Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owenis a former English footballer who played as a striker for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, as well as for the England national team. He is a regular pundit and co-commentator on BT Sport football coverage, and sometimes appears on BBC's Match of the Day as a pundit. Since retiring from football, he has become a successful racehorse breeder and owner...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionSoccer Player
Date of Birth14 December 1979
CityChester, England
If you look at anyone at the top of their profession, there has to be something a little bit different. Some of the top musicians are quirky aren't they, to say the least. You have to be driven, cold, hard and mentally tough as iron. My missus thinks I'm a bit weird.
I find it hard to say no to people.
I'd love to go and I'd love to play for my country and go to a World Cup again. I've got to accept I'm not in the current squad and just think, 'If I get it, it's a bonus and I'll give it everything.' But it's hard to do when you've been thinking a different way all your life.
I wanted to get back to the Premiership,
At 18 to 20, I was probably one of the quickest things around, at the peak of my powers.
There's not a whole lot of difference to what we normally play,
I would like to think that if I stop playing in three, four, five years time, whatever it may be, that I would still be involved in football and still have that as my profession. It is my passion and what I know.
I will try to read a couple of papers!
I'm here and I've signed a four-year contract. The one thing I will guarantee is goals.
What would happen to me if I stayed at Madrid? How much would I miss European football if I signed for Newcastle?
I don't set myself targets. Last season I scored hat-trick against Wolfsburg and three days later, that was forgotten, you're about to be judged again. When you've done well, you don't want another game, you just want to feel great. When you've done badly, you can't wait for another chance to come.
I am sure some people will say John or Steve are more obvious skippers but I like to think that I have people's respect.
One thing I will guarantee you is goals.
On the journey home from those talks, my mind was spinning,