One unexpected transfer that took place last Summer was that of Michael Owen, the often injured striker from Newcastle United who made the move to the Red Devils.
Alex Ferguson’s decisions left many experts and fans scratching their heads. With Cristiano Ronaldo gone, most people expected that a current soccer great would appear in the latest Manchester United soccer apparel to replace him. however, United got Luis Valencia from Wigan and Michael Owen. A player who has been struggling with fitness and form over the last five years along with more injuries than one can count. To make matters worse of course, he is a former Liverpool player. There were a few bemused faces around Old Trafford the day the deal was announced.
When the details of the deal became known along with Ferguson’s intentions for Owen, it became clear that Alex Ferguson had, as always had a plan. Michael Owen is signed on a pay if you play contract at Manchester United and he was intended to be used from the bench. He would be used to assist from the bench when needed, he would not be the lone striker.
Only managing to play in a few games as a late substitute it was not the start the Michael Owen would have wanted. Michael Owen’s last minute goal against Manchester City showed the role Alex Ferguson had planned for him in the team. It seemed the goal would kick start a greater involvement for Owen and there was talk of him possibly regaining his England place, should he continue to score goals and play more consistently.
Owen has not managed to continue his form however. Only managing to score four goals from eighteen games this season (many of which he only appeared as a substitute however), there seems to be a growing feeling that the Owen experiment may not have a long term future.
Owen’s chances of regaining a place in the England team are getting slimmer by the day it seems. Fabio Capello’s need for players to be fit and playing consistently makes Owen’s chances very low.Owen has not managed to be do either of these over the last few years. However it should be known that Capello doesn’t seem to apply this rule to all of England’s strikers, Emile Heskey it seems is a shoe-in in every squad, regardless of whether he plays for Aston Villa or not.
So for the time being, Owen’s wonderful last minute goal against City has been the high point of the experiment so far.It will be highly unlikely for Alex Ferguson to continue the agreement with Michael Owen unless the former English striker can find form and consistency in the remainder of the season, much in the way youngster Darron Gibson is doing. Whether Owen has the ability and level of fitness to do that remains questionable and as such, it seems likely that Sir Alex’s gamble, in the long run, may not pay off.
Tags: mancheseter united, premier league, soccer