Owen deal is looney Toon

[Craig 6700]

Graham Shaw

Teamtalk

 

A year ago it was Wayne Rooney, this time it was Michael Owen.

 

I had a strange feeling of deja vu when Newcastle entered the bidding for England's top striker.

 

But this time there's one major difference - the move has actually happened.

 

In the summer of 2004 when the Toon started the bidding for Rooney, I laughed it off as a mere PR stunt.

 

They didn't have the money I reasoned, and he'd never go there anyway.

 

So you could excuse me this past fortnight for harbouring similar feelings when Owen to St James' Park was mooted.

 

With Liverpool reportedly in the running and Newcastle nearer bottom than top of the Premiership table, surely Owen wouldn't head for Tyneside.

 

So it sent shockwaves through football on Tuesday when the news coming out of St James' Park said Owen had signed for £16m.

 

But once the excitement on Tyneside has died down and the memories of a glorious unveiling are forgotten, then the reality should start to sink in - this isn't a good deal for either party.

 

Last year the pursuit of Rooney - whether serious or not - made perfect sense.

 

They were trying to buy a solid-gold investment, a player whose value and marketability were sure to rocket. The last 12 months have proved that - Rooney is now one of the best young players in world football, if not the best.

 

But with Owen the reality is very different.

 

Newcastle are paying similar money for the former Liverpool hitman, but the product they're getting is very different.

 

He may be only 25, but a long seven years have passed since he burst onto the world stage in France '98.

 

And the prevailing opinion is that we may already have seen the best of him.

 

True he performed admirably at Real Madrid when given the chance, but who wouldn't score goals in that team?

 

The truth is that Newcastle have overpaid for Owen, and they've overpaid horribly.

 

The signing takes their summer outlay to over £36m, with the outgoings coming to less than half of that.

 

To pay £16m for a player in what is now a deflated transfer market he has to be a difference maker, the sort of man you can build a team around.

 

And again the truth is that Owen isn't that, he's a very fine player who will succeed in a good team.

 

But even if he gets 20 goals this season, what will it achieve for Newcastle - will they finish 8th instead of 10th? or maybe 12th instead of 14th?

 

The likelihood is that his signing won't bring Champions League football or trophies to Tyneside. That's what they should be getting for this sort of money.

 

Last summer Owen went to Madrid for £8m - is he really twice the player he was then (contract situation or not)? But that's what the transfer fee suggests.

 

So if the deal isn't good news long-term for Newcastle, what about Owen.

 

Yes he'll get guaranteed first-team football, but he's coming into a team in a transitional period, one that's struggling with a lot of new players and some pretty poor ones.

 

In World Cup year the move might make short-term sense, but can you see Owen still being on Tyneside in four years? No, me neither.

 

So in the short-term it may be all sweetness and light on Tyneside with high hopes for a match made in footballing heaven.

 

But in the long term this might be a move that Newcastle really and truly regret.

 

If a marriage doesn't work out there's normally only one ending - and you pay for it for a long time.

 

So to all those Liverpool fans out there bemoaning the fact Owen isn't returning to Anfield, don't.

 

The money Newcastle paid means your club showed admirable common sense in not getting involved.

 

There's nothing worse than the smell of desperation - Real Madrid clearly got a whiff of that from Tyneside and cashed in.

 

And that's why they're probably the only real winner in the most shocking transfer of the summer.

 

Anyone else feel that this is another unecessary dig at us? I'm quite sure if he'd signed for Liverpool, Mr Shaw would be writing somewhat differently - return of the prodigal son and all that!

[Skeletor 0]

What do you expect? All the cockneys are mad he hasn't gone to Liverpool. SACK BENITEZ!

[Gemmill 46023]

More bitter articles like this please. I'm loving them. The Football 365 letters page is quality today too. It's positively citric.

[sweetleftpeg 0]

After the abuse we took yesterday, from fans all over Britain (especially the red half of Liverpool ) and pundits with an axe to grind, this is water of a ducks back.

 

The facts;

 

Michael Owen plays for NUFC, and it's GREAT.

[snakehips 0]

Graham Shaw

Teamtalk

 

A year ago it was Wayne Rooney, this time it was Michael Owen.

 

I had a strange feeling of deja vu when Newcastle entered the bidding for England's top striker.

 

But this time there's one major difference - the move has actually happened.

 

In the summer of 2004 when the Toon started the bidding for Rooney, I laughed it off as a mere PR stunt.

 

They didn't have the money I reasoned, and he'd never go there anyway.

 

So you could excuse me this past fortnight for harbouring similar feelings when Owen to St James' Park was mooted.

 

With Liverpool reportedly in the running and Newcastle nearer bottom than top of the Premiership table, surely Owen wouldn't head for Tyneside.

 

So it sent shockwaves through football on Tuesday when the news coming out of St James' Park said Owen had signed for £16m.

 

But once the excitement on Tyneside has died down and the memories of a glorious unveiling are forgotten, then the reality should start to sink in - this isn't a good deal for either party.

 

Last year the pursuit of Rooney - whether serious or not - made perfect sense.

 

They were trying to buy a solid-gold investment, a player whose value and marketability were sure to rocket. The last 12 months have proved that - Rooney is now one of the best young players in world football, if not the best.

 

But with Owen the reality is very different.

 

Newcastle are paying similar money for the former Liverpool hitman, but the product they're getting is very different.

 

He may be only 25, but a long seven years have passed since he burst onto the world stage in France '98.

 

And the prevailing opinion is that we may already have seen the best of him.

 

True he performed admirably at Real Madrid when given the chance, but who wouldn't score goals in that team?

