Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed today that despite reports in the press that Manchester United are set to sell 10 players this summer to compensate for the debt, Michael Owen will still be a red next season.
Owen hasn’t made the impact he was probably hoping for but from a fan perspective, I’m pretty happy. Considering he came on a free, it was worth it for that 96th minute winner against City alone, let alone the other 7 goals he’s bagged this season.
Our manager concedes that Owen would have been given a better opportunity to make an impact if not for Wayne Rooney’s brilliant form this season.
“He has done well here, he has been a success,” said Ferguson. “He’s a great professional, he’s never missed a training session, his performances in training have been very good, and I think he has improved as a footballer in his time here. His general knowledge of the game is better, so is his linking play, and for the first time in his career he is getting used to coming on as a sub. I think he’s enjoying being a part of it here and he’ll definitely be here next season because I have absolutely no intention of letting him go. The only problem Owen has got at the moment is Wayne Rooney. We’re getting incredible performances from Rooney at the moment, and Michael has come here at a time when another striker, and sometimes the only one we use, is on the rise.”
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Great to hear!
Good news, interesting analysis of Owen’s development. It has sometimes surprised me to see Owen’s involvement in other areas of the pitch and not just ‘the box’. He seems well-liked and a good example to younger players. I’m glad Fergie aims to keep him.
i think he’s good for the club aslong as he can live with being a sub.i thought it was ironic that although all the papers talk about utds debt that it would be liverpool,chelsea and city that would be booted out of the champions league because of debt when the new rules come into place not utd
I like the lad and would love to see him get more time on the pitch, Fergie should give him and Wazza a run of games just to see, personally I think they could link up well together.
Food to hear this.michael owen is a great footballer and more importantly a greater person.Given oppurtunities he ha sperformed well this season scoring 9 goals.If he ends the season with 15 goals i think he has done his job.
He is the only player at the club who is a top notch finisher. Not even Rooney can finish off as well as Owen can. He is a vital squad player and whenever he plays you just know he will score. Glad to hear he will stay at the club for another year.
GOOD to hear this.
I hope he starts today!
Great news. Give owen a couple games and trust me he’ll deliver the goods!
@ Costas – Agree. He has played many of the Carling Cup games, he deserves a place in the final. But I hope we play with two strikers today. I’m not sure if Owen can handle being the only striker in the side like the formation we sometimes play with Rooney on top, 4-5-1.
Pleasing to hear. He looks the model pro at United. Gets his head down, works hard and just gets on with it. Looks a popular bloke with all the lads including RedNev!! Looks like he can do the business when called upon. Judas take note.
I don’t agree with SAF that Owen and Rooney are similar – Owen is a predator – a real fox-in-the-box, while Rooney is all round one of the best players ever to come out of the Northwest of England. I wish SAF would chance playing them together when he uses the 4-4-2 formation.
King Eric: @ 15:02: “Judas take note.”
I assume that you’re talking about Carlitos – well, I have to disagree with you again. He has really-and-truly been “massive” for his new team. Beyond the goals against UTD, his performance yesterday – in the most difficult of conditions – was very, very impressive. He’s a real warrior. He was a big success at UTD in 2007/8, scoring vital goals. Last year he was squeezed onto the side by the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov – I’d prefer to have kept Tevez but I don’t make these decisions. But, it’s just plain wrong to slight the man – a million dollar heart but a ten cent brain.
Denton, that seems a fair comment about Tevez. I think the language barrier won’t help, especially when what he must be getting his news from are the dodgy red tops.
I think no one can say Berbatov has made the 30m impact he really should have, but to deny he is a great player would be unfair.
Just watched the Carling Cup Final. Loved all of it and thought Owen was fantastic. His movement and the goal he took were fantastic. Such a pity that he had to go off and wish he recovers quickly. Good to hear SAF is not getting rid of him at the end of the season. Would be interesting to know his scoring rate this season has been
Owen still knows how to score in big matches as he has demonstrated this season. Great attitude and I for one will be happy to see him stay.
In total agreement with denton about tevez, he might talk a lot of shit but he`s a fine player that always seems to come to the table in the big games.
By far a better player than berbatov, anyone with a brain and a pair of eyes would confirm that for you.
denton – no denton you think what you like. His bitching and moaning and his ridiculous gestures to Fergie and the board at the end of last season left a bad taste in my mouth. He was never gonna sign mate, Kia wouldn’t have allowed it. He was after as much money as possible. He has been great at Citeh but I ain’t getting in to the Berba debate AGAIN. My lips are sealed on this as I got a fair bit of stick last week. Berbatov is a United player, Tevez chased the dollar. end of.
denton – Hang on a minute I have just read your post again. I did not say that he hasn’t done the business at Citeh. What I was saying is Owen sits on the bench game after game WITHOUT BITCHING AND MOANING. The Judas could not do that, despite making forty odd appearances.
The good news, if so be it.
Of course, if not grandiose form of Rooney, Owen would have much more playing time. In the last two games, Michael has shown its value.
Those Tevez ‘groupies’ must’ve been really upset to see Berbatov tackling back, winning the ball off Dunne and setting up Owen’s goal.
It was Berbatov who linked up with Valencia, who then put in the crosses for Wazza’a last three headed goals.
That Berbatov, he’s just too modest.
King Eric @ 19:34: “He was never gonna sign mate, Kia wouldn’t have allowed it. He was after as much money as possible”
I’m in complete agreement about that; it’s a pity that he assigned himself to Kia because it meant that he was only going to be a loan-signing. Tevez might be “a lot like Rooney” but, dammit, he is one hell of player – and a warrior. Credit where credit’s due – but, yes, he’s still a cunt.
Berbatov isn’t united quality he is crap. He didn’t set up the first goal dunne did and his little flick didn’t put the ball where valencia wanted however he got lucky in that valencia recovered it well to put in a great cross. Berbatov has to go at the end of the season. He has scored 9 goals i think this season. Owen has got the same or maybe 8 and much less minutes. Berbatov’s flicks and that pish don’t work.
Apart from Owen’s contribution with his goals, Fergie has been very clever in that Owen’s experience and movement can be of great benefit not only for our up and coming players but also, even for Rooney. He knows when to go, when to hold back. Other players have other strengths but it will do no harm to pick up some of Owen’s good habits.
Technically, Dunne ‘set up’ Owen’s goal, but Berbatov put him under pressure to make the mistake that allowed this to happen. In that sense, Berbatov created the situation that set up Owen. And Valencia did well to collect Berbatov’s flick but not many others players would have a) attempted such a flick or b) been capable of doing it, even though it wasn’t on the proverbial sixpence.
Berbatov may not be a United player in the way that we would like him to be — but he is not ‘crap’. And Tevez is still a twat, as is Craig Bellamy — although they could never be as big a twats as JT or Cashley.
But, it’s true, the Berbatov v Tevez debate is something of an anachronism now (as King Eric might say).
Oh yes… and Owen should stay, or course.