offering).

Sounds like Owen and Liddypool manager Rafeal Benitez had a bit of an argument when young Michael went to Real Madrid and that seems to be the reason why he didn't return to his beloved Liverpool.

He should have saved his face and gone back to a club that at least will be challenging at the right end of the table.

Well, that's my opinion.

I agree. I am a little disappointed also that he isn't going back to Liverpool. If Liverpool don't do well this season (particularly if they don't get many goals), I tihkn its likely that the knives will be out for Benitez. If only Cisse hadn't put in a match winning performance last week, I think its possible Owen would now be a Liverpool player again.

Newcastle wouldn't have gone down without Owen, so they certainly wont now.

Souness is in fact a very good manager, with an incredibly difficult job. There aren't many managers who would fancy taking on Lee Bowyer, Laurent Robert, Kieron Dyer, Jermaine Jenas, Freddy Sheppard (the biggest problem at Newcatle) etc...

So well done to Souness for having a crack, and well done to Owen for having a crack at something really challenging.

On what grounds can you say that Souness is a 'very good manager'?

I tihnk the fans at Liverpool and Blackburn might have a different opinion.

Originally posted by LordChaverly
On what grounds can you say that Souness is a 'very good manager'?

I tihnk the fans at Liverpool and Blackburn might have a different opinion.

Liverpool maybe, but Blackburn?

I think Blackburn fans were pleased to see the back of him also. I i remember rightly, Blackburn were near the bottom of the league and heading for relegation when he left them.

I would say he is a poor manager in relation to almost any criteria you care to name. His stategy and tactics seem to be poor. His man management skills appear to be bad also (e.g. Bellamy, Robert). He doesn't seem to be able to motivate his players. The fans have hardly warmed to him either. He is not even funny. Perhaps Owen is secretly calculating that Souness will be sacked and replaced by Shearer or by a manager with a proven record of success.

Originally posted by LordChaverly
If only Cisse hadn't put in a match winning performance last week

Cisse did change the game, but there were only 10 minutes left and he had a lucky flick off his hand.

After another lucky goal he did put in a nice cross, assisting Garcia.

It was never a great performance by him though.

He needs to start getting some decent shots in.

Owen might have struggled to start every match at Liverpool, against Cisse Crouch Garcia Morientes and 2 new signings Idrizaj and Calliste etc

Would have been nice to see him home tho.

Owen is a good signing for Newcastle IMO, although they paid way over the odds for him.

But then again, Owen may be the difference between relegation and Premiership status, so that itself means that its money well spend, but I suppose we will never know now.

I think Owen has been forced into joining Newcastle as he isn't guarenteed even a place on the bench at Real!

Owen is a true professional so this isn't acceptable for him and his move back to Liverpool has been prevented by the fact that Newcastle made an offer that they knew Liverpool couldn't match.

So on the whole it must be a good move for him but i bet he wishes he had never left Liverpool in the first place! no disrespect to Newcastle.

Forgot to say I think Souness is one of the poorer managers in the Premiership, I can remember some of his signings for Liverpool: Paul Stewart!, Dean Saunders and he sold Peter Beardsley still nearly at his best.

Also did you see how Boumsong played against Man U (7.5 million player? think not)

Although I agree he's had some spoilt brats to manage, but a sign of a good manager is being able to deal with those players. Robson was probably too old to do so, but look at what a good manager like Sam Alladyce can do with players like Diouf, i bet he would love to have Bowyer, Dyer, Robert etc in his team.

Originally posted by spyro2000
Owen is a good signing for Newcastle IMO, although they paid way over the odds for him..

Depends which way you look at it. At 17m, every footballer in the world is overpriced.

Owen has also been a bench player for a season, so maybe £17m is a bit much.


But when you look at it this way;

Van Nistelrooy £19m
Rooney £27m
Drogba £24m
Shearer £15m
Overmars £25m
Anelka £23m, £22m, £11m
Zidane £44m
Crespo £17m, £34m, £17m
Batistuta £22m
Ronaldo £29m, £19m
Vieri £15m, £17m, £31m
Amoroso £19m
Denilson £22m
Ronaldinho £21m
Rui Costa £28m

Owen is as good as any striker in that list, and will always score goals.

