SEPTEMBER 1
Owen failed to hold his nerve

Sports View with Echo Sports Editor John Thompson

There's been so much nonsense said and written about Liverpool's interest in Michael Owen it's hard to know where to start.

Firstly it was claimed chief executive Rick Parry had to persuade Rafael Benitez to try and bring him back. Remember Benitez booted Owen out last summer, didn't he?

Then there was chairman David Moores, that power-crazed, interfering bloke renowned for bullying bosses, demanding Benitez rescue him for the sake of scouse sentiment.

Then Liverpool simply weren't big enough to match Newcastle's offer, unlike Freddy Shepherd, who put his money where his mouth was.

Every one a gem. Make no mistake Newcastle, a club in crisis (again) played a blinder to get Owen. Denying the Geordies their moment of triumph in landing a top international who didn't want to go there would be churlish.

Hopefully, though, Sky TV's outside broadcast team will forgive Liverpool fans for not sharing their glee as they stage-managed Owen's self-conscious arrival and beamed out the pictures.

As ever the truth of this farce, like the devil, lies in the detail, not the hype.

And the detail tells you an anguished Michael Owen signed a contract with an escape hatch in it as wide as the Tyne, a clause which he hopes can get him out of there in 12 months.

Not that Shepherd allowed Owen to admit such a thing existed at yesterday's press conference.

So it's been a great week for Newcastle, a brilliant one for Real Madrid, a bad one for Liverpool and a disastrous one for Owen.

But just how did it happen?

Well quite simply, Owen got the jitters when, if rejoining Liverpool was indeed his over-riding ambition, he should have held his nerve. He should have kept faith in Parry and Benitez and let the hard-hitters play their game of poker with Madrid, taking them to the brink and calling their Spanish bluff.

But, by failing to reject Newcastle, we now know Owen took the ace out of Liverpool's hand.

Owen was under extreme pressure on Monday night and Tuesday morning and if he panicked under the weight of it all, maybe it is understandable.

Particularly if his biggest desire was regular football to secure his World Cup place, rather than simply resume his Liverpool career for the next four or five years at least.

He must have known Liverpool were never going to match Newcastle's £16m offer. When it was made public last week, not a single Reds fan suggested they should do so. The club were right to avoid a demeaning public auction for a player they produced and developed over many years.

No, for all the nonsense about Benitez not wanting Owen, the fact remains what always matters most is whether a player really, really wants a club. Liverpool tested Owen's resolve to the limit, and sadly for both it cracked.

He felt he could risk things no longer - and is now the new Alan Shearer. Remember he's that smashing footballer, a model professional, a man who rejected a major suitor for the lure of the Tyne, and a man who doesn't have a single winners' medal to his name in the last nine years.

Liverpool may have wanted Owen, but they have survived pretty well without him for the last 12 months.

You just wish he could have stayed firm at the hour of reckoning.

Because, for all the bizarre personal adulation the Geordies will pour on him, the fact remains when you mix black and white together, you invariably get grey, not silver.

AUGUST 31
The truth behind Owen switch

By Chris Bascombe - Liverpool Echo

Michal Owen sat in his north Wales mansion desperately waiting for the Anfield cavalry to arrive yesterday.

Sadly for him, and thousands of Liverpool supporters desperate to see his return, the Reds were already in the process of retreating from the pursuit of his signature.

Instead, their former striker was dragged, kicking and screaming towards a clause-ridden Newcastle contract.

This was not supposed to be the final scene of the summer's most captivating transfer saga.

Even as Newcastle chairman Freddie Shepherd announced Owen's imminent arrival, the Geordies risked serious embarrassment.

With the St James' Park medical team due to arrive at his north Wales home to complete the formalities, Owen was still waiting for the call from the Anfield hierarchy.

When it came around 11am yesterday morning, the conversation between Owen and Rick Parry confirmed his fears. Liverpool had neither the cash, nor the will, to spend more than £12m to buy him back.

Real Madrid said that wasn't enough while Newcastle's £16m offer was on the table. For Liverpool to sign Owen, he had to publicly reject their offer and reiterate he'd only go to Anfield.

