Phil Holland
If someone does you a favour by trying to help you out of financial
difficulty it really isn't the done thing to make unreasonable
demands of them a little further down the line. It certainly isn't
the done thing in real life, but then this isn't a story about real
life, it's a story of a fallen footballer and the man who paid for
him.
Newcastle United chairman Freddy
Shepherd has threatened to get a court injunction to prevent
Michael Owen from playing for England in either June's friendly
against Brazil, or more controversially, in the vital Euro 2008
qualifier against Estonia.
Why? Well, the saga began last year on June 25th during England's
World Cup campaign when Owen fell awkwardly against Sweden and
ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee; an
injury from which he has yet to fully recover.
Since that day Newcastle's £17million ($34million) club record
signing has been unavailable for selection - in fact, since joining
the Magpies in August 2005 he has played just 11 games for the
first team as a result of injuries, despite netting an impressive 7
goals.
Shepherd believes that the FA owes Newcastle money to help cover
costs relating to Owen's rehabilitation and also wouldn't say no to
at least part of the £10million cost of replacing him with Obafemi
Martins. So incandescent is Shepherd that he is prepared to go to
court over the matter.
Not only is this an unprecedented and
aggressive stance to take, but when you factor in the financial
assistance the FA has already provided, it also smacks of
ungratefulness.
For example, Soho Square officials flew to Switzerland making a
personal representation on Newcastle's behalf at FIFA headquarters
which directly resulted in a £2million compensation deal from the
world governing body's insurance fund for players injured at the
World Cup. Plus the FA's own insurance covers half of Owen's weekly
£120,000 wages because he was injured while on England
duty.
However, for Newcastle, whose own insurance covers the other half
of Owen's salary, this is not enough support.
'They [The FA] have not paid the price of even an aspirin for
Michael since he left their care', moans Shepherd. 'They have
refused point-blank to pay us, despite it costing us well over
£150,000 to aid his recuperation', a figure relating to the cost of
two operations at the Colorado clinic of expert surgeon Dr Richard
Steadman.
Of course, one can appreciate Newcastle's frustration at losing an
expensive player while on England duty, one you had hoped could get
you 20 goals a season; but to round on the FA in such a way,
particularly when they have helped to soften the financial blow, is
surely not a wise move politically.
The interesting denouement to this story
relates to Owen's insurance cover. Under the terms the
27-year-old's wages can continue to be paid until the anniversary
of the injury being sustained, meaning that the club could make a
considerable saving if the player does not return this
season.
Owen had been targeting a return against Chelsea at St James Park
on Sunday. But despite playing 70 minutes of a reserve game against
Gretna last week, Owen has been withdrawn from this week's reserve
game against Middlesbrough.
With Shepherd and manager Glenn Roeder's insistence that Owen will
not be rushed back coming against a backdrop of arguments over
money, it is all too easy for the cynic to draw a correlation with
the player's stalled comeback.
http://soccernet-akamai.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=422734&root=england&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1&cc=4716