Liverpool FC Forum

[JBG]

I have ripped this from Sky Sports website tonight.

Its very encouraging!! 

Liverpool striker Michael Owen insists he will still be at Anfield next season as he continues talks over a new contract.

Owen's future at Anfield had been in some doubt after a disappointing season on Merseyside.

The likes of Barcelona, Internazionale and Real Madrid have all been reported to be watching Owen's situation at Anfield, but he expects to be playing for Liverpool for next season;and for the immediate future.

The England international has just over one year on his current contract and it had been feared that Owen may leave when his deal ends, but he insists he would not walk out on the club he has been at since a schoolboy.

"We will sort something out amicably next summer," said Owen.

"I won't just up and leave on a Bosman. I have the rest of this season and all next still left on my existing contract but talks have already started on a new one.

"Inevitably, they are complex though and don't get done in just a week. But I certainly see myself at Liverpool next year. Why not?

"I'm not in football for the money. And that is largely what it means when players sit out their contracts and go for free. I've got a reasonable collection of trophies already, but I want more and that's the main thing in my mind.

"I read that the manager (Gerard Houllier) says he expects me to go abroad at some stage and I certainly would not rule anything out. I am very ambitious and want to play at the highest level but there is no reason that can't be with Liverpool."

Owen admits that this season has not been the best at Anfield as they close on fourth place and Champions League qualification.

"It certainly hasn't been a great season for Liverpool. We know that and the manager knows that," added Owen.

"We can still qualify for the Champions League in fourth spot. In fact, I guess we are favourites now, but a club like Liverpool can't settle for fourth place."

[DrLiverpool]

started same topic in players lounge but a cr#p one with no quotes.

Heard a funny thing on the radio today as I was coming home from work.
It was something like this "Michael owen today has made history after signing a 14 year ,multi million deal  (at this point i'm thinking the next words will be with liverpool) with umbro,the liverpool striker...."

I seriously thought for a split second he has signed a 14year contract at liverpool , but thgis would be completely unrealistic.

[XSD]

Well, that sounds a bit iffy. Not sure whether he wants to stay or leave from that. Seems to be hinting he might leave, but affirming there is a good chance of him staying if Liverpool do better. So lets hope it all goes well.

[adayinthelife]

If we get 4th which we should now do I reckon he will sign a 1 or 2 year extension which is hardly committing himself to the club.
It is blatantly obvious to me anyway Owen has had enough of houlliers formations and tactics and he obviously wants to see better players alongside him on the pitch.
He looks to me like a smart enough bloke who has witnessed and suffered 1st hand due to the teams lack of width,adventure and creativity and maybe he will sign more in hope of this changing than anything else.

[chiggz_likes_owen]

Owen has signed a 15 million contract thing for umbro..

[lurd]

I know this does not happen very often, but he had good service from Heskey at B'ham on Saturday, and could and should of scored more than the one he did. Michael is a player who is superb when he has people supporting him and feeding on the pitch, when the service is not there he's struggles like anyone does. If Emile produced that kind of service everytime out then Mr Owen would of scored a lot more than he has this season, however if we are going to compete with the Gunners of this world then that needs to be there wek in week out, like it is for Henry 

[blind]

i think that if the owen contract is not sorted by the start of next season he will go in Jan for a fraction of his worth. I also think he is concerned about his own possition as we seem to be linked with most strikers at the moment and not ones who will be happy playing second fiddle to owen like poor old Heskey has had to.
With the arrival of Cisse i think we could see the departure of Owen as they are a bit too simalar in the way that they play and we will be in the same situation as we were with Robby fowler and Owen, Two very good strikers who just found it very difficult to play together.

Hope i'm wrong:blues:

[Paul C]

Like he said he isn't in it for the money and wants to win things and I think he's talking about a league medal, wiether thats in the Premier, La Liga, or Serie A I dunno but he must be thinking are Liverpool going to get there.

That interview didn't change my thoughts at all cos he isn't exactly going to come out and say 'yeah I'm going to leave in the summer' is he, McManaman said all this and look what happened, I know Macca is a money hungry c*nt and Owen isn't but if he doesn't sign (for whatever reason) we'll have to sell him. 

