Premier League - Owen not concerned by injuries

Eurosport - Sat, 04 Jul 14:38:00 2009

New Manchester United striker Michael Owen insists he is fighting fit and his injury-plagued past should not be a concern.

2008-2009 Newcastle United Michael Owen - 0

The 29-year-old on Friday night signed a two-year deal with the Premier League champions after swift negotiations which lasted less than 48 hours.

A chequered history with injuries - hamstring problems at Liverpool, knee ligament issues at Newcastle - was thought to have deterred most of England's top clubs from considering signing the out-of-contract striker but United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had no hesitation.

"A lot is made out of it but I certainly don't feel like I'm injury prone," said Owen.

The England international believes his new boss was right not to be frightened off by reams of medical notes detailing exactly why he had spent much of his four-year spell on Tyneside on the sidelines.

The former Real Madrid forward is believed to have undergone an assessment on his troublesome knee in London on Thursday before travelling to Manchester on Friday for a more general physical check-up.

"I'd like to think that everyone was quite surprised with my medical," said Owen. "I passed my medical and I've obviously passed them before, and my fitness is high."

His manager will hope not as, if he can stay fit, Owen could still have plenty of goals left in him.

"Michael is a world class forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level and that has never been in question," said Ferguson, who is a long-time admirer of a player who scored 158 goals in 297 matches for Liverpool and struck 40 times in 89 England internationals.

"Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is something that Michael will relish."

Owen will see his move to Old Trafford as a double challenge: first he has to show he can still score goals at the highest level and, second, he wants to use his higher profile to regain his England place with a World Cup looming next summer.

PA Sport

Comment 1368 - 1387 of 1407

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  1. Whether Owen is worth the money or not. Man Utd can­ still claim to be the only top EPL that can field an­ all English team and still compete at the highest­ level. 9 players being current or former England­ internationals.
    Ben Foster
    Wes Brown
    Rio­ Ferdinand
    Richard Eckersley
    Gary Neville
    Owen­ Hargreaves
    Michael Carrick
    Paul Scholes
    Wayne­ Rooney
    Michael Owen
    Remaining Player from the following­ 3
    James Chester (Midfield)
    Danny Drinkwater­ (Midfield)
    Danny Wellbeck (Forward)

    How many other top­ EPL teams can boast that?

    From redimaster, on Sat 4 Jul 9:55PM

  2. agreed, should have thrown him out first time round,­ his record for assaults etc is appalling and he's­ no role model for anyone. says he's turning his­ life round,what a joke that is. the man is a disgrace­ and should be banned from football for life but im sure­ its only a matter of time before he re offends, then­ you will be able to get rid

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 4 Jul 9:54PM

  3. This is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO funny listening to Liverfool­ fans (and I use that word fans lightly) slagging off­ even their best former players, trying to convince­ themselves Owen will fail, well he was pool through and­ through but got sh'gged by that halfwit Spanish­ clown Benitez sold to his paella eating cousins who­ sold him to a team who were half way round the U-­ bend.So tell me WHAT DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO DO WHEN THE­ CHAMPIONS ASK HIM TO PLAY FOR THEM??? Say sorry but I­ want to hang around in case my mate Steve G convinces­ the Kop to buy me back like they did with Robbie­ Foul-up HA DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH YOU JUST CAN'T­ STAND THE FACT THAT YOU SOLD ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS­ YOU EVER HAD BEFORE HE EVEN REACHED HIS­ PRIME!!!!!!
    Well Boo Hoo I hope he sticks one in the­ net at the kop end and has the BIGGEST LAUGH OF ALL.

    From Pete H, on Sat 4 Jul 9:50PM

  4. Arrogant yes, but a genius with some of the characters.­ Saxondale is good but not a patch on Paul Calf and­ Alan Partridge lol. Even Dr Terrible's House of­ Horrible was mildly ammusing... Want to see 24 Hour­ Party People too like.

