Animal is a Ram Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 well he has been spending more time punditing than on a football pitch. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21839361 Former England striker Michael Owen is to retire from football at the end of the season. Owen, 33, who scored 40 goals in 89 internationals, played for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United and Manchester United and is now at Stoke. He said: "It is with an immense amount of pride that I am announcing my intention to retire. Michael Owen's career "I have been very fortunate in that my career has taken me on a journey I could only have dreamed of." Owen burst on to the scene as a teenager at Liverpool and made England's 1998 World Cup squad aged just 18. He announced himself on the world stage with a memorable solo goal against Argentina in that tournament and scored a hat-trick as England beat Germany 5-1 in Munich in September 2001. He has scored 220 goals in his club career, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup (three times) and Uefa Cup. Owen was named European Footballer of the Year in 2001 - the first Englishman to achieve the accolade since Kevin Keegan in 1979. Owen joined Stoke City at the start of the season and has scored one goal in seven appearances. "Having progressed through the ranks at Liverpool to make my first-team debut at 17, before embarking upon spells at Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, not to mention representing my country on 89 occasions, I now feel it is the right time to bring the curtain down on my career," Owen wrote in a statement on his website. "None of this would have been possible without the tremendous support I have received from managers, coaches, fellow players, backroom staff, the supporters and my own personal sponsors. I would like to thank each and every one for the huge role they have played in helping me reach the top of my profession. "Most of all, though, I would like to thank my family. To my beautiful wife Louise, for her continued love and support through the many ups and downs in my career and for affording me the most precious gift of all, our children. "To my mum who has always taken the brunt of my frustrations yet continues to keep our family so tight-knit, a trait that has formed the foundations of my own success. Her dedication to me and my brothers and sisters is immeasurable. "Last but not least, my dad. We did it my old mate! From those freezing local parks to terrorising the best defenders in the world on the biggest stages of all. I couldn't have done it without you." Chester-born Owen helped Liverpool to a treble of trophies in 2001 as they won the League Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup to end a six-year trophy drought. In that FA Cup win, he memorably scored two late goals to help Liverpool come from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1. In total, Owen scored 158 goals in 297 appearances for the Anfield club before moving to Real Madrid for £8m in 2004, where he was part of the "Galacticos", including Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos and Raul. Despite 14 goals in 40 games, he returned to the Premier League with Newcastle United for a reported £16m in August 2005. However, after eight consecutive seasons of hitting double figures in goals, he would only reach that mark again twice in the next eight years. Owen played fewer than 10 more times for his country after that tournament, with his last appearance for England coming against France in 2008. After four injury-blighted years at St James' Park, in which he still managed to score 30 goals in 79 appearances, the club were relegated from the Premier League. He later signed for Manchester United on a free transfer in 2009. Owen initially impressed at Old Trafford, scoring the injury-time winner in the dramatic 4-3 derby victory over Manchester City with the match since being voted the best in Premier League history He signed an extension to his original contract after winning the Premier League title in 2010-11 while Owen was an unused substitute in United's Champions League final defeat by Barcelona that year. But his injury problems resurfaced, limiting his first-team chances and leading to his release from the club and subsequent move to Stoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramexpat Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I thought he retired a few years ago , seriously though he was awesome in his prime , shame his career was hampered by injury and playing for Newcastle , He will always be remembered for this corker against the Argies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BorneoRam Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I was lucky enough to go to a few Liverpool games when he was breaking through, had a mate who was a scouser and went with him to games as he had a spare ticket, including one against Derby. People talk on here about Hughes as a prospect at 17 but Owen at 17 was incredible - looked 12 but scared grown men half to death everytime he got the ball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Seems a lovely bloke aswell, a good role model for the game, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackNwhites Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Really gutted his career turned out the way it did, he was an absolute legend in his early years. Leaving Liverpool was probably the daftest thing he did, his career seemed to spiral after that. Legend in my eyes, loads of good memories of him for England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cisse Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 It was about time. He was good though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambitious Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I would dread to think what he COULD of been... or what he could of done! Last England cap when he was 28 and he was on 89... scored 40 goals, also, which is incredible... 10 more apps and 7 more goals than Rooney who is now 27 which puts it into prospective, he also did it in the big games which is important to remember! A lot of the 'golden generation' were lamented for not stepping up for the big games, but I suppose you could never say that about Becks or Owen, who were the headline players because they did the big games. As I was saying, he could of been it... the highest goalscorer in the countries history, the most capped player in history too! Injuries have ruined his career, and he hasn't helped himself - I could be wrong but I always got the impression since leaving real and going to Newcastle he hasn't really pushed himself to get back, massive shame! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCFCfranco Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 i dont think he should have left liverpool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alph Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Signing for Stoke IS retiring from football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badlands Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Can't remember much about his days for Liverpool but he captivated me from around 2000-2006 for the national team. Top moments for me were the hat-trick in Germany and the 2 last minute goals against the argies on 05. Top player and bloke, wish him all the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Vegas Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 He was a top player back in the early 00s.. Scored a great goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup final in 2001 I think it was.. He also had a decent spell at Real Madrid but he should never have moved to Newcastle.. It was such a downward step in his career as Newcastle were on the down and were no longer challenging the top 4.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuespachRam Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I have an awesome photgraph somewhere of him, after his hat trick goal in Munich, stood on my EnglandSt George "Ripley Rams On Tour" flag with Beckham and Heskey..! Happy days. Great, great striker, without the injuries would have easily gone on to beat Shilton and Charlton's records for England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.jpg.e1137248055f4860a45521e03d96f7b5.thumb.jpg.2355a3b1794fd60ce9e1342e6d520be8.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.