by JBG » Tue Jul 05, 2005 12:48 pm
Correct me here if I'm wrong, but I think I have a precedent of SFX doing this before.
Sometime in the 2002/03 season....or in the close season after it, Liverpool attempted to get Michael Owen to enter into contract talks. SFX were Owen's advisors. Owen did not want to be rushed into the talks. He spoke in general terms of wanting to stay with Liverpool but I think he had a few doubts and considered in general terms the idea of playing abroad. However, I do think that Owen was swaying more to staying at Liverpool than going.
People might remember this at the time. Steven Gerrard had signed a new contract the previous November and he was urging Owen to do the same in the spring of 2003, despite Liverpool's poor form. However, Owen did not want to be rushed into doing anything, although he did reassure Liverpool that he would not walk out on a Bosman.
Then, out of the blue, SFX announced that Owen was considering leaving Liverpool and he would not sign a new contract. I know in hindsight this is what eventually happened, but this particular incident occured a full YEAR before Owen eventually left. Owen was outraged, and he sacked SFX, claiming that they had no authority to make the statement, and instead he appointed his dad Terry as his advisor.
I might be wrong with the dates but SFX definitely put a foot wrong with Owen that time.
Jolly Bob Grumbine.