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Owen put on the spot as Newcastle lose patience

Name the last three players Newcastle United signed from Spain? That was a question doing the rounds at St James' Park yesterday and it says something about Michael Owen's current status within the club that the answer is: Marcelino, Albert Luque and Owen. There may have been an element of humour involved but to be grouped together with such expensive flops whom the club could not and cannot wait to see depart reveals the level of Owen's standing.

That was confirmed by the chairman Freddy Shepherd's words on Wednesday regarding Owen's perceived lack of commitment to Newcastle, which were so strong they bear repetition. "I'm telling Michael he has two choices," Shepherd said. "He either comes out and tells our fans, who have taken him to their hearts, that he is happy here or I tell him that not one of the big four clubs, Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool, are interested in him."

Owen and his advisors had been offered the opportunity to speak of Owen's commitment publicly but he declined, which incensed the Newcastle chairman and leaves question marks over Owen's future at the club.

Owen was at Chester races on Wednesday afternoon as Shepherd considered the predicament (Sam Allardyce was there yesterday). Owen had zipped out of Newcastle's training ground in the morning to get to his native North-west and it was not lost on Newcastle officials that on the last day of March, when Newcastle lost at home to Manchester City, Owen was in Dubai again watching horse racing.

These are not details that sit easily with the club so, while the rift seems sudden, it has been brewing. All season Shepherd has been in dispute with the Football Association over compensation for Owen's World Cup injury and the suspicion remains within St James' that Owen's knee gave way in Germany because he rushed back from a previous injury to play for England.

Such distrust takes getting over but, if a period of calm breaks out at Newcastle in the coming days, it may be recalled that Owen's non-availability has been as important a factor as his transparent ambition in contributing to where the two parties are today. He has not seen what Newcastle can give him and vice versa.

But calm is not guaranteed; in fact the potential for friction has been in the air almost since the day Owen moved from Real Madrid in August 2005.

To go back, this was a compromise arrangement. Owen wanted out of Spain after a difficult year at the Bernabéu; Newcastle, having allowed Graeme Souness to force out Craig Bellamy and having not scored in their opening four games of the season, wanted a partner for Alan Shearer in Shearer's farewell season. Shearer, friend, colleague and mentor to Owen, was fundamental to the deal. Shearer and Owen also share an agent.

But even Shearer was not as important as money. Liverpool were also interested in bringing Owen back to England but for a valuation as close as possible to the £7m they sold him for. The £17.5m Newcastle slapped on Madrid's table ended that and set in train a transfer that ended with Owen talking of a "spinning head," as 20,000 Geordies greeted him in the sunshine at St James'.

The scale of the transfer, Newcastle's record, and the clauses Owen's people were able to negotiate, may have smacked of the club's desperation, but the 20,000 told a story of sincere welcome and affection. There is a view, inside and outside St James', that Owen has not reciprocated the goodwill, taking £115,000 per week while backing out of the door.

"Michael is an honest man and Liverpool were his first choice," Souness was to explain in the days before Owen returned to Anfield for the first time, four months into his Newcastle career.

But Newcastle's self-esteem is hurt. Tyneside and beyond awaits comment from the 27-year-old with two years left on his contract. Owen may take the opportunity to remind Newcastle that he thinks like a hired hand, not like a Geordie diehard and that the club agreed the get-out clauses.

He could also point out that Newcastle are about to employ their third manager in his 21 months. He could ask Shepherd to look around the dressing room and dare him to declare that this group has been assembled with tactical foresight. Owen could, moreover, ask these questions just a few weeks after becoming the face of Newcastle's latest publicity campaign: "Buy The Shirt, Live The Dream".

"The £17.5m Newcastle slapped on Madrid's table ended that "

it's up to £17.5m now! it'll be £18m by the end of the month. if the papers don't know that the fee was £16m, a fact they could easily look up in 5 mins, then i doubt the rest is accurate,

Well, where's the authoritative source of that? The place you could look it up in five minutes?

nufc.com have it listed as £17 million.

I think whatever Shepherd do he will be slated after that.
Its like whatever Bramble or Carr do they will be slated after that.
Its obvious that the most of the opinions on this board are not objective.
Im behind Shepherd about this one.
He is defending the clubs interests
Its obvious that Owen is thinking about leaving the club and Shepherd is trying to express his opinion about this and also the fans opinions too.
If Owen leaves he will be the biggest c*** in the world.He will show no morale,no loyalty about the club after everything we did for him.
God nearly 20 thousand fans welcomed him when he sign for us.And he played only 13 games for us.
Yes,the club is in big mess but there are indications that we might get better if we appoint some serious manager.
If Owen is loyal person he will wait after we appoint the new boss he will see how next season will go and if we still are s*** and cant compete for the top 6 then he can go.
But to leave the club in this hard times is just like the rats do when the ship is sinking.
We showed him full support when he had his serious injuries,we sticked to him during this hard times for him and now he must do the same if he is man enough
If he doenst then he is a c*** and Shepherd is right to be angry and to say this things in public.