MICHAEL OWEN PAYBACK TYNE
Newcastle striker has to deliver goals - and quickly
IT'S time for striker Michael Owen to settle his debt to Newcastle
Four games is not enough for him to re-invent himself and prove he is still a good enough striker to play in the Premier League, let alone for England.
It is, however, sufficient for Owen to score the goals to save Newcastle and restore his credibility.
The familiar surroundings of Anfield today may just be enough to inspire Owen to hit former heights, even if he has to come off the substitutes' bench to do it. But it'll only happen if he starts learning from the past rather than living in it.
For the past few weeks, Owen has rattled out the same arrogant line: "I've been around a long time and everyone knows if I get chances then I'll score goals."
So what happened last Monday when enough came his way to see off Portsmouth in a must-win game that ended goalless.
Look, if Alan Shearer put the boots back on - and I think that's a far better idea for Newcastle's chances of survival than him salivating on the touchline, he would score goals if enough chances came along.
Arrogance
But the truth is, whatever finishing instinct survives, the legs and mind betray you. Part of Owen's problem is refusing to accept he is no longer the striker he once was - yet, at 29, he is still young enough to re-cast himself. He must.
I take no pleasure in being critical of Owen as he is a player I have liked and admired since I first saw and met him 11 years ago.
In one of his first interviews, he spoke without a hint of arrogance of how he would overtake Robbie Fowler and Karl-Heinz Riedle as the main man at Anfield.
I enjoyed reporting on his full international debut when he became England's then youngest player against Chile.
And after Owen scored his first England goal against Morocco in Casablanca, penning the headline: "Here's looking at you, Kid."
Then being utterly mesmerized by THAT goal in the 1998 World Cup against Argentina. I always felt that under Kevin Keegan, then Sven Goran Eriksson, Owen rather than David Beckham was England's key man.
To his credit, Beckham has discarded the Dorian Gray-like delusion and re-fashioned himself into a proper player again. The same cannot be said of Owen.
He still thinks he is that wonder kid who has that gazelle-like pace to outstrip defenders with or without the ball to get in those scoring positions time and again.
Owen seems to think all he has to do is go into memory mode and it will all come good. It won't. Owen must alter his game if he is to score and make goals.
Beckham has changed things and for that matter so did Alan Shearer to sustain a significant career with Newcastle after playing for England had become too much.
Option
It's a bit of a problem that Owen has too many pat-on-the-back advisors deluding him he is still a platinum property.
From what I hear, unless Everton table a pay-as-you-play deal, his next best option is alongside Harry Kewell in Turkey.
If Newcastle do go down, Owen owes it to the club to sign for at least another year to help them back up. Such loyalty, and being prolific in the Championship, might impress a sceptical Fabio Capello.
Given the £30million cost of relegation, the debt seems straight forward to settle - go on a scoring spree to keep the club up. If not, stay on and take them back up.
This article has 3 comments
In order to score goals Michael Owen needs to get good service.Even Shearer himself would struggle to score goals in the current Newcastle side!
By Rita Cocking. Posted May 3 2009 at 1:00 PM.
owen is not to blame for anything he is playing in a awful side with no game plan direction or commitment relegation for this poor outfit is well deserved
By graham. Posted May 3 2009 at 11:51 AM.
Easier said than done...
By Owen. Posted May 3 2009 at 11:06 AM.