Sending an SOS to Anfield was fine, but without a white flag, surrendering any intention to join Newcastle, it was hopeless.

Sadly, this was a concession Owen felt he couldn't take without a definite assurance his ambition to join Liverpool would be realised.

Liverpool are stunned Owen opted for the Newcastle option given his doubts about the move.

They feel had he held his nerve and flatly rejected a switch North East, Madrid's stance may have softened over the next 24 hours.

When faced with a similar situation a week ago, Milan Baros publicly rebuffed any interest from Lyon and joined Aston Villa for a smaller fee.

Fernando Morientes took the same stance last January when in the wake of Liverpool interest, Newcastle offered more.

Liverpool wanted Owen to repeat Baros and Morientes' tactics. If the Geordies thought they were chasing a lost cause, they'd have to withdraw their bid.

The Reds could then continue negotiations with the Spanish giants in a stronger position. For Liverpool to sign Owen, it had to be a one horse race.

For Owen, the risk was too great. Time was running out. He was told by Madrid there was no prospect of a deal with Liverpool and if he didn't go to Newcastle, he'd be on the sidelines until January.

The shadow of the World Cup loomed large. It seems international ambition overrides a burning desire to return to Anfield and the next six months couldn't be sacrificed.

Owen was determined to maintain contact with Newcastle as a back-up option, but by courting their attention he created a fundamental flaw in Rafael Benitez's plan to get him.

After some horrendous advice, he was even pictured meeting Newcastle officials. Hardly the actions of a man trying to send a signal to Real Madrid he didn't fancy moving to St James' Park..

As Owen strolled around a Northumberland estate on Monday night, he was inadvertently knifing his and Liverpool ' s ambitions through the heart.

Having been set a morning deadline to make his decision, he returned to north Wales resigned to moving to Newcastle.

On Tuesday morning, he was having second thoughts and made a series of frantic phone calls to Anfield officials. Unlike the recent Steven Gerrard case, however, there was nothing Liverpool could do to reassure Owen a u-turn would definitely put him back in a red shirt.

They wanted him to reject Newcastle, but this would only trigger the beginning of more negotiating with Madrid.

Benitez's policy throughout the transfer was based partly on brinkmanship, bluff, and also a test of Owen's much publicised desperation to come home.

The Liverpool boss wasn't convinced by the private messages delivered via friends or journalists.

He demanded a statement from Owen, although when it arrived it hardly dripped with enthusiasm.

Owen's advisors elected to show their client as all things to all men, tellingly citing World Cup ambition above any fervent desire to join Liverpool.

Newcastle's £16m was then instantly made public, deflecting attention from Owen's understated 'come and get me plea' to his former employers.

Madrid refused to negotiate with Liverpool unless they matched Newcastle's offer. The loan deal Liverpool wanted was now out of the question.

As long as Owen rejected Newcastle, the Reds were in the driving seat.

Benitez and Parry met Owen on Monday. There was no clause in a Liverpool contract. Personal terms were not an issue. Difficult negotiations with Madrid were.

Owen was told to reject Newcastle. Instead, he and his advisor Tony Stephens headed north.

For all the sense of deflation at losing a player of Owen's calibre to Newcastle, few will argue the Reds should have matched such a ridiculous offer.

Indeed, the only winners in this saga are Madrid. They've earned 100 per cent profit on a player who wouldn't have played for them this year.

Liverpool have shown their status as European champions hasn't given them the financial muscle to outbid lowly Premiership rivals.

Owen has joined a club against his judgment, despite admitting a week ago he wouldn't do so.

As for Newcastle, they've agreed a strange contract which isn't exactly what it says on the label.

In a year's time, Owen can leave St James' Park for a fee somewhere in the region of what Liverpool were prepared to pay.

The Geordies are laughing now, but they might be celebrating the most expensive loan deal in football history.

AUGUST 31
Owen too expensive, says Benitez

BBC Sport Online

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez says they kept up their efforts to sign Michael Owen from Real Madrid until the last minute but his price was too high.

When it became clear he could leave, Owen said Liverpool were his first choice but Benitez told the club website he could not justify the cost.

"Madrid only ever talked about £16m. We couldn't spend that much money on a player we sold for £8m," he said.

