TRS-T Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 17 years old - Liverpool debut 18 years old - England debut 22 years old- 100 goals for Liverpool 24 years old - 25 goals for England Liverpool - 158 goals in 297 appearances. England - 40 goals in 89 caps. It feels like he has wasted his potential/career since leaving Liverpool He must have been odds-on to break Bobby Charlton's record and get 50 goals for England at one point. He has spent more time racing horses than playing football in recent years. He's currently 32 years old and without a club. Where did it all go wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Injuries innit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 He got greedy, joining man utd was the worst move he could've made, he could've sacrificed a few ££'s and trophies (for the minimum appearances) and joined a club like us, everton etc....he would've played more regularly thus regaining his fitness and form and probably got back into England team....breaking records in the process....however he was too interested in collecting money and like you say his horses....yes he had injuries, but he could've still done more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Dogg Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Simply injuries because he relied so much on pace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted July 17, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 17, 2012 Injuries plus being rushed back by Liverpool and England. Then he got greedy and started chasing £'s rather than trophies and signed for Newcastle, then he started chasing trophies but at the expense of actually playing by going to Man Utd. Could and should have been England's top scorer ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Injuries finished him. That one he got vs Sweden in the World Cup was particularly horrible, but his resilience to injury had all but gone by the time he hit his mid/late 20's because he had spent every weekend since his 17th birthday getting kicked by defenders who didnt know how to handle him. I'm not sure about the Newcastle move being purely about money either. My memories of it have been clouded by time, but he was unfairly frozen out at Real Madrid despite being (arguably) their best striker because he happened to be at the club at a time when Raul was almost picking the team. I'm not sure who was in for him when he came back to England, Liverpool were never going to pay the money Real Madrid wanted a year after selling him for half the price. Wikipedia says Everton were interested but I certainly dont remember them being serious candidates and Newcastle, who still saw themselves as a club who should be in the title race were looking for a long term replacement for Alan Shearer. I'm sure they made a very convincing pitch to Owen that they were serious about winning silverware. It just never happened for them, and injures to Owen were a large factor in that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 He got greedy, joining man utd was the worst move he could've made, he could've sacrificed a few ££'s and trophies (for the minimum appearances) and joined a club like us, everton etc.. really? he got the chance to win the league title and he did it. Probably last thing can criticize him for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will87 Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Injuries and then after that there seemed to be a lack of desire. Wasted the last 3 years playing for Man Utd reserves, and seemed perfectly happy with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted July 17, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 17, 2012 Houllier ruined him. Rushed him back from every injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Agree with the_rev, the injury for England against Sweden was the beginning of the end. He was very harshly treated at Real as I believe he had an incredible goals/mins ratio whilst there. He joined a decent Newcastle side for mega money and upfront with Shearer so can't really blame him for that but for me, the knee injury against Sweden ruined his ability to be fully fit and probably damaged him psychologically too (from a person who has had a few serious knee injuries). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Horses...and the fact that he see's football as a job and not a passion (he has said this himself). Horses are his passion and what he enjoys doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 There are plenty of players who have seen football as a job and not as a passion who have been very successful though. Apparently Leo Messi has very little interest in the game outside of his contractual obligations to Barcelona and his international commitments with Argentina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Difference is that i get Messi enjoys playing and is stupidly good at it. Michael i see as taking very little enjoyment from playing the game other than keep a roof over his head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I don't knock him for looking on football as a job and seeking alternatives away from the game. I don't think anything has "gone wrong" for millionaire footballer and racehorse owner Michael Owen, but his playing career was ruined by injuries. Simple as. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I don't knock him for looking on football as a job and seeking alternatives away from the game. I don't think anything has "gone wrong" for millionaire footballer and racehorse owner Michael Owen, but his playing career was ruined by injuries. Simple as. Disagree buddy although i agree injuries havnt helped. I just dont think he ever had the desire to be the best he could be because his heart wasnt fully in it. Ended up chasing the pound notes as shown by his move to Old Trafford, was never in a month of Sundays going to play every week but went there anyway for the cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Injuries unfortunately.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legov Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Ended up chasing the pound notes as shown by his move to Old Trafford, Wasn't he on a pay-as-you-play deal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Copey11 Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I think it became a "job" only after several injuries. I have some experience with this as well, and when you spend so much time in the training room, and re-habbing, not playing the games, not hanging out with the team, it truly becomes a "job" and all the fun parts are taken away. I think the Real experience, and subsequent injuries took all of his passion away and it became a job, and now that's where he is - making choices based on pay and medals, rather than time on the pitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted July 19, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 19, 2012 So in summary would you say you think it had become just a job to him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHV Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Owen was class, however his prime asset was his pace. Once you have 4-5 bad hamstring injuries its game over really. Plus he has other injuries too. Cant slate him for joining Man Utd, and he wasnt grabbing money at OT as he was on pay as you play deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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