I think Newcastle have pulled a blinder for owen.
They are still owed money for woodgate by Real Madrid and I'm sure they said it was a lot left to pay- so what they have probably done is left Real off the rest of the woodgate-payment, and got Owen in for about £8/9m ish-- bargain that :)

Good piece o' business by Freddy Sheppard if it is true + the fact that the geordies will buy a lot of shirts with his name of.. that guarantees a lot of cash back into the club as well!!

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Owen leave next summer to go to Liverpool (after they've managed to get rid of Cissé). There are only so many hopelessly over/underhit crosses from the likes of Charles N'Zogbia and James Milner that any world-class striker can take.

Newcastle buying Owen is a bit like putting a fancy body kit on a Reliant Robin.

Originally posted by ANGELUS
Ibargain that :)



pmsl, a bargain ?

Real paid £8 million last year, so how can £16 be a bargain ?

Originally posted by Greenback
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Owen leave next summer to go to Liverpool (after they've managed to get rid of Cissé).

Newcastle buying Owen is a bit like putting a fancy body kit on a Reliant Robin.

:clap: :clap:

Selling Cisse will not be a problem, I hope Owen does :)

Originally posted by Agent Gypo
Depends which way you look at it. At 17m, every footballer in the world is overpriced.

Owen has also been a bench player for a season, so maybe £17m is a bit much.


But when you look at it this way;

Van Nistelrooy £19m
Rooney £27m
Drogba £24m
Shearer £15m
Overmars £25m
Anelka £23m, £22m, £11m
Zidane £44m
Crespo £17m, £34m, £17m
Batistuta £22m
Ronaldo £29m, £19m
Vieri £15m, £17m, £31m
Amoroso £19m
Denilson £22m
Ronaldinho £21m
Rui Costa £28m

Owen is as good as any striker in that list, and will always score goals.

Those prices wouldnt be paid today, plus the fact that Owen is NOT as good as all those on that list. You cant put Own in th same league as someone like Ronaldinho. Many of those players are the best players in the world. Owen is not one of the best players in the world.

Its a good signing for them, they now need to get all the squad fit(easier said than done, as wednesday fans know) and i think they could get a good run of results, they could do with signing someone to play in the center with boumsong. Although they probably don't have any money left to do that now.

Originally posted by spyro2000
Those prices wouldnt be paid today,.

Rooney? Owen? Drogba? Baptista? Crespo? Robinho? Ronaldinho? Viera? Anelka? Amoroso? Van Nistelrooy? There were plenty more midfielders on the list that I didn't post here...

QUOTE]Originally posted by spyro2000
Owen is not one of the best players in the world. [/QUOTE]

Yes he is. Scores consistently at the highest level. 16 goals in La Liga last season. Voted Euro player of the year. Won many trophies. Great record for Liverpool and England etc etc etc etc

Originally posted by Agent Gypo
16 goals in La Liga last season. Voted Euro player of the year. Won many trophies. Great record for Liverpool and England etc etc etc etc

Would like to see Cisse build some confidence, if he is to stay after his injury that is.

Diego Forlan has also been scoring for fun. doesnt mean hes one of the best strikers in the world.

Originally posted by spyro2000
Diego Forlan has also been scoring for fun. doesnt mean hes one of the best strikers in the world.

So what criteria do you have for judging who the best strikers in the world are?

I'm intrigued how Newcastle managed to pay double what Real paid for him when there where no other bidders!

IMHO Owen's best days are behind him - I'd reckon another 40 goals in the premiership tops.

Newcastle's stated ambition seem's to be;

Shearer to beat Milburn's goalscoring record (as long as league cup and intertoto/uefa cup goals against obscure Scandanavian teams count).

Shearer to be manager.

Er..........that's it.

i feel sorry for michael, newcastle is a shambles.. hows he supposed to get goals if the team is crap, not to mention most injured..