10 Former Newcastle Players Who Criticised The Club
3. Michael Owen
The last ten years of Michael Owens career should have been so different. Instead of capitalising on his 2001 Ballon dOr Award, 150 goals for Liverpool by the age of 24 and four international tournaments under his belt, Owen spent the following decade warming the bench at Real Madrid, lying in the infirmary at St. James Park before ruining his Reds reputation with a move to Old Trafford before bowing out of the game with just one goal for Stoke City. Its no surprise that Owen feels a great sense of regret over the way his career has turned out, particularly when it was filled with such promise during his early days. However, while it was painstakingly obvious that Tyneside was a second choice in the summer of 2005, nobody forced a gun to his head and forced him down the aisle into the marriage with the St. James Park faithful. Judging by his recent comments, he clearly holds the club responsible for his failure to realise the undoubted potential he once had. Having been booed during his nine-minute cameo for Manchester United at St. James Park in April 2011, a clearly annoyed Owen took to social media to criticise the supporters who had once contributed to his extortionate wage.
''From what most of you Newcastle fans are saying, you should be pleased I left the club! If I had known that earlier, I could have left sooner! Got a poor reception off the home fans which was disappointing. Was desperate to score. Knew I would get booed as thats what a lot of fans do but if they knew the facts then they may have a different opinion.
Was he done there? Two months later, the Twitter addict struck again.
''Prefer playing less often in a top team than every game in a poor team. Been there and didnt enjoy it. - Michael Owen, June 2011.
Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd, whose wallet almost always had the hand of the former England international buried in it, was incensed.
''We might have been a poor team, but we made him a rich man. It works out around £500,000 for every game in a Newcastle shirt. Poor? Well, he wasnt poorer for it. He spent more time ferrying between Cheshire and Tyneside in his £3.5 million helicopter. - Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd, June 2011.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
