Michael Owen Opens Up on Long-Running Feud with Alan Shearer
- Michael Owen has admitted he still disagrees with Alan Shearer’s assessment of his effort during Newcastle’s relegation season
- The former England teammates revealed they no longer have personal conversations but continue to show respect when they meet
- Owen reflected on Shearer’s criticism and revisits the events of the 2008-09 season that sparked their long-running feud
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Michael Owen has revealed that he no longer speaks to Alan Shearer, admitting he regrets publicly criticising Shearer’s approach during their time at Newcastle.
The tension dates back to the 2008-09 Premier League season, when Owen played under Shearer as Newcastle faced relegation.
Source: Getty Images
According to The National, the Magpies were relegated after a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa, despite needing only a point to survive.
At the time, Shearer wanted Owen to start to give the team the best chance of avoiding the drop, but Owen declined, saying he was not fully fit after returning from injury. He eventually came on for the last 25 minutes, but Newcastle were unable to secure the result they needed.
Years later, Shearer publicly suggested that Owen could have contributed more to help the club stay up and implied that his fitness concerns were less relevant given the team’s struggles.
Owen has since addressed the fallout, acknowledging that while he and Shearer maintain mutual respect, they do not engage in personal conversations and still disagree over the events.
Source: Getty Images
Owen emphasized that he holds no personal ill will but believes Shearer was mistaken in his assessment.
In his autobiography, as The Sun covered, Owen recalled sensing Shearer’s frustration over his initial reluctance to play and the insinuation that he was more focused on his contract situation than the club’s survival.
The former Liverpool striker noted that the tension became apparent only months later when he realized Shearer harbored lingering resentment.
Shearer, reflecting on the period, explained that he felt Owen could have done more for Newcastle despite being in the latter stages of his career.
He reasoned that the risk of injury was not significant because the season’s outcome was already bleak and the club was facing relegation.
As The Sun reported, Owen has also criticised Shearer’s tenure at Newcastle, suggesting that the managerial record of one win in eight matches fell short of expectations.
Over four seasons at Newcastle, Owen made 79 appearances, scoring 30 goals, before moving to Manchester United.
Despite the difficult spell, Shearer remains a club legend on Tyneside, having scored 206 goals in 405 appearances, and his status is undiminished by the relegation season.
Michael Owen praises Antoine Semenyo
Earlier, YEN.com.gh highlighted that Michael Owen, Asamoah Gyan, Matthew Amoah, and other football pundits praised Antoine Semenyo’s performances, emphasising his talent and impact on the pitch.
The Bournemouth forward is now strongly linked with a potential transfer to Liverpool, as well as other top Premier League teams like Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea. Pep Guardiola recently spoke about City's rumoured interest in the Ghanaian.
Source: YEN.com.gh
