Wigans Owen bid

[Scottish Mag 3]

Wigan manager Paul Jewell has revealed the club were closer to signing Michael Owen in the summer than many people think.

 

Latics chairman Dave Whelan made an audacious bid for Owen, who at the time was looking to quit Real Madrid. Whelan offered Owen the option of a January transfer-window escape clause if all was not to his liking or was not working out.

 

Wigan and Whelan were eventually trumped by Newcastle and a £17m offer, and now Owen lines up for United at the JJB Stadium this lunchtime, rather than against them.

 

 

Jewell insists the club's move for Owen was "no publicity stunt", adding: "It's the old thing, if you don't ask you don't get. It looked as if Michael wasn't going to get in at Real Madrid this season, and with it being a World Cup year, we were willing to give him football.

 

 

"Everything was done on the quiet, although it leaked out eventually, but it showed the ambition of the chairman and the club itself. I knew Michael wanted to go to Liverpool, everybody knew, even Newcastle fans, but the chairman put a deal to his agent, told him we were willing to pay £11m, and that was before Newcastle came in.

 

 

"The chairman was prepared to put an awful lot of money in, pay an awful lot in wages, and we also said if Michael wanted to go in January, or if a bigger club came in then, we were prepared to let him go for what we were willing to buy him for.

 

 

"It might have appeared pie in the sky, but I think it was closer than people think. If Newcastle hadn't have come in, then maybe he might have come here.

 

 

"I'm not sure, you would have to ask Michael. I think he was surprised and shocked, but I think he admired us for it." Jewell also attempted to sign another player who eventually joined Newcastle in Scott Parker, with the midfielder moving from Chelsea for £6m.

 

 

It ultimately proved a frustrating time in the transfer market for Jewell throughout the summer, but he appreciates why Owen and Parker chose not to join Wigan.

 

 

"I don't think Scott and Michael have lost too much sleep over it," smiled Jewell.

 

 

"I fully understand top players being reluctant to come, so I had no problem with them choosing to go to Newcastle.

 

 

"I'm sure every top player in the world would choose an established club rather than one which is new to the Premiership and predicted to struggle."

 

 

Owen represents the biggest threat to Wigan's hopes of extending an unbeaten run which has seen them accrue 13 of the last 15 points on offer.

 

 

The 25-year-old scored in his last two Newcastle appearances before the international break - and took his tally to three in the last four games with the opener against Poland in Wednesday's 2-1 World Cup qualifying win.

 

 

"He is a top player isn't he?" said Jewell.

 

 

"He is one of the top players in Europe, if not the world, so we know it's going to be difficult for us to keep him quiet in this match.

 

 

"In partnership with Alan Shearer, who may not be the player he once was but is still a top player, they are about as good a partnership as it gets."

 

 

Wigan go into the game four places and four points above Newcastle.

[Brock Manson 0]

Wouldn't it be funny if Owen got a hat-trick today.

[menace13 0]

Shame he didn't.