Michael Owen fears for his own safety and asks Amazon to remove him from punditry duties for the Newcastle United game its been reported.
Owen came through the youth ranks at Liverpool, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2001, before going on to leave the club and sign for Real Madrid in 2004.
However, a constant string of injuries meant that he never hit the heights he would have liked at the Bernabeu and before long departed and head straight back to England.
The 42-year-old has previously admitted that he wanted to return to Liverpool, but instead he signed for Newcastle in 2005.
He went on to spend four years at St James’ Park, scoring 30 goals in 79 appearances, however was part of the team that got relegated to the Championship in the 2008/09 season.
The ex-footballer turned pundit has admitted that he was down to work for for Amazon’s coverage of a Newcastle match earlier this month, but asked to be removed because he feared for his well-being.
“As soon as I left, everyone hated me. But I never, ever felt that when I was there – I felt love, be that around the city, the pub or wherever,’ Owen told the Daily Mail .
“I was supposed to do the game against Norwich last month. I phoned Amazon and said, ‘I don’t really want to go, I’m scared for my safety’, so they changed my game.
“I wish it was different. I would love to ask the fans, “Why don’t you like me?”, and have the chance to give my side.
“Of course, I get some of the reasons. The worst thing I did was buy a helicopter for my family to travel up and down. It’s a s*** perception.
“People had this impression I was flying home after training each day. I wasn’t. I loved the area. But perception wise, it was an own goal. I would change that.
“Then there were the injuries. I never wanted to be injured, but the one that set it all off was putting my boot in for Newcastle at Spurs on New Year’s Eve in 2005 and breaking my foot. I then went to the World Cup and did my knee.
“It was a nightmare – for me, the fans, the club.
“I was gutted, because when I first signed we were flying. We were bottom of the league but shot up the table. Me and Al (Shearer) were scoring loads of goals and loving life.
“I know I’ve said I wanted to join Liverpool instead of Newcastle. I did, I won’t hide that. The same way Alan wanted to sign for his team, Newcastle, ahead of Man United.
“But if I didn’t want to go to Newcastle that much, I wouldn’t have bloody signed. I still chose Newcastle over Real Madrid. I wanted to play with Shearer in front of those fans, and I have some great memories. Scoring two against Sunderland, banging them in with (Mark) Viduka and (Obafemi) Martins under Kevin Keegan.
“But the last season was a disaster, for everyone. It could have been so different, and I really wish it had of been.”
Twitter users reacted as Michael Owen fears for own safety and asks Amazon to remove him from being a pundit for a recent Newcastle game…
@neilTheMagpie: @themichaelowen knows exactly why we hate him. Country before club, issuing the ‘brochure’ before the end of the relegation season, trying to avoid injury in case it affected him getting a move, feigning injury to avoid playing. Anything else I can help you with?
@Marky_Marc77: ‘I’d rather sit on the bench for a successful club, than play in a team battling relegation’ Was a personal favourite.
@agbnufc_: Feared for his safety based on what? Have we ever attacked or assaulted an ex player before? Then again, people think shouting ‘cabbage head’ is abuse in this day and age.
@Brady1892: I think he knows damn well why the fans don’t like him, probably says it all that a man of Shearers calibre hasn’t spoken to him since. When you treat a club like rubbish, fans tend not to forget those kind of people.
@LLagay2011: Hmm nothing to do with downing tools when we needed him most in fear of not getting another contract along with slagging off the fans in his book? That would probably do it
@RealLeeAnderson: Maybe because he refused to play in a relegation fight incase he got injured and wouldnt get his move away. Maybe because he jumped as soon he could. Maybe because every interview he had was about his horses and not Newcastle United…….
@EuanAnd23549873: We needed 1 goal to stay up in 2008/2009 and he came on and jogged around the pitch and looked disinterested. That’s why I don’t like him #nufc
@KrisJ1111: Let’s be honest, he saw #nufc as a massive downgrade and resented his decision to come. He never bought into the club, the fans, the passion. He is confusing ‘safety’ for ‘criticism’. This is what he fears
@ISimpson73: Feigned injury to play golf or spend time at his stables, the thing was everyone at SJP knew what he was doing, only Shearer was prepared to do anything.
@Magpie7712: I know he didn’t injure himself on purpose and when he actually played he was good for us. But he refused to play as we were fighting for survival and slated the club after he left. And now he wonders why he’s not liked?
@kingstonbob01: Happy to take £100k a week though. Remember him on crutches walking outside SJP few days after foot injury at Spurs. All he talked about was getting fit for the WC then 10 mins into the second game he snapped his ACL. Not surprised as he wasn’t fit and shouldn’t have gone.
@ToonArmyToronto: Yup we all hate you here in Canada too @themichaelowen even though we are renowned for our polite nature. Disliked by every fan of every team you ever played for, quite the achievement.
@cufettes: That’s typical Owen. How dare he throw a statement out there like that. We are not hooligans or a danger to anyone. I was it was different too and that when we bailed him out of Spain and paid him £120k a week he repaid us with loyalty and effort. #NUFC #SAD
@mumba88: Dear Michael,
We don’t wish it was different. You are a selfish, spineless coward who treated our club like dirt.
You are also a terrible pundit Reversed hand with middle finger extended
Regards
Loyal #nufc fan
@NufcNorthWales: In a parallel universe he stayed with us in the Championship, earned respect, and this isn’t even a discussion. I mean, he soiled his Liverpool reputation going to Man U as well. What was he thinking?!
@fans_toon: Is this guy for real! … He NEVER wanted to come to #nufc. we payed him obscene amounts of money and he wouldn’t even stay in the area. Helicoptered himself about like a rock star, faked injuries to get another move, then left us immediately despite us standing by his injuries
@toonlad9: Is he fucking stupid? I don’t really dislike that many former players but I despise him, full of self importance and couldn’t give a toss about the club or its supporters
@NUFCEddie: Massively disingenuous of him, of course he knows why this is. He blatantly didn’t give a monkeys about playing for us, feigned injury when we needed him most to avoid picking one up so that he’d be available to sign on elsewhere. He’s still trying to take us all for fools
@mattjupton: I wonder why, Michael. I wonder why.. Didn’t play for NUFC when not injured to betray his ‘mate’ and went to ‘his clubs’ arch rival and played for them. Not rocket science is it..?
April 2019 he was at SJP for BT Sport. #nufc pic.twitter.com/DkynAwuEQv
— Ginger Pirlo (@TheGingerPirlo_) December 18, 2021
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