 

The truth is that Newcastle have overpaid for Owen, and they've overpaid horribly.

 

The signing takes their summer outlay to over £36m, with the outgoings coming to less than half of that.

 

To pay £16m for a player in what is now a deflated transfer market he has to be a difference maker, the sort of man you can build a team around.

 

And again the truth is that Owen isn't that, he's a very fine player who will succeed in a good team.

 

But even if he gets 20 goals this season, what will it achieve for Newcastle - will they finish 8th instead of 10th? or maybe 12th instead of 14th?

 

The likelihood is that his signing won't bring Champions League football or trophies to Tyneside. That's what they should be getting for this sort of money.

 

Last summer Owen went to Madrid for £8m - is he really twice the player he was then (contract situation or not)? But that's what the transfer fee suggests.

 

So if the deal isn't good news long-term for Newcastle, what about Owen.

 

Yes he'll get guaranteed first-team football, but he's coming into a team in a transitional period, one that's struggling with a lot of new players and some pretty poor ones.

 

In World Cup year the move might make short-term sense, but can you see Owen still being on Tyneside in four years? No, me neither.

 

So in the short-term it may be all sweetness and light on Tyneside with high hopes for a match made in footballing heaven.

 

But in the long term this might be a move that Newcastle really and truly regret.

 

If a marriage doesn't work out there's normally only one ending - and you pay for it for a long time.

 

So to all those Liverpool fans out there bemoaning the fact Owen isn't returning to Anfield, don't.

 

The money Newcastle paid means your club showed admirable common sense in not getting involved.

 

There's nothing worse than the smell of desperation - Real Madrid clearly got a whiff of that from Tyneside and cashed in.

 

And that's why they're probably the only real winner in the most shocking transfer of the summer.

 

Anyone else feel that this is another unecessary dig at us? I'm quite sure if he'd signed for Liverpool, Mr Shaw would be writing somewhat differently - return of the prodigal son and all that!

24325[/snapback]

 

Liverpool didn't get involved? We smacked of desperation?

 

Erm, Liverpool were very much involved and were desperate to sign him; they couldn't finance the deal and lost out. Tough shit.

 

Arsehole.

[Guest alex]

Why let facts get in the way of a shit article?

[Gemmill 46023]

The only thing we "smack of" at the minute is Michael Owen-ness.

[snakehips 0]

The only thing we "smack of" at the minute is Michael Owen-ness.

24357[/snapback]

 

Hey lah, should that be pronounced smachchch??

[adios 717]

The only thing we "smack of" at the minute is Michael Owen-ness.

24357[/snapback]

 

When I first glanced at that I thought you said something about smacking Michael Owen's ass! (Is that another of his pseudonyms?)

Edited August 31, 2005 by DotBum

[Altoon 0]

what a load of shite, didnt even bother reading it all stopped at "they've overpaid horribly" of corse we must be the 1st club to pay a high price for a player, the likes of Saha,Drogba,Ciise,Crouch, are all decent players but have been sold for crazy prices yet the media never think "they've overpaid horribly"

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Sad bitter ramblings of another sad bitter tosspot in the media who was shooting his load at the prospect of writing and article laughing at how we didn't get him and he was always going to turn us down and now that we have got him, has to come up with some petty load of bollocks.

[Tom_NUFC 0]

Overpaid horribly? Well Jenas has gone to Spurs for £8m this morning, so that's half the money back already. If we'd paid £8m for Owen that would be a very good deal. Even if we get Solano today, that's £1.5m, so it would maybe make it £9.5m for Owen. Still a good price.

 

The London press have it in for us. They always have, and will use anything as an excuse to put us down.

 

We play badly, they put us down.

We play well, they'll find something to nitpick at.

If we sign good players, it's a bad move and won't work out well.

 

It's sour grapes, because they'd love Owen to have gone to Arsenal or Chelsea or Spurs, or to Man U. These were not options, failing that they wanted him back at Liverpool. This hasn't happened. How dare he sign for Newcastle!

 

It's just the way it is I'm afraid. I'm sure we can live with it though.

[sweetleftpeg 0]

JJ has gone to Spurs for a massivly overpriced £7m-£8m, at least £3m more than he's really worth. Will any of the press whinge about that? No, because he's gone to those fantastic coc-ker-nee boys, god bless them.

[catmag 337]

JJ has gone to Spurs for a massivly overpriced £7m-£8m, at least £3m more than he's really worth. Will any of the press whinge about that? No, because he's gone to those fantastic coc-ker-nee boys, god bless them.

24703[/snapback]

 

I'd have let Spurs have him for £50 and a sherbet dip cos he was never going to fulfill his 'potential' here even if he stayed til retirement age.

Edited August 31, 2005 by catmag

[Papa Lazaru 0]

JJ has gone to Spurs for a massivly overpriced £7m-£8m, at least £3m more than he's really worth. Will any of the press whinge about that? No, because he's gone to those fantastic coc-ker-nee boys, god bless them.

24703[/snapback]

 

Oh that will be the transfer of the season since its loveable old Spurs who are from good old london town and far bigger and better than NUFC could ever hope to be.

[Guest Sima]

Totally forgetting the reason why Owen only went for £8m last season I see.

[Loony Toon 0]

"Owen deal is looney Toon"

 

Nowt to dee wi' me!!!!!

[Guest Sima]

That extra vowel makes all the difference.

[Loony Toon 0]

That extra vowel makes all the difference.

25124[/snapback]

 

Sorry mate ....

 

Nowt to de wi' me!!!!!

 

That better?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aye ah knaa .... ahl get me coat.