Owen will be skipper - Kinnear

Sep 30 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

JOE Kinnear insists he has no qualms about continuing to name Michael Owen as captain despite growing doubts about the striker’s long-term commitment to Newcastle United.

Owen has still not agreed a new contract at St James’s Park and is highly unlikely to do so during the present turmoil which has seen Kevin Keegan quit as manager, owner Mike Ashley put the club up for sale and the team slump to second from bottom in the Premier League. It is open to debate whether Owen ever intended to agree an extension to a deal which runs out at the end of the season, but he has also been messed about by the United hierarchy and the England international will be able to start negotiating a lucrative Bosman-style free transfer move in January with rival clubs.

Kinnear, though, is not in the least bit fazed by the question marks which linger over Owen’s future at the club and he is adamant it is not having any effect on the 28-year-old’s performances on the pitch. He said: “Michael is a quality player, no question about that. With the experience he has got he has seen it and done it. I would like to get similar players around him. He’s a Newcastle legend, an England legend and a Liverpool legend.

“There’s no reason why he won’t continue to be my captain. He is a very good voice in the dressing room. He has been there and done it and we need more players like that.

“I am not aware of anything to do with his contract. You will have to ask him or anyone else about what

his long-term plans are. I don’t know anything about his contract. It is not running out in the next eight games, so it doesn’t really bother me.”

Owen has scored all but two of Newcastle’s five Premier League goals so far this season and, in total, has scored five goals in just seven appearances to underline his status as one of English football’s premier goalscorers.

And it is the presence of players of Owen’s calibre at St James’s Park which have already convinced Kinnear that, once confidence returns – along with the likes of Joey Barton, Danny Guthrie, Obafemi Martins and Jonás Gutiérrez from suspension and injury – Newcastle will quickly get themselves out of the bottom three.

He said: “I don’t think Newcastle will go down.

“I was delighted with the second-half performance against Blackburn and with the players they have got – and when they get them back in the team – we will be okay.

“I can’t see any danger of Newcastle going down. None at all. I accept confidence is the biggest thing in football. Big teams in the past have gone down, but, no, Newcastle won’t go down at all, no danger whatsoever.”

Meanwhile, the agent fronting a Nigerian consortium’s bid for Newcastle has revealed an offer has been made for the club. However, The Journal understands the size of the offer is well short of Ashley’s valuation.

Chris Nathaniel, the chief executive of NVA Management and England international Rio Ferdinand’s agent, has confirmed a firm bid has been made, but it is thought to be one of only around £200m.

That would require Ashley to take a £50m loss on his Newcastle venture and is likely to be rejected.

Nathaniel, though, has warned his consortium are unwilling to up their offer as they want to also provide money for transfers if they do succeed in their takeover.