"We even made phone calls early on Tuesday. In the end it was impossible."

Newcastle ended up paying £17m for the 25-year-old England striker, and Benitez said once it became clear they were willing to pay Madrid's asking price, the club were eager for him to join the Magpies.

"They put a lot of pressure on Michael to go to Newcastle because they wanted the money to sign Sergio Ramos. I hoped Michael would say no and then, maybe, we could do something," he said.

"Whenever I was asked about Owen I had to respect the strikers we have at the club.

"We never planned to sell Djibril Cisse but when Madrid kept on telling us they wanted £16m, it was a problem and we had to look at different possibilities.

"We had clubs interested in Djibril, but we made it clear to them we wanted to keep the player."

AUGUST 31
Owen: Liverpool will always be in my heart

Kop Talk

Newcastle United striker Michael Owen says that although he's signed for the Magpies, Liverpool will always remain close to his heart.

His dream return to Anfield was blocked by the Liverpool big cheese who refused to meet Real Madrid's asking price having already spent £7million on Southampton's Peter Crouch. He's now a Newcastle player but he still spoke very highly of his former employers Liverpool.

"I don't think they (Liverpool) need too much comfort (because I've signed for Newcastle)," said Owen. "They're the European champions and they've had great success with a new manager.

"I was at Liverpool a long time and I still have many friends there. Liverpool will always be a part of my life because I played there so long.

"I want to win trophies and play in front of passionate supporters. I love playing the game. It's an exciting club to join. It'll be like the country winning the World Cup when Newcastle win something. I can't wait for it to happen."

He added: "I'm the type of lad that doesnt like a big fuss. I don't like to see my face in the papers. I'm glad it's all finished now.

"I can guarantee that whoever I play for, whatever team I play for, I'll always give 100% and do what I can to win as many games as possible. I guarantee that I'll give it my best shot."

Asked if he had a message for Liverpool fans, Owen said: "Well it's obviously unfortunate for one set of fans. I spoke to Liverpool and unfortunately that deal couldn't come off. That's life. Deals sometimes happen and sometimes don't.

"All I can do now is look to the future at Newcastle and do well in this black and white shirt. It's the way football has always been and always will be."

AUGUST 30
Owen does talking on the pitch

Sporting Life

Michael Owen has always done his talking where it matters - on the pitch.

When it became patently obvious opportunities would be limited at Real Madrid this season, England's leading current goalscorer made the decision to return to the Premiership with Newcastle after a year in Spain.

The 25-year-old now has the chance to prepare for next year's World Cup in Germany, again answering critics who suggested his time on the Real bench made him unsuitable to lead England's attack.

In fact, Owen's career has been spent defying various critics. Every time he has responded with goals.

It is seven years since Owen won his first England cap - becoming the country's youngest international of the 20th century in the process - and since that day in February 1998, Owen has been among the very best at his art.

England boss Glenn Hoddle, however, denounced the Chester-born striker as 'not a natural goalscorer' - which Owen proved wrong when he was handed his first run in the national team.

Even Owen's temperament has been questioned, because of untimely dismissals in the England youth ranks, and against Manchester United while playing for Liverpool in 1998. But these rare rash moments were instantly outweighed by his goal contribution and have been consigned to history.

Owen, indeed, has shrugged off concerns of his extravagant gambling habits, his penalty taking and his apparently weak hamstrings. Such concerns will not matter to current England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, who still sees Owen has his first-choice striker.

Why does Eriksson not opt for Jermain Defoe? Owen is Eriksson's reliable source of goals.

The 2001 European Footballer of the Year is a member of the exclusive Premiership 100 goals club, and has been a consistent scorer for England since his wonder-strike against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup and stands fourth in the all-time scoring list with 32 in 71 caps.

A hat-trick in England's famous 5-1 victory over Germany in Munich was followed by more goals in the 2002 World Cup and the renowned big-stage performer struck again in Euro 2004 with a razor-sharp quarter-final strike against Portugal.

Judging by his England strike-rate Owen's status as a national treasure should be assured, but the rise of Wayne Rooney has seen Owen relegated in the nation's affections.

