Liverpool FC Forum

[ivor_the_injun]

Not really a story, seeing as though all he did was say neither yes or no to a questioner, but here it is anyway...

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http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1318727,00.html

Benítez swerves question of possible Owen return

Neil Johnston
Sunday October 3, 2004
The Observer

Life after Michael Owen might be something Liverpool are still coming to terms with. But whether manager Rafael Benítez, despite a shortage of goalscoring options available to him, will take advantage of a clause in the former Kop idol's Real Madrid contract and bring him back to Anfield remains to be seen.

Owen has struggled to make his mark in La Liga since leaving Liverpool for £8million in the summer and the 24-year-old has admitted that he could be forced to reconsider his future if first-team chances at Real continue to elude him. Displacing Raúl or Ronaldo has so far proved beyond Owen, who is also behind Fernando Morientes and now Guti in the pecking order.

Owen's concerns are compounded by the fact that Real do not play reserve-team football and he is worried about the effect on his fitness as he returns to England this week to join the national squad. There is a clause in Owen's contract that gives Liverpool first refusal should he leave Real.

But under Fifa regulations, Liverpool would not be allowed to re-sign the player until next summer. Benítez, who is in the market for a fourth striker, is, however, backing Owen to flourish in the Spanish capital.

'English players normally play better when they go to teams in northern Spain because the climate and the style is very similar to England,' Benítez said. 'But Michael is obviously an extremely talented player. It is hard for him to establish himself because there are so many world-class players at Real Madrid, but if he's got a positive mind and works properly in training then he can come through.'

But Benítez would not be drawn on whether he would consider bringing Owen back to Anfield, saying: 'All I am doing is concentrating on the next match.'

One former Anfield legend who would relish the return of Owen is Kenny Dalglish. 'As time goes by, people might start to realise how important Michael was for Liverpool - and the goals he scored,' Dalglish said. 'He never got complacent, but people maybe got complacent about his successes. He got a good volume of goals last season, but people still say he played poorly.'

[The_Rock]

I read somewhere that to get owen back, we have to pay 14 million.......... Maybe we should strengthen the other parts of our team first (right & left winger and centreback) before paying so much money for owen.

[mynameisred]

Have I been tripin all this time or in Owens final interview before he left (after he knew he was leaving) did he say that Liverpool have 1st option to buy him back written into his contract. For those who question if he should return think about the potential partnership with cisse and think about how many of the chances created he would have finished and subsequently the extra points we may have already picked up this season.

[kindaconfused]

I for one don't see Cisse as knocking balls on for Owen to feed off.

Cisse is a striker in his own right and don't think he will be happy sharing the stage with Michael Owen (if you believe the story at all).

Isn't that part of the problem now between Cisse and Baros?

[The_Rock]

Yeah, agree with you. Cisse has to be the main striker. He does not like to knock down balls. He prefers to be at the end of moves.

Cisse & Baros has better chance of working than Cisse and Owen.

[mynameisred]

Owens link play is much underated IMO and its something he will develop further. He is more of an intelligent player than Baros although at times when they managed 90 mins on the park together last season they looked like they could play together. If Owen would have stayed I think we may have sold Baros and perhaps tactically Rafa would have deployed a slightly different philosophy. The partnership between Owen and Cisse would have worked because it already was and they could have built on that.

[Paul C]

Hmmm I'm unsure about Michael coming back, maybe we should just move on and try about concerntrate on the players we have and the potential players options in January, Summers transfers are a long way away

[Ciggy]

Owen would be finished next year if he came back to us they are never the same players look at maca, rush, aldridge I wouldnt want him back next summer I would january but Fifas new rules wont allow it, so just best move on away from the whole issue.
Houllier said yesterday owen should have give Liverpool another season or 2 under the new manager,
Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier revealed today he was stunned Owen left Liverpool.

Houllier said: "I am surprised he went this year. I thought he would have waited another two years maybe.

"He always told me that at some stage he would like to have a foreign challenge.

"It is a shame he is not playing because it is between 24 and 27 that you can give the best of yourself."

"He has improved a lot and is very confident. He is very strong mentally.

"I hope he gets his chance, because when it comes, he will grab it."

And Houllier tips Owen to fend off Jermain Defoe's challenge to partner Wayne Rooney in England's home World Cup qualifier against Wales on Saturday.

He said: "He can bring something different to the game and is still a natural finisher.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if Sven played him against Wales."

[115-1073096938]

Imagine having Owen in for Cisse this season.

The runs Owen makes and the chances he'd be getting with this team around him, he'd be on 6 or 7 already.

If we got him back he'd be my first choice upfront without a doubt. He moves off the ball and can finish better than anyone. All this ****** about him not being able to play upfront on his own annoys me. If you have the right players it doesn't matter what system you have.

[stmichael]

Imagine having Owen in for Cisse this season.

The runs Owen makes and the chances he'd be getting with this team around him, he'd be on 6 or 7 already.

If we got him back he'd be my first choice upfront without a doubt. He moves off the ball and can finish better than anyone. All this ****** about him not being able to play upfront on his own annoys me. If you have the right players it doesn't matter what system you have.

i agree with that stu. if owen was playing with garcia, alonso and gerrard feeding balls to him, especially at home, he'd score a hatful.

[106-1093504160]

feeding him balls?

[stmichael]

feeding him balls?

haha judge i knew you'd have to pick me up on something i said sooner or later.

yeah, apparently michael owen likes to be fed meatballs before a game.