Where will Michael Owen’s next destination be? Does anyone even care? It is a situation that intrigues me at least. ‘‘I have been playing and training with top players all my life and that was one of the attractions in going to Man Utd,’’ he said after being released from the club last week. ‘‘We will wait to see where that is. If it is not the Premier League then I may look farther afield. I don’t think I will be dropping into the Championship.’’ So that’s that ruled out. But in light of his fall in stature as one of the world’s most feared strikers, his statement has a tinge of arrogance about it.
When he mentioned playing with top players, he wasn’t just referring to the crème de la crème of the top divisions as when he transferred to Newcastle United from Real Madrid in the summer of 2005 they had just finished the previous campaign in 14th place, so it is certain that he wouldn’t be averse to joining a side such as Stoke City or Swansea City in the twilight of his career.
But why not a team from the second tier? Does he feel the service he has given Manchester United, where he interacted with the club’s medical personnel more than the playing staff, making only six league starts in three years, is worthy of a highly paid contract in the Premiership?
There was banter on Twitter between Owen and Southampton legend, Matthew Le Tissier, who ‘advised’ the former United man to head to the newly promoted Saints as the South Coast is ‘better for your muscles.’ Owen replied that he is, ‘‘open to offers!!!’’ The three exclamation marks could mean anything from being excited by the prospect or that the proposition is somewhat ridiculous because they do not have the ‘top players’ that he requires.
How about another recently promoted side in the form of West Ham United? Their manager, Sam Allardyce has had him under his wing before albeit for only eight months during his ill-fated spell with Newcastle whilst the Hammers have had a reputation in the past for acquiring players who are past their best sell-by-date (from Jimmy Greaves to Ian Wright and Teddy Sheringham to name but many). So that could work.