The Manchester United striker's all-round contribution to England's Euro 2004 effort in the summer catapulted him to worldwide stardom and that, combined with Owen's untimely goal drought, saw Rooney usurp Owen as England's golden boy.

A year ago, beating Bobby Charlton's goals record for England of 49 - long assumed to be Owen's rightful inheritance - appeared in doubt.

At Liverpool he appeared dispensable, but moved to Real Madrid while Djibril Cisse and Milan Baros started the 2004-05 season in the Reds' attack.

Defoe's emergence at Tottenham, and against Poland for the national team, meant Owen's place in Eriksson's starting XI was also under threat.

But just as with the adversity he has often faced - Owen responded in the best way he knows how - with goals.

Eriksson played Owen, Rooney and Defoe against Wales in a World Cup qualifier and Owen had a hand in the opening goal of the 2-0 win.

With Beckham suspended for the clash with Azerbaijan four days later, Owen skippered the team and put in a captain's performance scoring the winner in Baku.

He netted two more in two minutes in the 4-0 win over Northern Ireland and his hat-trick in the friendly against Colombia in New Jersey took him behind only Jimmy Greaves, Gary Lineker and Charlton in the all-time scoring charts.

With a move to Newcastle secured, England and United fans can look forward to watching Owen doing what he does best - scoring goals.

AUGUST 30
Geordies' victory in race for Owen

By Chris Bascombe - Liverpool Echo

Newcastle today won the race to sign Michael Owen.

The Magpies announced the England striker had agreed a four-year deal after Real Madrid accepted the Geordies' £16m offer.

Owen was undergoing a medical today after Liverpool failed with a last ditch attempt to force a u-turn.

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd said: "Bringing Michael to St. James' Park will rank alongside the signing of Alan Shearer as my proudest moment at Newcastle United.

"Michael is a fantastic goalscorer. He's someone we would love to build the team around and we hope he can help us bring success to the club."

Owen spent the night agonising over his future after talks between Liverpool and Real Madrid continued to stall on the issue of the striker's valuation.

The Reds' refusal to pay well beyond what they received a year ago forced Owen into a reluctant agreement with the St James' Park club.

The striker was initially set to reject Newcastle's overtures, but he knew that would give Liverpool less than 48 hours to agree a deal with Madrid.

Real gave him no encouragement an agreement with Anfield officials was a realistic prospect.

The 25-year-old held talks with Liverpool and Newcastle yesterday. Liverpool hoped Owen would hold his nerve today and reject Newcastle at the eleventh hour.

However, Owen is concerned about his international prospects in a World Cup year and apears to have put his England ambitions above his desire to return to Liverpool.

In a twist, Owen's Newcastle deal has a get-out clause for £12m next summer, which could result in him belatedly returning to Anfield in a year.

AUGUST 30
Owen set to complete Magpies move

BBC Sport Online

England striker Michael Owen has agreed to join Newcastle from
Real Madrid.

Owen will have a medical on Tuesday with a view to signing a four-year deal with the Magpies, who are believed to have paid a club record £17m for him.

BBC Sport understands Liverpool may still try to hijack the move before Wednesday's transfer deadline.

But Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd said: "Bringing Michael here will rank alongside the signing of Alan Shearer as my proudest moment at Newcastle."

Owen will join up with the England squad a day late on Wednesday to finalise his future.

A Magpies spokesman said: "The player will undergo a medical on Tuesday afternoon and Newcastle United hope to unveil him at a press conference next week following his return from international duty with England."

If Owen completes his move to Newcastle, his arrival at St James' Park will eclipse the money the club spent in signing Alan Shearer for £15m from Blackburn in July 1996.

The details of his contract with the Magpies are not known but reports suggest there may be various get-out clauses depending on the team's performance.

"It will be a great achievement if we sign Michael," Newcastle manager Graeme Souness told the club's official website.

"In football, the hardest thing to get is someone who puts the ball in the back of the net and Michael is the best at doing that for England.

"I'd say it's the biggest transfer I've been involved in as a manager of any football club."

Owen was left out of Madrid's squad for the first game of their season after falling behind Ronaldo, Raul, Julio Baptista and Robinho in the pecking order at the Bernabeu.

