The Mail Bag
Owen!!!
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So here we go again, another summer with no football to watch, nothing to discuss, and all we talk about is potential Goodison heroes!!! I've been reading a lot of threads about who we should sign, plenty of opinions on players who we should go for and what we need etc etc.
Now in dreamland these players we speculate about are stars and are going to come to Everton and propel us to the elusive Champions League spot we desperatly crave. However, these players we speculate over (M'bia, Ledley, Delph, Moutinho etc) are not proven Premier League footballers ? we don't know if any of these are up to the task.
Players who play well week-in, week-out in the Premier League are sadly beyond our means... not even world beaters ? just good players like Barry, Valencia. We compete in one of the best (if not the best) league in the world, so who knows if we splash the cash it will pay off? In my opinion, every transfer has a risky element to it.
You probably know where this is going due to the title of my post... Yes, Michael Owen. Now don't automatically believe that I'm so gullible to believe that Owen is the world superstar galactico he was 4 years ago... but I do believe he would be potentially a great signing. I understand people's reasons to be completely against this idea.
These are:
1. Injuries: Simple... offer him a pay-as-you-play deal, that way, if he's on the table all season, who cares?
2. He's past it: Yes, I understand that Owen is probably as quick as Marouane ? we all know he's lost that pace ? but I believe there was always more to his game than pace!! How many times have you seen him score with his head, beat the offside trap with a perfectly timed run, and slot it ? nobody can deny he is a goalscorer.
3. Hunger: Does Owen still have the hunger for the game??? It's not a secret that he loves his racehorses: however, this is his last chance saloon, especially with the World Cup approaching, and who better than David Moyes to draw the maximum potential out of a player?
Now in conclusion, I believe that Owen is a lower risk than any other transfer. Firstly, he's free... and (providing he will sign pay-as-you-play) he will not much cost. If he's not up to it, release after a year. Another defensive issue for Owen is that we all forget he did play for Newcastle, can anybody remember the last player or manager to give a decent account of themselves at that club??? Errr ... Shearer (as a player)??. I don't see why we shouldn't go for him ? he's not really that old, a similar age to / player as Robbie Keane (pace gone), and we all know who paid £20million pound for him!!!
Chris Pickles, Posted 15/06/2009 at 19:36:22
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1. Injuries, why would anyone sign a player who has played so few games in the last few seasons despite current medical capabilities to remedy most injuries at a cost, he still hasn?t played that many games, doesn?t take a rocket scientist to say his time has been and gone and he?s simply prolonging what his body is trying to tell him ? give it up.
2. A player who has had to stoop to whore themselves on past prowess is desperate; that prowess left him before he left the RS - Marouane scored more goals than him despite his "lack of pace".
3. Hunger, well yes he screams hunger ? left the RS for the glory of collecting splinters in his arse at Real Madrid then turned us down for a fatter pay check at the skunks. He?s hungry alright; for another mug to sponsor his retirement wad for another season or two ? a greedy finished mercenary.
Robbie Keane was destroyed by the RS who played him out of position or simply didn?t play him at all and, unlike Owen, still has many games left in him yet.
Do us all a favour, Michael, stay way up North, I?d say Hull are about your current level, while you blub over the fact the Shite never re-signed ya!
Phil McNulty tries to do a sales job on him on the BBC here http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2009/06/is_owen_still_worth_a_gamble.html but to be honest I think Moyes won’t go for it.
I also personally think City / Villa would offer a better deal financially, and he’s always struck me as the kind who would go for that.
A greedy little, glass-ankled mercenary who will limp along to the mugs prepared to pay him the highest wage.
He has had his day and we would simply be filling the gap vacated by Shandy.
Leave well alone. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in a Burnley track suit, warming their bench.
However to me the best thing about football ? specifically Everton ? is that it is maybe the one area in life that allows us the to be completely irrational and illogical. Most of the time we?re forced to apply logic ? working, paying bills, raising kids, etc. But for me, with Everton, everything comes from the heart and the gut.
With that in mind, I really don?t want Owen and here?s why: I think he?s a horrible sly-eyed little twat.
Hope that explains my position.
"1. Injuries: Simple... offer him a pay-as-you-play deal, that way, if he?s on the table all season, who cares?"
