Why I don't blame Michael Owen for ignoring Newcastle

Not exactly the most welcoming of faces in the world (picture on the left). That is the face Michael Owen would be welcomed by if he somehow idiotically decided to join one of England's worst clubs which seems set for a dodgy relegation battle this season. So, if you were to ask a 25 year old earning big bucks and playing at a club that lets you soak in the Spanish sun 75 percent of the year to change all that to join a damp rainy city of Newcastle and every footballer's managerial nightmare (Souness), the response would normally be immediate and assured.

Thus, the silence and denial of Owen's Representatives from a confirmed £18 million pound approach from Newcastle is totally understandable. I for one could not understand why Owen would go to a club that is not in Europe, near the bottom of the Premiership, and has two of the most unpopular people in the club at the helm, Souey and Shepherd. The irony about the arguably comical situation at the Northeast club is that both Freddy Shepherd, and Graeme Souness, are in a catch 22. If Shepherd were to sack Souness after a run of 1 win in 13 premiership games (and a disastrous start to the season) the Newcastle Chairman would probably be ridiculed by the Toon faithful for appointing the high-tempered Scot in the first place.

On the other hand, if Shepherd allows Souness to continue his work (or lack thereof) at the club, then the Toon Army could be spreading their good will in the Coca Cola Championship. Souness has a similar simultaneous sort of dilemma. He could resign, but then he would face the barrage of the press and fans that he was at fault for Newcastle's decline, and he would leave a colorful career with a dampened reputation. However, if he stays at Newcastle and the downward spiral continues, he will face the utter embarrassment of taking a club that had qualified for the Uefa Cup in the 2004-2005 season, into a relegation dogfight - and the sack would surly follow.

If you add all those worrying facts into the melting pot, a dangerous mix follows. A mix that a striker of Michael Owen's caliber is not worhty of. I am positive that the England striker would rather spend the majority of the season on the bench with Madrid, as apposed to starting every game at a club that is in real limbo as to whether they stay in the top flight or not. Furthermore, Newcastle's lack of width after the sales of Laurent Robert and Craig Bellamy (both after fall outs with Newcastle's under-fire manager) would not help Owen in search of goals. Although Owen is a great player, every striker needs ammunition, and I do not see enough creative quality at Newcastle for Owen to get a decent goals tally.

Some more food for though for Owen would be Souness' man managing skills. The Scot seems to have a worrying nack of following out with a football club's best players, Bellamy, Robert, David Dunn and Dwight Yorke are to name a few of who Souness has shown the boot because of bad relations. Michael Owen probably does not want to go through a similar sort of turmoil - he is a decent player - and Souness has an ugly habit of getting rid of good players.

Also, Liverpool seem set to begin negotiations over a possible return for their prodigal son. Liverpool Chief Executive gave a big hint to the Sun yesterday by saying he would "keep his fingers crossed" over a possible move. Also, Liverpool seem set to sell Cisse to make way for Owen, the Frenchman joined the club for a record £14 million pound from Auxerre in 2004.

Who's your Daddy Michael? Would you prefer the sunshine of Madrid, coupled with the security of fellow England captain David Beckham. Or would you rather make a swansong fairy-tale return your boy-hood club where the fans worship you. Or finally, would you like to join every decent player's nightmare, a know-it-all all action manager who seems to become more unpopular with every on the pitch and off the pitch failure.