"The transfer is official," said Real Madrid director of football Arrigo Sacchi. "We had an agreement with them and today it has been sealed.

"He is already a player for the English club. Real Madrid have been happy with him and we thank him for all that he has done here. We wish the best for the future.

"He asked to leave because we are in World Cup year and here he was not going to play regularly. We didn't want to let him go and only when a decent offer arrived did we consider selling. We wish him luck and hope all goes well.

"It's clear we have lost something but you can't keep a player when he wants to go. He is one of the best strikers in the world but here we have Robinho, Guti, Raul, Ronaldo and he wasn't going to play much."

Owen travelled to England and met Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez for two-and-a-half hours on Monday before going to Northumberland.

There he met Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd and his son, manager Graeme Souness, captain Alan Shearer and coach Dean Saunders.

Owen had said he would only play for the Magpies on a one-year loan deal but he has been convinced to sign permanently in a coup for the club.

Eriksson reveals Owen concern

The player is England's fourth all-time highest goalscorer with 32 goals and, even though he is suspended for the World Cup qualifier against Wales on Saturday, he should return to play Northern Ireland on 7 September.

Newcastle's fans have been stunned by the striker choosing their club over Liverpool and Ian Gilmour, of the Newcastle United Supporters' Association, said: "I am totally speechless. I cannot believe it, if I am honest with you.

"I thought Owen was going to Liverpool and I am very surprised that he has come to St James' Park."

Owen will bring a proven goalscoring pedigree to a team who have yet to score a Premiership goal so far this season.

He was named European Footballer of the Year in December 2001 and, after 158 goals in 297 games for Liverpool, left for Real Madrid where he scored 16 goals as a bit part player.

Real defender Ivan Helguera said: "He was a great team mate, a very good person and an excellent player.

"It's a shame that he's gone because we thought a lot of him. He did a lot for Real Madrid despite the fact that he was given few minutes on the pitch and last season he made a big difference to the team."

AUGUST 24
Magpies agree record fee for Owen

BBC Sport Online

Newcastle have revealed they have agreed a club record fee with Real Madrid for England's Michael Owen.

Owen, 25, had indicated his desire to rejoin Liverpool but is prepared to join Newcastle on a season-long loan if a move to Anfield cannot be agreed.

But a Newcastle statement said: "Newcastle United have met Real Madrid's asking price and conditions."

Newcastle, whose current record fee is £15m for Alan Shearer, are now waiting to hear from Owen's advisers.

Owen was thought to be available for about £12m, but the Newcastle statement added: "The agreed fee will be a record transfer fee for Newcastle United. It is now up to the player and his adviser."

Madrid have promised to help Owen return home to boost his World Cup hopes.

Owen said: "I said that my ideal situation was to start the season in the Real Madrid team and if not I would prefer to return to Liverpool.

"If the transfer cannot be finalised in time I have agreed to go to Newcastle."

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has said he has no plans to bring Owen back to Anfield.

A club spokesperson told BBC Sport on Wednesday they have no plans to make a statement on "press speculation".

Real Madrid director of communications Antonio Garcia Ferreras confirmed they had not had an offer from Liverpool.

He said: "This morning Real Madrid and Newcastle United have reached the principles of an agreement on the conditions of Michael Owen's transfer to the English club.

"There is still no agreement between Michael Owen and Newcastle. At the moment we have not received any offer from Liverpool."

Owen spent much of his first season at the Bernabeu coming off the bench and the arrivals of Brazilian strikers Robinho and Julio Baptista this summer have seen him slip further down the pecking order.

The former Liverpool star had earlier indicated he was willing to stay and fight for his place, but after talks with president Florentino Perez has now had a change of heart.

He added: "I need to be playing regularly in World Cup year.

"I am most grateful to Senor Perez for his personal concern about my career. I have really enjoyed being part of his Real Madrid team."

Benitez has insisted his main priority is to sign a centre-back and already has Djibril Cisse, Fernando Morientes and Peter Crouch as his frontline strikers.

But Owen's return to Anfield would be welcomed by Liverpool fans, having scored 158 goals in 297 games in his first spell at the club.