[dawson99]

Owen wont go for a free, hes said himself it would be amicible if he did leave. the money from thailand is a big step towards being able to get the players we deserve. Now as long as we got a manager who can spend it wisely

[anfieldadorer]

... and it also depends much on the result of game vs Newcastle 

[blind]

Owen wont go for a free, hes said himself it would be amicible if he did leave. the money from thailand is a big step towards being able to get the players we deserve. Now as long as we got a manager who can spend it wisely

we need some good wingers and a player of Gerrards quality for when Gerrard is injured or suspended because we loose all our drive with out him.

[ICE-MAN]

owen will definitely not leave on a free are you people who believe he will stupid? he said he would never do that, mcmanaman never came out and said this so dont compare the two of them! he will sign a contract in the summer committing for one or two more years onto his current contract, which runs out summer 2005, so his new contract will kepp until 2006 or 2007, this is good news and he is ambitious and he is basically saying we better get the finger out and start challenging for the league and champions league, he said he wants to see where were going in other words who are we gonna buy, decent players or wasters, its crunch time of rhoullier now with regards of tactics to supply owen and decent players that he brings in!

i think this is good news as its a bit of a kick up the a#se for houllier and the board to get things going again and be fresh in our approach to transfers and tactics!

i dont agree with 'blind' that owen is worried about his position up front with cisse coming, he is hardly gonna want 9 great players and a s##t strike partner to make im look better, cisse is more direct than owen and will hel;p his game even more, there are similar in terms of pace and they score goals thats it, but cisse has more of a presence round the box as in he is bigger and prob stronger so he will be doing the aerial flick on's if needs be!
hullier will not have owen and cisse fighting for one place, he said himself the partnership of the two of them will be awesome and i believe so too! we just need a right midfielder a centre midfield to play with gerrard, and then a brilliant pacey centre back, we have the quality every where else!

let me know what you think?   

[Paul C]

I agree with the Cisse thing cos I think him and Owen will/would do well together

McManaman didn't say he wasn't going to leave but he did say he was in talks with Liverpool and he was sure he would sign another contract and then the back stabber turns up at John Lennon airport with a Real Madrid pinbadge on his lapel.

I hate McManaman, c0cky b3stard!! 

[blind]

i dont agree with 'blind' that owen is worried about his position up front with cisse coming, he is hardly gonna want 9 great players and a s##t strike partner to make im look better, cisse is more direct than owen and will hel;p his game even more, there are similar in terms of pace and they score goals thats it, but cisse has more of a presence round the box as in he is bigger and prob stronger so he will be doing the aerial flick on's if needs be!
hullier will not have owen and cisse fighting for one place, he said himself the partnership of the two of them will be awesome and i believe so too! we just need a right midfielder a centre midfield to play with gerrard, and then a brilliant pacey centre back, we have the quality every where else!

let me know what you think?   

i think you may be onto something hopfully but what i was trying to say is that with Heskey Owen has that foil for flick ons etc but because of Heskey's selfless nature he has not put himself in those possitions very often and he needs to learn to just shoot at the goal more because if he stays or he goes he will always be judged on goals not his fantastic work rate and the fact that he runs his a** off for the team and all he gets in the media and from certain groups of supporters that he is cr#p and should go.

Owen and Cisse though i think especially at first will have the problem of making the same runs off the ball lots as thier understanding of each other builds.but it could go either way, look at what was said when Heskey came to lfc it was the same hype. Cisse is the rreal deal but its a case of will it work.
If it does then god help goalies.

[ICE-MAN]

god help goalies indeed, i do believe cisse will score more goals he has been the top scorer in france for the past three seasons, he's suspended for the euro2004 so he will be fresh and get a good preseason into him so he should be on fire come august! i agree there was a lot of hype with heskey coming but he didnt score goals at leicester either he had one or two it was just his presence that made people sit up and take note!

i believe cisse is the right man for owen and they will hit it off together, houllier should move them in together into that big house owen had built!