    From Colonel K, on Sat 4 Jul 9:47PM

  5. Happens often that Assassin.

    From Colonel K, on Sat 4 Jul 9:45PM

  6. Barton is a toe-rag mate; Shearer barred him from the­ training ground, now he's back swanning around like­ King D ick 'cause Shearer's not there! Contrary­ to what people think, Shearer can handle himself and­ i'd back him to stroke barton any day of the week .­ . . and barton knows it. 60k a week he's still­ picking up, and he will never play for us again - we­ should've sacked him when he went to jail;­ can't do it now, got no grounds.

    From cameron w, on Sat 4 Jul 9:44PM

  7. by the way what's with the piccy???, i met Steve­ Coogan once on the south coast once, man what an­ arrogant tw*t he is , i could have thrown him under a­ bus......

    From yorkie, on Sat 4 Jul 9:39PM

  8. cameron has gone awol

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 4 Jul 9:37PM

  9. yeah, i know the clone has been about mate, that's­ why i have not bothered mate, i will march on warwick­ soon and find the gimp.....

    From yorkie, on Sat 4 Jul 9:37PM

  10. Hahaha good old Dennis Wise Wobbly Eyes.

    From Colonel K, on Sat 4 Jul 9:30PM

  11. How do Badger mate? Nob'ead clone's been­ parading about with your ID for best part of 36 hours­ dude.

    From Colonel K, on Sat 4 Jul 9:29PM

  12. ashley is that good a businessman he has not only lost­ 150m + on his purchase price, he still can't give­ the club away for 80m, complete with a squad who he­ obviously thinks is worthless. Your stadium is owned by­ the council so you can't sell it as a job lot. I­ feel sorry for the fans who are passionate about the­ club and their football and sorry for Alan Shearer who­ was brought in to try to save a sinking ship

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 4 Jul 9:05PM

  13. whats your own view on him ?

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 4 Jul 8:52PM

  14. your club was ruined by the stupidity and greed of­ ashley and that numpty wise and im not sure if any of­ your players can claim to have given 100%, if they had­ maybe you wouldn't have been relegated. I have to­ say any club that gives house room to a th.g like Joey­ Barton deserves all they get

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 4 Jul 8:51PM

  15. silent assassin
    Well that may well be the case; but he­ was happy to take the 120k a week wasn't he -­ unprofessional mate!
    Couldn't give a monkeys if­ they don't like the club, so long as they give­ 100%.

    From cameron w, on Sat 4 Jul 8:43PM

  16. evening assassin and gi5 , how goes it.......

    From yorkie, on Sat 4 Jul 8:38PM

  17. maybe he just didn't like the Toongerines cameron,­ ever thought of that ??

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 4 Jul 8:32PM

  18. To all man united fans; whilst owen may still have it -­ do you really want someone with no guts, and no stomach­ for the fight amongst your ranks?
    From one who knows,­ having seen him up close and live enough times; he is a­ disgrace to professional football and did not give­ anywhere near 100% for us at NUFC . . . . . . gladly­ took 26 million quid out of us though!
    The guy has no­ morals and no scruples - still, at least i am pleased­ to say he is finally, and at long last, an EX Newcastle­ United player. Oh and don't be fooled by this myth­ that he was not presented with goal-scoring chances at­ NUFC; he had bucket loads of chances, one-on-ones, the­ lot and he failed miserably!

    From cameron w, on Sat 4 Jul 8:26PM

  19. dorisdazzler, it was just as boring and pathetic second­ time around love, as for city, Europa league, fifth­ place, if lucky.

    From Colonel K, on Sat 4 Jul 7:40PM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Ha Ha ,Love it, the salford red sox win transfer­ battle­ with hull,another class signing to play with­ wigan­ winger,This is so funny ,can't wait to p##s­ myself­ laffin at them this year,cmon city

    From dorisdazzler, on Sat 4 Jul 6:55PM
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