Owen finished with 16 goals for Real last season despite being used primarily as a substitute.

On Tuesday Everton manager David Moyes revealed his club had spoken to Owen's representatives, but the player rejected a move to Goodison Park.

Lyon have also expressed an interest in the England striker, but he appears set for a return to England.

MAY 29
My first year in Spain

By Patrick Mccurdy in Madrid - The Independent

Michael Owen must have been filled with mixed emotions as he watched his former Liverpool team-mates celebrate their epic Champions' League victory over Milan on Wednesday.

After all, one of the prime reasons the England striker gave for his decision to exchange what he called the Anfield "comfort zone" for the pressure cooker atmosphere of the Bernabeu was his desire to win trophies.

While Liverpool were revelling in their newly acquired status as Kings of the Continent, Real Madrid were preparing for their final dead-rubber fixture of a second successive trophyless season. But Owen insists he has no regrets about jumping ship to Real at the start of this season. "Maybe I was the problem," he laughs. "But I'm delighted they won. I had a fantastic time at Liverpool. I won the Uefa Cup, the League Cup, the European Supercup and the Charity Shield. Of course the Champions' League is bigger than all that, but I would love to be able to win it with Real Madrid. I'm happy with the decision I took and happy that my mates have won the Champions' League."

There were plenty of people who questioned the England striker's wisdom when he decided to join Real last August, many suggesting he would have to settle for the role of "Galactico" supersub behind Real's big guns Ronaldo and Raul.

Although he may not have won any silverware, the pocket-sized former Liverpool player can still afford to look back on his season with some considerable pride. He has defied the predictions of many and carved out a place in the Real starting line-up and has the satisfaction of knowing that, unlike his old team-mates, his side are guaranteed a place in the next edition of the Champions' League.

Owen managed to convince each one of the three coaches in charge of Real that he deserved his place alongside the Galacticos, he prompted Fernando Morientes to rethink his career and trade places at Anfield, forced club idol Raul to change position and drop back into midfield and pushed a player of the category of Luis Figo on to the bench.

Despite his success, the rumours of an imminent return persist. Manchester United, Newcastle, and even former employers Liverpool are reported to be queueing up to tempt him back to England. But with a creditable tally of 12 league goals from 19 starts, Owen remains in confident mood. The former European Footballer of the Year knows that whatever inner regrets he may have about leaving Liverpool he has done nothing but enhance his personal reputation in his first season with the Spanish giants.

"Unless someone tells me different, then I'm going to report back for duty next season," he says. "I've got three years left on my contract so it's not in my hands. When I'm playing, when things are going great there's no better place to be. It's a massive, massive club."

Although he is keen to stick to the party line when it comes to talking about his future, a season of upheaval at Real has taught him to be prepared for anything. "Normally the speculation only starts if you're not playing, but it's still rife. I've heard I've been linked to virtually every side in the top five or six at some time this year. You can't do anything about it, but if anyone is interested then I'm obviously flattered."

He admits that he found the first few months at the nine-times European champions difficult to deal with. He hardly got to know Jose Antonio Camacho before he threw in the towel and his replacement Mariano Garcia Remon lasted just three months before he was shown the door to make way for former Brazil boss Vanderlei Luxemburgo. "It seemed the first manager [Camacho] was only here for a week or two," Owen says with a bemused shake of the head. "The funny thing was it just seemed normal to everybody else here."

Owen admits that the change of life-style was difficult to deal with, but he is now settled. "I definitely feel more at home now. I'm matey with more people both on and off the pitch. It's no secret that when you move to a new country, it can be difficult at first, but the longer you're here the more you like it.

"There are certain things you miss. In the Premier League there's a lot more passion and noise from the crowd and you're all gritting your teeth before you go out, while it's much more relaxed here. At first I found it difficult waiting when someone gets fouled and the game stops. It's stop-start because there's some rolling around, then a booking and it seemed to take a while to find a rhythm."

