Michael Owen admits he doesn’t really feel welcome at former membership Liverpool – twenty years after his Anfield exit.
Owen joined Liverpool aged simply 12 and went on to interrupt into the primary workforce in 1997 earlier than quickly changing into a daily within the England squad.
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The 44-year-old, who win six main honours in Merseyside, stays the membership’s seventh-highest scorer having fired in a formidable 158 targets in 297 video games for the Reds.
Owen’s exploits on Merseyside noticed him scoop the Ballon d’Or in 2001 – the final Englishman to raise the coveted award.
He left the membership in 2004 for the brilliant lights of Actual Madrid for a charge of £8million which additionally noticed Antonio Nunez transfer in the other way.
Owen returned to the Premier League 12 months later to affix Newcastle, nevertheless it was his subsequent vacation spot that prompted uproar amongst Liverpool followers.
A free agent on the time, Owen penned a contract with Liverpool’s bitter rivals Manchester United in 2009 and went on to raise the Premier League title below Sir Alex Ferguson in 2011.
His relationship with Liverpool has since soured past restore in consequence, with Owen admitting it’s painful for him each time he returns to the membership.
“I don’t really feel as if I’m welcomed or liked and it bloody hurts, so I want to keep away from it,” Owen advised The Athletic.
He additionally admitted that his coronary heart nonetheless ‘busts with delight’ each time he approaches Anfield.
Owen additionally declared that his plan in the end by no means got here to fruition along with his concept being to expertise Madrid for a season or two earlier than returning to Anfield – very like the trodden path of Ian Rush after his stint at Juventus within the Eighties.
However Owen rapidly discovered that his choices had been swiftly snatched away from him, particularly when Newcastle got here calling with a hefty bid.
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“Actual Madrid is a glamour membership, however I by no means had any ideas or desires about enjoying for them,” he defined.
“Once I obtained wind of their curiosity, I had combined feelings. There was delight {that a} membership like that was concerned about me. There was an intrigue, I suppose.
“I tossed and turned for practically per week from the second I heard in regards to the curiosity and determined to go.
“I spoke to the supervisor (Rafa Benitez) and I spoke to Rick Parry (chief govt). It was like, ‘Let’s agree I’ll do a yr or two then I’ll come again.’
“Subconsciously, that was what I wanted, reassurance. I didn’t actually need to go away — Liverpool was my membership. However I additionally questioned whether or not I’d find yourself regretting it if I didn’t attempt it.”
After leaving St James’ Park in 2009, Owen was handed two respected choices as he bid to get his profession again on monitor after a succession of accidents.
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Except for Manchester United’s curiosity, the ex-England worldwide held talks with Liverpool’s metropolis rivals Everton.
As a former Purple, Owen was tasked with both retiring or selecting the lesser of each evils, understanding that his Anfield status can be in tatters regardless of which choice he took.
Recalling the transfer to Outdated Trafford, Owen defined that the lure of trophies and dealing below Ferguson was too troublesome to show down.
“Two days after getting back from a gathering with Everton supervisor David Moyes, I used to be simply having a quiet day at dwelling when Nicky Butt’s identify appeared on my cellphone,” Owen mentioned beforehand.
“‘Be ready, Sir Alex goes to offer you a name,’ he mentioned. ‘OK,’ I replied. ‘Yeah. I feel he desires to signal you,’ Nicky advised me.
“I could not imagine it. I legged it to the lounge and advised Louise. My head was spinning on the considered an opportunity to be at a membership the place profitable trophies was the norm.
“Huge video games, Champions League, 75,000 followers for each sport — we had been each buzzing.
“For the subsequent hour I actually sat in my corridor looking at my cellphone then, unexpectedly, it rang. It was a non-public quantity. I do not usually reply these, however this time was an exception.
“I let it ring for 5 – 6 seconds earlier than answering. It was him. After just a few pleasantries, Sir Alex invited me to his home the subsequent day.
“I hardly slept. Aware of constructing a very good first impression, I selected my garments fastidiously and drove there early, parked in some grocery store automotive park half a mile from his home and sat there fifteen minutes earlier than the appointed time.
“Arriving ten minutes early was the goal. I used to be determined to impress him in each approach. I drove to his home and pressed the buzzer.
“Clearly I knew him given our shared curiosity and connections in horse racing, so we in all probability spent extra time speaking about racing than soccer in that first assembly.
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“Unusually, I do not assume he ever instantly mentioned that he wished to signal me. It was simply assumed on each side.
“I left understanding that I used to be in all probability about to develop into a Manchester United participant. Tony Stephens, my agent, hadn’t even spoken to David Gill.”
Owen went on to attain 17 targets in 52 video games for Manchester United, profitable the Premier League title and League Cup throughout his three-year spell.
