Michael Owen: Legend or villain?

Posted Thursday, December 15, 2011 by ESPN

The hamstring

Michael Owen: Legend or villain?
When the burst of speed is everything to a player like Owen, the most crucial and fragile part of his body had to be his hamstring.

With Owen's searing pace in their armory, Liverpool's game revolved around feeding him with through passes and long balls. That means he was constantly moving from static positions to full speed in a matter of split seconds. It eventually proved too much for his hamstring to handle.

The sight of Owen crumbling following a well-rehearsed through pass by Steve McMananman in the 1999 league game against Leeds United still pains those supporters who saw it happen.

It was the first of many such injuries that would dog him through his stints at Real Madrid, Newcastle and currently at Manchester United.

Hero to villain

As if leaving Liverpool in the lurch near the end of his contract by joining Madrid for a meager £8million in 2004 wasn't hurting enough for the fans, Owen committed the ultimate 'sin' of joining United from Newcastle in 2009.

With one stroke of a pen, he turned from Liverpool legend to an outcast by accepting an offer by Sir Alex Ferguson to join the United ranks - even though there have been calls for fans to understand his situation given his dwindling career at St James Park.

Jamie Carragher was among the sympathizers, saying: "He left in difficult circumstances, but when he went to Manchester United, his career was on a bit of a downward spiral and he'll admit that himself.

"So the chance to go to one of the biggest clubs in the world was difficult to turn down. He moved and upset some people, but he had to do what was right for himself and his family."

But on Owen's return to Anfield for Carragher's testimonial match in September last year, the fans expectedly made their feelings known, booing him whenever he touched the ball. It proves that no matter how many goals you scored at Anfield, the 'sin' of joining United is simply unforgivable in that part of Merseyside.

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