Owen believes that the turning point of the season came when England coach Sven Goran Eriksson decided to keep faith despite the fact that he was getting so few minutes at Real. "The thing that swung it was when I had to go back to England to play against Wales and Azerbaijan. I came back here having scored a goal, I was in a different mood and had a different outlook. Then I got one against Kiev, one against Valencia and that was three winning goals on the spin. I think I went seven or eight games scoring, so it went from negative to really positive. The fans took to me, and the newspapers and everyone else changed their tune. So that was the biggest period for me."

Despite his purple patch in November, Owen still had to win the confidence of Luxemburgo when he arrived at the end of the following month. Hammering his point home by coming off the bench and notching up a handful of crucial goals as the team tried to claw back lost ground on Barça, he left Luxemburgo little choice but to drop one of his big-name stars in order to accommodate him.

"As soon as Luxemburgo came in, I was back on the bench and trying to prove myself again just like before. Gradually after a good few games he started playing me, and in important games too, so I felt it was a feather in my cap. I suppose I've had to do it the hard way because there haven't been too many injuries to strikers here this season. So when I have played the manager has had to shuffle things around a bit and I suppose I take that as a bit of a compliment."

For Real, finishing runners-up is not an option and a second trophyless season has prompted the inevitable calls for a Galactico clear-out. But Owen believes that whatever happens this summer he can still hold his head up high. "I realise that for a club like this two years without winning anything is a big thing. You sense the impatience because nobody's happy coming second. From a personal point of view though I'm delighted by the way the first season has gone, but I'd still sacrifice a lot of my goals and my fond memories for a winner's medal."

APRIL 8
Owen hints at return to Liverpool

BBC Sport Online

Michael Owen has said he would have "nothing against" going back to Liverpoool - and repeated he is unhappy with his limited role at Real Madrid.

The England striker, 25, who switched from Anfield for £8m last summer, has been given just 12 league starts for his new club but scored 10 goals.

He told Shoot magazine: "Would I return to Liverpool? I would have nothing against it if I had to move.

"It is well documented that I don't like sitting on the bench."

Owen's goals ratio bears favourable comparison to his rivals at Madrid - Ronaldo has scored 12 goals in 24 starts and Raul just six in 24.

With the World Cup coming on the back of next season, Owen will want to be figuring more for his club, and could decide to return to the Premiership in the summer.

"I left Liverpool on good terms, they are still the first result I look out for and I have a lot of friends there.

"I have no bitterness at all towards Liverpool and they are still a club very close to my heart."

Owen re-iterated his warning that he will look at his future should Real continue to leave him on the bench in spite of his excellent record.

"Let's hope things improve and I don't have to sit on the bench too much," he said. "That obviously wouldn't do my situation any good."

The England star, who is second in the list of competitive goalscorers for his country, admitted he craved the familiarity of home.

"I do miss certain things about not being in England - being around your family, your friends, being in your house.

"I had just had my house reshaped and virtually the minute it was finished I was leaving. It is my dream house (with) two dogs, my horse and all the land that I want.

"I got it perfect for living in and then I had to uproot."

OCTOBER 5
Owen rules out Reds return

By Peter ORourke - Sky Sports

Michael Owen has ruled out making an early return to Liverpool from Real Madrid.

Reports over the weekend claimed that Liverpool were considering making a move to bring Owen back to Anfield after his summer move to Madrid.

Owen has struggled to establish himself in the Madrid side this season and is still to get off the mark for his new club.

"I am aware of what is being said about me in this country and it is upsetting that people are not more supportive," Owen said.

"I thought we were meant to be encouraging our top players to take on the challenge of proving themselves abroad.

"I heard there was talk over the weekend about me coming back to Liverpool. Give me a chance. I have only been in Spain for six league matches. And I have never been the quitting type."

Owen is also unconcerned over talk that his England place is under threat because of his lack of action at club level.

The Real Madrid man is doubtful for the game with Wales this weekend with a muscle injury, but he is confident that when fit he warrants his place in the England side.

"My place in the England team is also under scrutiny. It is not really my place to write down the reasons why I think I should stay in the team," added Owen in his Times column.

"All I would say is that I have a record of scoring in big games and big tournaments.

"All I can do is hope to get fit by Thursday and, if I am, no one can say that I lack match practice.

"I must have played more this season than Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell."

Thor Zakariassen ©