Michael Owen going to Manchester United?
There is a report by the website, www.independent.ie, that Michael Owen might go to Manchester United on a free transfer. His signup with MU is with the condition that Owen can prove that he is truly fit.
Michael is without a club since his contract ended with relegated Newcastle end of June 2009.
I for one would like to see Owen be given a chance to be what he used to be, a striker that produces goals. It will be sad if he ended up with some lowly Premier League club. Eveyone believe Michael Owen thrived in the spotlight with clubs that are top flight.
You can read the full article in the website link above.
Related Posts:
Sunderland hasn’t decide on the Manager
Sunderland are playing a waiting game in their search for a new manager.
Wigan Athletic have told Steve Bruce he is free to talk to the Black Cats after initial contact was made to discuss a compensation package.
However, the Wearsiders are yet to take up the opportunity to meet the 48-year-old as they consider the financial implications of a move which could cost them between £3m and £5m.
In addition, they are understood to have received a deluge of applications for the post vacated by Ricky Sbragia within minutes of Sunday’s 3-2 home defeat by Chelsea as results elsewhere ensured the club’s continued presence in the Premier League.
Chairman Niall Quinn admitted at the weekend that he had not even heard of some of those who had put themselves forward for the job when Roy Keane resigned in December.
However, there are several high-profile candidates this time around and while Bruce is among them, the cost of easing him out of Wigan means his appointment is far from a certainty.
For those reasons, no decision is imminent and the search seems certain to go on into next week.
Bruce remains a hot favourite with the bookmakers, with Ladbrokes quoting him as a 2/7 shot at the head of a field which also includes Gordon Strachan, Slaven Bilic and Sven-Goran Eriksson, with Croatia coach Bilic also figuring high in the betting for the job vacated by Strachan at Celtic, where Tony Mowbray is the man for the bookies.
Quinn, backed by new owner Ellis Short, is determined to recruit a big name to build the club’s profile once again – they were catapulted into the headlines at home and abroad when they managed to recruit Roy Keane in August 2006 – and more importantly, establish the club in the top half of the Barclays Premier League.
Sunderland stayed up by just two points at the end of last season having targeted a much better return, and with Short once again funding a summer recruitment drive, they will hope to banish fears of relegation once and for all.
However, the Irish-American billionaire had insisted he will not spend unnecessarily having been dismayed with some of the signings the club made during the last close-season, with Pascal Chimbonda and El-Hadji Diouf lasting only six months at the Stadium of Light.
It appears that value-for-money approach will extend to the hunt for a new manager too with the Black Cats weighing up the cost of a compensation package which could colour their decision.
Related Posts:
Will Alan Shearer take up Newcastle offer?
Newcastle United were still attempting to finalise a deal to secure Alan Shearer as their manager on Friday afternoon.
Owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias are keen to come up with a package which will persuade Shearer he will have the tools for the job.
However, until agreement is reached, supporters will have to remain patient in anticipation of what will be a crucial decision for the club’s future.
The club has already started to lay off staff – around 150 employees, many of them part-time, had earlier been informed their jobs were in jeopardy.
Shearer has already provided Ashley – whose Sports Direct International business on Thursday sold its directly-owned stake in JJB Sports for a small profit – with an outline of how he would want to approach the job.
He has explained how he would revamp a squad which proved ill-suited to the task of retaining Premier League status, despite a massive wage bill.
Any new manager would have to substantially reduce expenditure on salaries, which currently amounts to more than £70m.
Some big earners will inevitably leave as they look elsewhere for football at the highest level, although the prospect of cashing in on £10m striker Obafemi Martins if the club chose to do so would be hampered by a lingering groin problems which requires further surgery.
Others may have to stay if Newcastle cannot find buyers.
But if Shearer retains the job, the chances of controversial midfielder Joey Barton remaining on board are minimal.
The 26-year-old, a £5.8m signing from Manchester City, has been injured for much of his time at St James’ Park. He has also served a term in jail for common assault and affray, but it was his stand-up row with Shearer in the dressing room at Anfield after he was needlessly sent off in a 3-0 defeat by Liverpool on May 3 which proved the final straw.
Barton was banned from the training ground for the closing weeks of the season, and there is little appetite to see him return for pre-season training on July 1.
It is understood Shearer would look to offload him and his £60,000-plus-a-week wages as a matter of urgency.
Meanwhile, Newcastle full-back Jose Enrique admits he will have to consider any offers which come his way after enduring the longest year of his life.
The 23-year-old Spaniard, who has three years remaining on his contract, expects to resume his career in England in the Coca-Cola Championship following the Magpies’ relegation, but will look at his options.
He told Spanish Sports daily Marca: ”No-one likes to play in the Championship, but I’m only thinking about fulfilling my contract. The team has a great budget and I am sure that if they do things well from the beginning, we can create a team of the level of Aston Villa.
