Shepherd defends Owen signing

Fri, 26 Jun 15:37:33 2009

Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has hit back at claims that he should never have signed Michael Owen, who is now out of contract and poised to leave St James' Park.

The 29-year-old former England international arrived in a £17million move which made headlines around the world, but was limited by injuries to 79 appearances. Shepherd, the man who brokered a deal he believed would rival the capture of Alan Shearer nine years earlier, remains defiant.

"Hindsight is a great management tool - everybody's wise after the event," he told the Evening Chronicle. "It's very easy for people to say signing Michael Owen was a disaster, but everybody said it was a fantastic deal at the time."

 

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  1. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Full name Stadium of Light
    Location Stadium Of Light,­­ Sunderland SR5 1SU
    Coordinates­­ 54°54′52″N­­ 1°23′18″W /­­ 54.9144°N 1.3882°W / 54.9144;­­ -1.3882Coordinates: 54°54′52″N­­ 1°23′18″W /­­ 54.9144°N 1.3882°W / 54.9144;­­ -1.3882
    Opened 1997
    Owner Sunderland A.F.C.
    Surface­­ Grass
    Construction cost £23,000,000
    Architect TTH­­ Architects
    Main contractors Ballast Wiltshier plc­­
    Capacity 49,000
    Field dimensions 115 × 75 yards (105­­ × 68 metres)
    Tenants
    Sunderland A.F.C.­ (1997–present)­

    You will of course observe,Sunderland­ own their­ ground.
    NUFC just rent theirs,"So­ who's the­ bigger club then?

    From pianomusiclive, on Sun 28 Jun 12:31AM

  2. safcsmb, well is that not the same for what happened­ with Owen

    From john.connolly01, on Sat 27 Jun 5:57PM

  3. Bob R Yep, we possibly paid over the odds for Gordon­ (he was and still is worth considerably more than 2­ million though) but it was what was required to prise­ him away from Hearts. Silly money is paid for all­ footballers these days, its just the way the game has­ gone - I see Tottenham are wanting 18 million for­ Bent!! I'm praying we forget it (he's not­ worth the 12 million that we have reportedly bid) and­ turn our attentions to Crouch. They get paid too much­ as well. Your average Premiership footballer gets paid­ more in a week than the average person earns in a year­ - absolutely crazy!

    From safcalsftm, on Sat 27 Jun 5:12PM

  4. impact clean......total mackem gimp.

    From newcastleian1, on Sat 27 Jun 4:46PM

  5. May take your advice about the Cobra John but I hope­ you don't mind if I deflect to Kingfisher as I have­ been told it has an even better ead on it when poured­ correctly. What do you think Impact? Safcalsftm. £10m­ for Gordon when no one in their right minds would pay­ more than £2m. Discuss.

    From Bob R, on Sat 27 Jun 4:41PM

  6. Newcastleian,and look where your ambition has got­ you,di-ck head.

    From impactclean, on Sat 27 Jun 4:24PM

  7. safsalsftm....i suppose 17million was a lot to pay but­ at the time i think it was something called­ ambition,something the mackems have totally lacked!!

    From newcastleian1, on Sat 27 Jun 1:59PM

  8. Back to the point, which is Freddie still thinks that­ spending 17 million on Owen was a good deal at the time­ (when as has already been stated other offers were­ around 8 million). Is this guy for real?? Discuss
    All­ I would say is that with such intuition, I hope his­ syndicate buys the club add he is re-installed as­ Chairman. That way, Sick-Note might be re-signed,­ he'll be able to buddy up with Shearer and together­ they can forge a campaign for relegation to League One!

    From safcalsftm, on Sat 27 Jun 1:16PM

  9. Not this season mate,we own our ground,NUFC rent­ theirs.That makes you RENT BOYS OK!.OH,Our pitch is­ bigger than NUFC.

    From impactclean, on Sat 27 Jun 12:47PM

  10. safc average attendance last season 40,126 , the toon­ 48,751 ! whos the daddies !

    From leondolan, on Sat 27 Jun 11:48AM

  11. Bob, while you there try the Indian beer, Cobra etc,­ it's really nice and it's got a good ead on­ it2.

    From john.connolly01, on Sat 27 Jun 10:58AM

  12. Hmmm John. I am going out for an Indian tonight and I­ was thinking of deflecting from my usual place in town­ and going to a place in Low Fell.

    From Bob R, on Sat 27 Jun 10:40AM

  13. Full name Stadium of Light
    Location Stadium Of Light,­ Sunderland SR5 1SU
    Coordinates­ 54°54′52″N­ 1°23′18″W /­ 54.9144°N 1.3882°W / 54.9144;­ -1.3882Coordinates: 54°54′52″N­ 1°23′18″W /­ 54.9144°N 1.3882°W / 54.9144;­ -1.3882
    Opened 1997
    Owner Sunderland A.F.C.
    Surface­ Grass
    Construction cost £23,000,000
    Architect TTH­ Architects
    Main contractors Ballast Wiltshier plc­
    Capacity 49,000
    Field dimensions 115 × 75 yards (105­ × 68 metres)
    Tenants
    Sunderland A.F.C. (1997–present)­

    You will of course observe,Sunderland own their­ ground.
    NUFC just rent theirs,"So who's the­ bigger club then?

    From impactclean, on Sat 27 Jun 10:40AM

  14. OK impact, I will forgive the fact that have'nt­ left a space between with and 2 and eads actually­ begins with an H (heads) but connolly is written in­ front of you three times, how did you spell that wrong?

    From john.connolly01, on Sat 27 Jun 10:26AM

  15. Everyone else had tabled 8m Sheppard goes in with 17m !

    From R G, on Sat 27 Jun 10:24AM

  16. cameron and conoly are the same person with2 eads.

    From impactclean, on Sat 27 Jun 10:14AM

  17. Bob, you do know that impact and barry g are the same­ person.

    From john.connolly01, on Sat 27 Jun 10:02AM

  18. Bob, do you know anyone who is defLecting from the Toon­ to Sunderland

    From john.connolly01, on Sat 27 Jun 9:54AM

  19. Yes. We did get a bit of a bite there didn't we­ John? Lovely bit of cutting and pasting in his earlier­ response though. Keep it up impact!

    From Bob R, on Sat 27 Jun 9:47AM

  20. Wow!!! impact, our Bob R got you there. Dont forget to­ leave a space after the comma's

    From john.connolly01, on Sat 27 Jun 9:30AM
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