Self confidence has never been a problem for Michael Owen.
We remember when he first appeared for Liverpool, playing in the fall of 1997, when he started scoring goals as a 17 year-old, and in one particular game, grabbed the ball to take a Liverpool penalty so nobody else could take it – he scored.
But Michael is also mentally tough and this seems to have stood him in good stead over the last two injury plagued years.
Michael Owen – scoring on Wednesday night against Russia
Michael told the People today:
“Only a fool would have said ‘he won’t come back as good as he left the pitch’. “Obviously, if there were any fools out there then they’ll get proved wrong. I’ve always been strong mentally – even when I went down on the pitch against Sweden.â€
“I’ve been to the best surgeon in the world and the best rehab. I’ve come back and I’d like to think that I’m every bit as good as when I left.â€
“The 10 days with England and the 10 days before that with Newcastle have gone really well.†“To start the season like this is obviously fantastic for both teams and myself.”
We feel that Michael has also benefitted from the new training and fitness regime Sam Allardyce has put in place at Newcastle. It’s not by accident that Bolton Wanderers always had less injuries than any other premiership team while Sam was there. Sam puts as much time and effort into work to prevent injuries to his players, than anything else. That should do Newcastle a world of good this season after their appalling injury record over the last few seasons.
Michael continued:
“You finish a game and want to go and have a few beers and celebrate – but nowadays no one does that.†“You just shake hands and enjoy it for 10 minutes but then straight away your mind is on the next game.â€
“You want to make sure you’re not too stiff and everything else. I have an ice bath, massage and then stretch.†“To live the life of a footballer or any other sportsman you have to make a lot of sacrifices.â€
“You have to do everything the right way because, if you don’t, there are people out there that will get an advantage on you. Anything that I do is with the next game in mind.”
Michael is very confident ahead of tomorrow night’s game that Newcastle have at bottom placed Derby County as he continued:
“When you’re scoring goals you expect to score the next chance you get.†“It is a wonderful thing you wish you could bottle up and have it all the time.†“But if I play poorly on Monday then everyone will say that I’m rubbish again. But that’s the top and bottom of it.â€
“People forget about your last good game and focus on the poor one you have just had. Suddenly, your place is in doubt.â€
“That is probably why footballers get paid a lot. There is pressure on you sleeping, let alone when you’re playing.”
A win by Newcastle can see them in 3rd place in the league on Monday night after their best league start for 10 years. If Michael can remain fit this season it will be a tremendous boon to the new management team at Newcastle, which apart from Big Sam includes new chairman Chris Mort, owner Mike Ashley and a host of new faces Sam has brought into the Newcastle back-room staff.
If Newcastle can indeed keep Michael injury free – and the new players in the squad keep playing as well as they have started – then Newcastle could surprise a lot of teams this season.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
4 comments so far
Aussie geordie
Sep 16, 2007 at 1:29 PM
Comment #1We need to put some past Derby this week. Use Martins up front and bring on Owen if needed at the end. Save him for Arsenal along side Martins. Playing away with fabregas playing the way he is our only hope is that Arsene rests a few players and we can smash a few home early on so that any hope of a late recovery is banished. We had problems with games like this last year where we did not turn up to play thinking we would get a wlak in the park. This is a must win because if we lose any ‘suprise’ win against chelsea, man u or liverpool away will be making up for lost ground not making any on the big boys.
Toon Chicken
Sep 16, 2007 at 1:52 PM
Comment #2Eh?
The black in the blacknwhite
Sep 16, 2007 at 6:39 PM
Comment #3i know what you meant, I m sure BS as getting them mentally right, we can not drop off, we must remain focused for the 90mins.
I hope Owen and Martins start- look to kill the game off by 60mins, then bring on amoebi Viduka- if not start with martins and then bring on a fresh and deadly Owen for the last 30mins.
what do you lot think of this Taylor business, in my opinion, people shouldnt get to big for their boots, he is good, a future a captain, but he has to earn it, especially if we are to challenge, and for his father, I dont think he doing his son any favours, I remember when the captaincy was vacant, and there was those stupid rumours about taylor being made captain, i think we aqll know who was leading that fed into the media
ANYWAY damn the Politics, Lets maintain our unbeaten start with a convincing win against derby
Dingo
Sep 17, 2007 at 6:45 AM
Comment #4A win will take us 4th btw Ed…