”I like the city and I am very happy in England, but that doesn’t rule out that I will study any offer that could arrive.Today, I see myself playing next season at Newcastle. At the moment, I’m focused on my holidays. It was a bad time for me and I need to relax. It’s been the longest year of my life.”
Whoever does eventually take over will have to drastically re-shape a weak, but expensive squad in an attempt to return to the top flight at the first attempt.
That is certain to mean high-profile departures, but Enrique is confident Shearer is the right man for the job.
He said: ”We have had four coaches this season, and there have been times when we haven’t even had a coach.
”Things have been bad since the first moment, but I hope everything will change for the best.
”I believe that with Alan Shearer on the bench, this change is possible.
”Since September, we could already see that it was going to be an uphill struggle for us.
”There were many big names in the dressing room, but something wasn’t working. There were many bad things from the beginning.
”We only won seven games the whole season and that, for a club like Newcastle, is very bad.
”If they leave Shearer in place, things will change for the better. He is a coach that can do something great for Newcastle, and they have to give him time.
”I think that if they let him work on a long-term project, he can do something very good for this team.”
Related Posts:
Manchester United is 2009 Premier Champion
Manchester United have won the Barclays Premier League title after a goalless draw with Arsenal.
The point gained means nearest challengers Liverpool cannot catch United who have one fixture left to play.
In a lacklustre first half, Robin van Persie went close for the Gunners and Wayne Rooney headed off target for United.
Cristiano Ronaldo went closer to scoring after the break with a free-kick while Cesc Fabregas smacked the post.
However, United only needed a draw to clinch their 11th Premier League crown and celebrated wildly at the final whistle.
Related Posts:
Newcastle get a breather but still not safe from relegation
The Magpies moved out of the drop zone with a 3-1 win over local and relegation rivals Middlesbrough at St James’ Park.
After overseeing his first victory as a manager in what he had described as the biggest match of his career , Shearer ordered his players to enjoy the moment – but not for too long.
Goals from Steven Taylor, and substitutes Obafemi Martins and Peter Lovenkrands, handed the Magpies their first Barclays Premier League win anywhere since 7th February and their first at St James’ Park in 2009.
More importantly, it dragged them out of the bottom three at the expense of Hull City, and sends them into Saturday’s home match with Fulham knowing a repeat could preserve their top-flight status.
However, while delighted to have tasted victory for the first time as a manager at the sixth attempt, Shearer was refusing to take his eye off the bigger picture.
He said: “I have just said to them, ‘Enjoy this tonight, enjoy that winning feeling. You have worked your socks off to get it, now it’s in our hands’.
“I said to them before, ‘It’s been a good weekend, let’s go and make it a great one tonight with the right result’.
“It’s been a great weekend for us – but there are another two weekends to come.
“It’s the first game of three. We asked them to go out and get three points, they have done that.
“The players were magnificent under difficult circumstances. They have got now to go and do that again on Saturday, enjoy that winning feeling and hopefully, there’s another one there on Saturday.
“But it will be just as tough because Fulham are flying themselves.”
The Magpies had to come from behind to see off their derby rivals after conceding within three minutes of kick-off.
There was a touch of misfortune about Boro’s goal as Habib Beye bundled the ball into his own net after Steve Harper had blocked Tuncay Sanli’s shot at point-blank range.
Shearer’s luck was out once again three minutes later when Boro old boy Mark Viduka rattled the upright with keeper Brad Jones beaten, but he did not have to wait long for their equaliser.
Defender Taylor powered a header home from Danny Guthrie’s corner, and the home side looked ready to assume control.
However, Boro refused to let them have it all their own way and worryingly for Shearer, it was they who took control as the game reached the hour-mark, prompting him to withdraw Jonas Gutierrez and Michael Owen and send on Lovenkrands and Martins.
The Nigeria striker had been on the pitch for just 55 seconds when he fired the Magpies in front with 19 minutes remaining, and as Boro rallied once again, Lovenkrands completed the job four minutes from time.
Shearer said: “You make substitutions and hope for them to have an impact but I would be a liar if I said I planned it to be quite that quick.
“Obafemi Martins did everything asked of him, not just with the goal but his overall play. But every single one of the players was magnificent and they all deserve tremendous credit.
“I have just said, ‘Enjoy it, enjoy it lads because we have been in that bottom three for a long time. Enjoy being out of it and let’s make sure we are not back in there again’.
“It is a magnificent feeling and I really believe we will [stay up], but we have won one game.
“Let’s enjoy this, but we have to prepare for Saturday. This victory will give them the confidence which has been lacking and it will give the fans a real lift too.
“There is still a long way to go. I don’t want to sound negative, but it’s one win. We have got to get another two and make sure we are safe.”