Warming bench starts to test Owen’s patience

Nov 17 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

THE first signs of tension appeared in the Newcastle camp under interim manager Joe Kinnear following the 2-2 draw with Wigan Athletic as Michael Owen expressed his irritation at failing to make an instant return to the starting line-up.

Owen flounced out of St James’s Park on Saturday evening in a huff, the club captain refusing to speak to the media after the game as his frustration at spending another game on the substitutes’ bench threatened to boil over.

And with Kinnear also increasingly irritated by his inability to make decisive decisions as United boss because of the continued uncertainty surrounding a possible takeover, it was a difficult day for the Magpies as Titus Bramble’s last-gasp equaliser denied them a much-needed home win after Owen and Obafemi Martins had cancelled out Ryan Taylor’s spectacular strike for the visitors.

Owen’s situation as a Newcastle player is a complicated one for Kinnear, particularly as the player used his programme notes to declare he had been fully fit for a couple of weeks. The club’s record signing will almost certainly leave – either in January or at the end of the season – after failing to sign an extension to a contract which expires in June, but he remains vital to the club’s chances of avoiding the disaster of relegation.

United’s interim manager, though, is adamant he will continue to leave the striker – who has once again been snubbed by England coach Fabio Capello for Wednesday’s friendly against Germany – out if he is not 100% fit.

“It is a difficult decision, he is one of the best players in the world and I am going carefully, carefully with him,” said Kinnear, who described the first-half performance against Wigan as the worst of his short reign. “I could have taken short-term

decisions, but I haven’t. He has got to go slowly, slowly. I could have taken the easy option, put him in the team straight away and pleased everybody two weeks ago. But what if we got beat and he broke down again at the same time, you’d have a field day with me.

“Michael is a big player, but it would have been disrespectful to the strikers we have got who have been scoring goals every week. He needs to be brought back gently. We know what Michael is capable of. No one asked these questions when we beat Aston Villa.

“Michael Owen is the best player at the football club. I have to make these decisions. Which ever decisions I make are never right. I took off Spiderman (Jonás Gutiérrez) and you will have a field day with that. It is a difficult job making decisions isn’t it?”

It will be interesting to see whether Owen has done enough to force his way back into the side against Chelsea next weekend, but Kinnear will have other things on his mind this week. The former Wimbledon boss will meet owner Mike Ashley after that game, where he will be given a clear update on the progress of any takeover bids and discover if he is going to remain as manager beyond next week.

Kinnear said: “I am confident Michael will play an important part for the rest of the campaign. I would like to think so. But I don’t know the situations, you are asking if I will still be here. If I am here he is the last person I want to leave. He is priceless. Simple as that.

“I would like to be in the position to sit down with Michael and talk about a new contract. Of course I would. But I am on the outside, not the inside. The job is difficult enough as it is and most of the stuff going on is out of my reach. Michael is aware of this.

“Things have gone on and hopefully after the Chelsea game I will be better (sic) in the picture. The club is almost sold so I don’t know what future I have.

“If you listen to (Keith) Harris he says there is interest from two parties and he doesn’t expect it to go on longer than another couple of weeks.”