Well, in response ... Michael Owen (one of the most money-orientated people in a money-orientated sport) probably cares.
"Let?s see... shall I sign for Everton and play no games and get paid jack shit? Or should I sign for [insert any one of at least 16 Premier League team names who would be pleased to have him] a guaranteed £50k per week?"
Hmmmm
If I had a semi-fit James Vaughan and a semi-fit Michael Owen on the bench and badly needed a goal, then I’d bring Owen on before Vaughan. Don’t get me wrong though, I like Vaughan. I like his energy, spirit and aggression. I just don’t think he’s ever going to be a prolific goalscorer so there is more chance of Owen grabbing one when we need it.
I trust Moyes to know if he can rescue Owen’s career - because that’s what he’ll be doing. Owen should be wetting himself with anticipation of getting a chance to play for us. He should be looking at the players in our squad that are exceeding their previously perceived potential and hoping that Moyes does the same for him. It’s a sorry state for English football when Peter fucking Crouch is an England regular.
He will be the next journeyman taking money from anyone who will have him. Steer well clear, I say.
I agree that K Doyle would be a good addition to our squad, but only if we get some decent midfield players in as all of his decent service when he was last in the EPL came mainly from Siddwell and Hunt.
Here?s a funny video of Southall telling Owen off for being an arrogant dick!! -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqOxNspUPyE
(I do think Owen?s joking in this video a little, but he takes it too far against a 13-year-old!)
A ? He has better luck with injuries, rediscovers his form, touch and fitness, and starts banging in goals again.
B ? He spends most of the season on the treatment table, and looks lazy and shit when he does play.
The dilemma for Moyes, if he does indeed consider it, is if it?s A with another club, he will feel he?s missed out on a good deal, one that could have improved our season. If it?s B with us, he?ll look like a mug.
No-one can say which scenario will play out, unless they?ve got a crystal fucking ball. So in short, it?s a risk. Is it a big risk? Well, the transfer fee WILL be nil (read the Bosman case if you are in any doubt). Any signing on fee would have to be agreed by the club.
Dan, he and his advisers are in no position to be making demands, cos otherwise, his career's over, unless Newcastle offer him a new contract (playing in the Championship).
Wages wise, I personally would be happy with £40k a week for ONE YEAR only = £2m. In essence, it would be like having a new VdM for one more year, but with the possibility of scenario A.
Whatever happens, I trust Moyes to make the correct decision ? I really don?t know what I?d do. If there was an alternative (realistic), then I?d probably say no thanks, but is there an alternative?
As Monty has pointed out, if he was fit, I think he?d be the next best option after the Yak ? I?d bet on him to get a goal coming on as sub before Vaughan, and also before Saha (who, incidentally, arrived last summer in similar circumstances to the ones we are discussing right now).
Bottom line... LEAVE WELL ALONE!!!
Simples
No, I do not want Michael Owen to play for Everton. EVER!
With Owen, if we can get him fit then I think he could be a quality signing for us. He has to play his heart out if he wants to drum up enough support for him to get back in the England fold for the World Cup next year, so it could work out pretty well! Also do think about it ? he's been playing for Newcastle for god's sake ? no wonder he's been shite!
Overpaid
Overopinionated
Over as a Premier League player
And hopefully over there (in fact anywhere but here).
Maybe he should rejoin Fat Sam at Blackburn Overs.
The style of our team at present would need a Mark Hughes type of player and the only ones I would look at (Mr Hughes not playing anymore) would be Carew (we ain't getting him), Santa Cruz (we ain't getting him), Heskey (a maybe but doubtful), Davies (Bolton may part with him?).
Otherwise, we look abroad: Kurani looks decent, but whatever we do, not fuckin OWEN. Let's face it, we carry Ossie most of the time and carrying two is too much to ask.
On this basis we need to look at alternatives.
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1 Posted 16/06/2009 at 07:23:09
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Owen was class and he has ability for sure, if we had the opportunity to sign him without his injuries, I?d jump at it. It?s a risk, but if we can sign him on our own terms, eg low wages with bonuses for playing time/goals, with the World Cup approaching, we could get a bargain. On the other hand, he could be another AvdM.
Maybe we can get the Yak fit, then Vaughan, Owen and Saha could play one-third of a season each alongside him?