Sunday 5 July 2009

Fergie's not taking the Mickey

It’s amazing how quick we can be sometimes to consign a sportsman to the realms of yesteryear.

It seems the second someone is no longer showing their former prowess they are ranked as a has been who no longer has a great deal to offer.

Lleyton Hewitt was seen by many as an old-stager in the twilight of his career before an impressive showing at Wimbledon reminded people he is still only 28.

Andy Roddick, who came so close to a heroic championship win, was also widely regarded as a player whose best days were behind him - and he’s just 26.

Hewitt’s former flame Kim Clihsters, who retired two years ago, is talking about a come back to the sport and anyone writing her off may need to be reminded she is still only 26.

It was not very long ago that rumours were circulating that Michael Owen might never kick a football as a professional again.

In the same summer he has just completed a shock move to Premiership champions Manchester United and don’t think Alex Ferguson has signed him for a retirement swan song.

Owen may lack the pace and spark of his early career but he is 29 and a natural goal scorer who, if United give chances to, will score goals.

If he is fit and playing Owen is among the best finishers in the game and will continue to get in goal scoring positions.

It is amazing how often the simple task of putting the ball in the back of the net can prove a problem for the top sides and Owen’s fox-in-the-box approach could offer United an extra weapon.

One compromise Owen has made in signing for a club like United is the lack of a guarantee of first team football.

Throughout his career Owen has maintained he is at his best and most dangerous when playing week in, week out.

With the likes of Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov to compete with for a place in the starting line-up, that is unlikely to happen at Old Trafford and he will have to make the most of the time he does have on the pitch.

Nobody is pretending he will make up for the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo, but Fergie knows the value Owen could add and his experience could also be vital off the pitch in the development of emerging forwards such as Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda.

United fans will remember the positive impact Henrik Larsson had at Old Trafford when he came on loan at the age of 35 and the former Celtic forward also proved a more than useful option for Barcelona in the twilight of his career.

Filippo Inzagh, a player very similar to Owen, was often used as the spearhead of the AC Milan attack at the age of 35 last season and his striking instincts saw him hit 16 goals.

Despite a four-year spell at Newcastle and a season at Real Madrid, Owen will still be seen by most as a former Liverpool player and, given the ferocious rivalry
between the two clubs, may have his work cut out to win over the United fans.

But if he gets playing and doing what he does best – scoring goals – all will very quickly be forgiven.

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