Michael Owen returning to Liverpool

#15

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/26/michael-owen-liverpool-carragher-testimonial

Michael Owen is to pull on the colours of Liverpool for the first time since leaving the club six years ago after agreeing to brave a potential backlash from Manchester United's supporters by playing for his old team in Jamie Carragher's testimonial match. Owen, reviled by some Liverpool fans after crossing one of the game's oldest divides, is said to be uncertain of the reaction he will get from the Anfield crowd but does not have great expectations considering the abuse when he returned last season for the first time since joining their rivals at Old Trafford.


The former England striker has given his word to Carragher, however, that he will play in the match at Anfield on Saturday week, swapping the red of United for that of the team where he began his career. Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, has given him permission to play for 45 minutes and Owen will be in attack for a Liverpool XI taking on an Everton XI.


Carragher has also persuaded Jamie Redknapp, Danny Murphy, Jason McAteer and Emile Heskey to play, but he had told Owen he would understand if he thought it was too delicate for him politically bearing in mind the rivalry between Liverpool and United.


There is also the distinct possibility that United's fans will not be too impressed about one of their players being willing to wear a Liverpool shirt, especially with their first encounter of the season to follow only two weekends later.


Owen, though, regards Carragher as one of his closest friends in football and the organisers hope the goodwill felt towards the long-serving Liverpool defender will persuade the Anfield crowd to go easy on their former player and maybe even demonstrate some warmth and appreciation for a man who scored over 200 goals for the club in eight years and has been described by Steven Gerrard as "the best striker in the history of Liverpool Football Club." Nonetheless, it is understood Owen will be given his own security on his way to and from the stadium.

Could be a controversial one. :eek:

flahavaj

Thread is gonna be epic.

Professey Chin

Dear god, car & can open,worms everywhere,the mess!

deisedude

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

Dear god, car open,worms everywhere,the mess!

Why do you have worms in your car?:D

Professey Chin

deisedude wrote: »

Why do you have worms in your car?:D

No can can contain this alone!we need the car :pac:

Eire-Dearg

What would be even better was if Carra played a few minutes with Everton, after supporting them as a boy.

Xavi6

He'll do anything for a game at this stage.

citytillidie

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

What would be even better was if Carra played a few minutes with Everton, after supporting them as a boy.

And in his book he said he has no longer any love for them

Jazzy

i dont mind. its all in aid of jamies charity anyway and if it makes that more money then all the better

newballsplease

He will be Boo'ed by siome Liverpool fans when he plays.... and maybe by some Utd fans when he plays for Utd again.


He should just move to leeds

5starpool

That has been common knowledge for months.

super_furry

Does anyone even care about Michael Owen now? The Liverpool fans never warmed to him even when he was in his pomp, and he's a shadow of the player he was then now. It's not like he was ever really considered a local hero.

He might be booed but it'll be a half-hearted, circus villian kind of booing and really, no-one cares about him. Manchester United fans might be annoyed, but even they never took to him. He'll probably be subjected to a few more bouts of 'You Scouse bastard from them', but even then, he won't care.

So, to sum it up, no-one cares.

starviewadams

Meh,it's a testimonial,doubt many people going to it will bother giving Owen serious grief,United fans probably wont care too much either,he hardly ever plays for them anymore.

If he was banging in the goals for United it would be a different story,but under these circumstances no one will really care.

Yakult

Cant wait to watch that on tv

FearDark

Maybe, just maybe Owen shouldnt do these type of things until he is retired...

FearDark

Hang on, Jamie Carraghers testimonial... in September, for a Liverpool team that really could do without this right now... and he surely has a few years left to play too.

Wtf?

5starpool

International break weekend.

Xavi6

5starpool wrote: »

International break weekend.

So Jamie is absolutely sure he doesn't want to be part of that then?

therokerroar

Can't say I give a **** to be honest.

therokerroar

super_furry wrote: »

So, to sum it up, no-one cares.

Excellent point.

Mister men

He's still playing football?

Sappy404

I doubt he'll get anything more than an initial boo from some of the crowd, with the odd song sung at him I'd say. I doubt many people will be taking this match seriously enough to do anything more.

Liam O

I for one am outraged :mad:
not really though

Nailz

Not bothered to be honest.

MagicMarker

WTF is he having a testimonial for?

Who are they playing?

Nailz

MagicMarker wrote: »

WTF is he having a testimonial for?

Who are they playing?

Kimono-Girl

Does this not interfere with Fergie considering he is always saying " no player will ever play for Liverpool after Man utd"

PiE

No worms will escape the can over a testimonial match where all the proceeds are going to charity.

Good effort at trying to stir it though.

#15

PiE wrote: »

No worms will escape the can over a testimonial match where all the proceeds are going to charity.

