Unhappy Michael Owen on the way out?

[kennethlindheim]

Michael Owen insists he is happy to stay at Newcastle United and is ignoring rumours about his future.

The Magpies have expressed fears that the England striker could activate a buy-out clause in his contract and leave St James' Park over the summer.

Owen has been linked with a reunion with former England coach Sven Goran Eriksson, although the Swede has played down any interest.

And Owen has revealed he has not been driving the transfer speculation, and is looking forward to the season under new Magpies boss Sam Allardyce.

"I believe that these can be good times to be at Newcastle, which is why I am more than happy to be here," Owen told the Times.

"There has been plenty of speculation about my future, but I can assure the Newcastle fans that I didn't start any of it.

"There was a lot of talk from other quarters and my attitude to rumour has always been to ignore it.

"I don't really feel that I should be responding all the time to stories in the newspapers and I certainly didn't want to be forced into making comments.

"I prefer to let my actions speak for themselves and I just wish there had been more opportunities to show the Newcastle fans what I am capable of.

"I am sure that is to come this season."

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Pleasing news. It looks like Allardyce's management style convinced him.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

He just want to please the fans but anyway Newcastle have potensial now to qualify for Europe again so the future of the club looks more brighter.And who knows if they even can get qualified for Champions League next season.

[kennethlindheim]

If we're going to qualify for european football we have to:

1) Keep key players fit for a change
2) Keep Martins
3) Sign four good defenders

I can't see us challenging for Champions League spot this season, maybe in a couple of years if the club is in stable shape. A top seven is the goal, and we should achive that now that we have a decent manager.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Deadline for Owen clause

Michael Owen has until Tuesday to activate the get-out clause in his contract, according to former Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd.

The striker has a stipulation in his Magpies deal allowing him to leave, if an interested club offer £9.5million.

The clause was inserted into the contract signed by Owen upon his arrival from Real Madrid two years ago, but Shepherd says there is a deadline.

"Without it, I don't think we would have done the deal, but it is only valid until July 31," Shepherd told the Mail on Sunday.

"After that he would have to stay for another year, unless it was in the club's interest to let him go."

Owen has endured two injury-hit seasons at St James' Park and missed much of the last campaign with a knee problem suffered while playing for England at the World Cup.

Newcastle fought to receive compensation from the Football Association and Shepherd believes the battle was justified.

He added: "We needed a top-class replacement when Alan Shearer retired. Owen was the best around, so we set our stall out to get him.

"But we lost him before he kicked a ball for us last season.

"I took on the FA because I felt it was unfair that England could second a player and then not be responsible for paying his wages if he got injured."

Source: Skysports

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Today is the deadline to make a bid for Owen and it dosen't seems no one have any tention to bid for him.Soon all magpies can relax in knowing Owen will play for Newcastle this season to come.

[Pennywise]

£9.5million its a scary price. A Coca Cola premiership club can get this money today.

But I think he'll stay in N'castle. He had been an asshole if he had leaved now, after all the tyneside club have done for him.

[kennethlindheim]

Good. That ends the specultations in this transfer window.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

I think the only reason why Owen wanted a release clause was to hold a Liverpool retur open.He wouldn't have leaved for any other club in the Premiership.I'm pretty sure of it.

[Killah]

He's a good lad, he'll see his contract out.

Had some bad luck, deserves a break and we all know he's class. I hope he does well next season.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Owen to miss season opener

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has conceded Michael Owen is likely to miss the start of the new season with a thigh problem.

Owen picked up a thigh injury in pre-season training and the problem is failing to respond to treatment.

The England international has endured an injury-ravaged two seasons on Tyneside playing just three games last season.

Allardyce has admitted Owen is set to sit out next week's Premier League opener at Bolton as the injury is more serious than first thought.

Concern

"It doesn't look as encouraging as we first thought," Allardyce told the Daily Mail.

"The tear in the muscle hasn't healed as quickly as we would like, so there's no point in making any rash decisions just to get him fit for the start of the season.

"It's about getting him 100 per cent for playing matches on a regular basis. That's why it has been more disappointing for him that he's missed pre-season games more than training.

"He's done enough training to last him a lifetime."

Meanwhile, Kieron Dyer's proposed move to West Ham is reported to have collapsed.

Widespread reports suggest the deal has fallen through because Newcastle and West Ham could not agree a deal for the England international.

Source: Skysports

[kennethlindheim]

What unbelievably rotten luck does this guy have.

[Killah]

He's made of glass

[kennethlindheim]

Michael Owen will miss England's two Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia next month because of a torn groin muscle, according to his Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce.
The 27-year-old striker is travelling to Germany on Thursday to see a specialist who will determine whether he also needs hernia surgery.
The one certainty is that Owen will be sidelined for England's Euro 2008 Group E qualifiers against Estonia at Wembley on Oct. 13 and Russia in Moscow four days later.
"It will be three weeks out and he will miss England," Allardyce told Sky Sports News after Newcastle lost 2-0 to Arsenal in the League Cup on Tuesday.
He said the player had a three-centimetre (1.25 inch) tear in his adductor muscle.
Allardyce added: "Michael will probably need another operation but the specialist has not told us that yet."
Owen has been plagued by injuries since Dec. 31 2005 when he broke a metatarsal playing for Newcastle at Tottenham Hotspur which kept him out almost until the end of the season.
He then injured his knee playing for England at the World Cup finals, and missed all but the last three games of last season.
In July he injured a thigh in pre-season training and missed the first game of the season, but had scored five goals for England and Newcastle before tearing his groin.
He limped out of Newcastle's 1-0 defeat at Derby County last week and also failed to finish Newcastle's 3-1 win over West Ham United on Sunday.
England coach Steve McClaren is already without Emile Heskey, Owen's strike partner in the games against Israel and Russia, for the vital matches in October.
Heskey broke a metatarsal playing for Wigan against Fulham on Sept. 15.

Owen will miss England's Euro qualifiers says Allardyce | Breaking News | Guardian Unlimited Football

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Shame! England need Owen.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Owen clings to England hope

Michael Owen feels it will be a bonus if he is fit to play in England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia.

The Newcastle United striker has undergone two operations in Germany in recent days to fix a groin problem.

His participation in England's games against Estonia at Wembley on 13th October and in Russia four days later has been placed in doubt by the injury.

But Owen, who scored three goals in two games for his country earlier in September, is clinging to the hope that he can take his place in Steve McClaren's squad.

"These two operations have given me a lot of hope," Owen told the News of the World.

Cautious

"The doctor gave me the go-ahead to start jogging on Monday and told me to see how it goes. It's a question of taking it one step at a time and pushing myself as hard as I can whenever it feels right.

"Effectively the two operations should provide a complete cure without any need for further surgery.

"I do not want to think too far ahead to the day when I make my comeback because my rehabilitation programme has not yet been finalised.

"I don't want to tempt fate, either, by making a premature forecast. Medical advice will decide how quickly I will be back in action. I'd rather remain cautious at this stage than set any unrealistic targets.

Bonus

"But in the back of my mind I had focused on Newcastle's October 22 Premier League game against Tottenham - the first after the international break - for a possible return.

"Anything before that, including England's two Euro qualifiers against Estonia and Russia, would be a bonus.

"I shall cling to the hope that I can play for England, but people must accept that Newcastle have to come first at the moment.

"I know it is going to be the subject of national debate as to whether I will be fit to help England qualify for next year's European Championship finals, but let's adopt a little bit of caution and see how the next 10 days unfold."

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