Owen is interested much more in horse racing and his stables near Chester than he is in football. If anyone would have him he was always going to pick from a select group of clubs within spitting distance of his gee-gees, and if no-one in that area had come in my guess is he would have retired. Stoke have got themselves a racehorse owner masquerading as a footballer.
Quote: Badge @ September 4 2012, 10:52 PM BSTStoke have got themselves a racehorse owner masquerading as a footballer.
Stoke are a bunch of donkeys, so he should fit in well.
On some level you can't blame him for sticking it out but this was last chance saloon. He's only been seen as a possible because the window has shut and that's now the best part of a week ago. All this stuff about multiple clubs after him strikes me as wishful thinking and in end it turned out to be Stoke or nothing.
I actually think he'll do OK because Crouch is there so will know how he plays from their England days. His goals ratio at United was actually pretty good if you consider the number of sub appearances he made - roughly 1 in 3.
Compare that to Heskey who played over 60 times for England but has only scored 1 goal every 4.8 games over the course of his career.
Don't get me wrong, if he has a semblance of fitness he might knock in a few goals here and there, but don't let's pretend that Michael Owen is remotely interested in playing for Stoke City FC. He is interested in being close to his stables, and a contract with Stoke suits him much more than it suits anyone else.
They've got Owen on a pay to play deal.
And Heskey was hoping to join them on a pray to play deal.
I used to have a soft spot for Blackburn but I fear they're on the way to a terminal decline.
First the Venky's hadn't realised that they could be relegated. Now they've got this new adviser in who nobody knows anything about.
"Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean has admitted he has not seen any of his three deadline day signings play live.
"They're in the club now and we can have a real look at them," said Kean. "I've not seen them play live.
Who are Blackburn's deadline day signings?
Grzegorz Sandomierski: Goalkeeper, 22, capped three times by Poland, was part of 23-man squad at Euro 2012
Diogo Rosado: Midfielder, 22, played for Portugal at Under-21 level, signed from Sporting Lisbon
Nuno Henrique: Defender, 25, signed from Academica De Coimbra
"Shebby Singh was very excited about them coming here and was telling me how good they were."
Right - well I can't say I've seen many England games live recently but they seemed to start this at the right pace. They really seemed hungry. A bit lucky with the penalty but they've carried on at the same standard. Lets hope they don't let up in the second half as a large goal difference will be a great bonus.
I think Heskey could have got a hat trick against Moldova. They were exceedingly poor and I almost switched over at one point because I felt embarrassed for them. Ukraine on Tuesday will be more of a test.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ September 8 2012, 12:01 AM BSTI think Heskey could have got a hat trick against Moldova. They were exceedingly poor and I almost switched over at one point because I felt embarrassed for them. Ukraine on Tuesday will be more of a test.
Maybe - or maybe England are good. A real team at last short of any real egos.
That Rooney injury was a blessing in more ways than one - but then I've never seen him care much about England.
Quote: Chappers @ September 8 2012, 2:30 PM BSTMaybe - or maybe England are good. A real team at last short of any real egos.
Apart from Jermain Defoe you mean? England are playing better but Moldova shows nothing.
Thought the patience and the passing was very unEngland like, look at that Milner goal, they usually fire it wide or fall apart long before that point, so the new coaching is definitely showing. The Ukraine game'll be a much better marker though.
I want the Premier League! To hell with this infernal international break!
Today is football time again...the road to Brazil. Last week Switzerland played against Slovenia. Today it's Albania...and Iceland is in our group too if I remember well. I had to smile for a second and I thought: "These are typical Nations Del Boy gets his stock from". Bikinis from Iceland, videorecorders from Albania and beauty products from Slovenia or something like that. 
I reckon it will be 2-2 tonight. Even without Shevchenko.