Good effort at trying to stir it though.

:rolleyes:

mike65

LOL I bet nothing happens and then he scores a goal. If he does there will be just a moments silence as 40,000 people remember the good old days and then a polite round of applause.

jenno86

candlelover wrote: »

Does this not interfere with Fergie considering he is always saying " no player will ever play for Liverpool after Man utd"

Ince?

mike65

Incy was at Inter Milan inbetween so maybe that doesn't count

ShooterSF

More importantly is Southall playing for the Everton XI?

Nailz

ShooterSF wrote: »

More importantly is Southall playing for the Everton XI?

Yeah I actually wouldn't mind watching the game if he's in goal.

Third_Echelon

From what i've read, carragher wanted players that are still playing or have just recently finished playing so it is a competitive enough match.

Players are given a testimonial by clubs after 10 seasons.... They don't have to be retired or retiring etc.

Guy:Incognito

Could this not have been played a few weeks back and even doubled up as a pre season game? Playing it a few weeks in to the season when seems like a poor choice for players still playing.



If ever a man deserves a testamonial its Carra though.

Xavi6 wrote: »

So Jamie is absolutely sure he doesn't want to be part of that then?

I think you mean is Cappello sure he really doesnt need him and ask him to play.

ShooterSF wrote: »

More importantly is Southall playing for the Everton XI?

They might need to let out the goalposts a bit to fit him in.

Third_Echelon

Stekelly wrote: »

Could this not have been played a few weeks back and even doubled up as a pre season game? Playing it a few weeks in to the season when seems like a poor choice for players still playing.



If ever a man deserves a testamonial its Carra though.

I would imagine that most players would be away on their own pre-seasons with their various clubs...

Its an international break anyway

greendom

The controversy for me is why are multi-millionaires awarded testimonials in the first place ? I can understand it at lower levels where wages are a lot lower or in the past when players weren't making millions per year. Unless he gives the lot to charity I really don't agree with them at all.

mike65

Well Carra won't see a penny of his.

Third_Echelon

greendom wrote: »

The controversy for me is why are multi-millionaires awarded testimonials in the first place ? I can understand it at lower levels where wages are a lot lower or in the past when players weren't making millions per year. Unless he gives the lot to charity I really don't agree with them at all.

He is....

Do people not read threads anymore?

CantGetNoSleep

i'm gonna ring joe duffy about this, i'm furious

x in the city

they should bring back mcmamanamanamania while they are at it and sell Gerrard to Everton.

a full cycle...

Guy:Incognito

Even if he wasnt giving it to charity what would be the problem. His money , his choice. Players are entitled to a testimonial, just like they are entitled to bonuses etc. The fatc they already have money is irrelevant.

greendom

Third_Echelon wrote: »

He is....

Do people not read threads anymore?

Well I read the article and the first and 3rd page - sorry PIE, I missed your post

greendom

Stekelly wrote: »

Even if he wasnt giving it to charity what would be the problem. His money , his choice. Players are entitled to a testimonial, just like they are entitled to bonuses etc. The fatc they already have money is irrelevant.

Not to me- I don't argue with the money/bonuses they earn but the idea behind testimonials was to give a long serving player a decent send-off, bearing in mind that they had played football since leaving school and were going to have to find a new career. Today's players have earned so much by the time they stop playing that they can retire to the golf course if they want. Testimonials are just pointless. Fair play to him for giving to charity though

Guy:Incognito

greendom wrote: »

Not to me

So should they stop being allowed earn anything over a base wage once they hit a certain level of wealth? I fail to see how a testimonial is anythign more than another bonus? One which is earned more than most bonuses too btw, it rewards loyalty.

greendom wrote: »

, bearing in mind that they had played football since leaving school and were going to have to find a new career. Today's players have earned so much by the time they stop playing that they can retire to the golf course if they want. Testimonials are just pointless.

The point of honouring the player for service still stands. Even moreso today in a world where players move around clubs more often than the rest of us change jobs. Loyalty and long service is becoming a thing of the past. So the only issue that remains is the money raised and in the last few years all top players give it to charity, money the charities otherwise wouldnt have.

So the player gets his sendoff and a show of appreciation fromt he club and fans, while the charity gets a nice boost.

v3ttel

Personally, not bothered at all.

However, I do think is a silly choice for him. No doubt, he will get grief when he arrives at Anfield for being a United player, and he will get grief from the United fans for pulling on a Liverpool shirt. Lose-Lose for him.

Raekwon

I see Heskey is playing too..........hopefully this is part of a cunning plan by Villa to terminate his contract

ShooterSF

If Heskey or Owen got injured, randomness forbid, I'd imagine the tabloids will have a field day.

joe123

Michael Owen can **** off the little mercenary. He cares about one thing and that's himself.