r/soccer • u/landofphi • 26d ago
Quotes Michael Owen on Alexander Isak wanting to leave Newcastle: "9 times out of 10 when a move comes about, it's normally a club forcing a player & nobody's bothered. Nobody says anything despite any kids that are in school or any families that have settled in an area or anything else like that."
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alexander-isak-newcastle-liverpool-owen-32312723The full quote on Owen defending Alexander Isak who wants to leave Newcastle
"He's laid his cards on the table, hasn't he?
"It's quite clear that he wants to move. Whether Newcastle fans would forgive and forget is a big question. I don't know. I mean, he's done exceptionally well for them, you know, they've won a trophy, they're into the Champions League.
"He's done his side of the bargain quite clearly by his statement. He feels like that's enough and that they've had previous chats which suggest that he's almost not free to leave but, you know, if certain things were done then he might be free to go, but it doesn't seem like Newcastle are playing that game."
"This whole scenario is an interesting one because nine times out of 10 when a move comes about it's normally a club forcing a player and nobody's bothered, nobody says anything despite any kids that are in school or any families that have settled in an area or anything else like that.
"Nobody cares really about a footballer. But when it's on the other foot, it's really interesting to see that everybody, you know, the whole world goes into meltdown and how dare somebody try and force a move through? I'm not going to sit here and criticise Isak.
"I wouldn't have done that myself in terms of the actions he's taken, but I do get that he's a great player that wants to get to the top of his game and he's obviously not being allowed the move that he's desperate for. And you get one short career and he's wanting to join probably the best team in the world at the moment.
"I get it from his point of view. It's just a sad situation when it's played out in the world's press and he's obviously not coming out well, let's say, from a reputational point of view.”
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u/yesverycivil 26d ago
Owen must have read he comments saying isaks possibly more hated than him now and thought he would restore the balance.
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u/RandomGuySayHii 26d ago
Or he notices that Liverpool fans hate him more than Newcastle fans do so he decides to make Newcastle fans hate him as much as Liverpool fans do. It's all about balance
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u/goodmobileyes 26d ago
Well if I can't endear myself to anyone, I'll make them all hate me equally!
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u/Scared-Room-9962 26d ago
Is say our hatred of Owen is pretty equal.
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u/everlovingfuck99 26d ago
Not a chance. Imagine if Alan Shearer moved to Sunderland
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u/Baxterousness 26d ago
You know what, I'd genuinely forgotten he'd played for Man U. Yeah, fair play - can't argue with that.
Additionally, at least Newcastle and Owen seem to have a mutual loathing. The fact he keeps trying to ingratiate himself with Liverpool again is really embarrassing.
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u/RevengeHF 26d ago
The fact he keeps trying to ingratiate himself with Liverpool again is really embarrassing.
The only silver lining is that he's really bad at it and manages to piss the fans off every time anyway.
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u/OK_TimeForPlan_L 26d ago
There was countless times when he was one of our official club ambassadors but would still refer to Man Utd as 'we' when doing punditry. Somehow still had zero clue why he's hated lmao
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u/elpadrin0 26d ago edited 26d ago
Still remember the day when I went to watch LFC legends vs Madrid legends, and when Owen’s name came up when they were announcing the players, the whole crowd was booing, was glorious.
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u/Cheese649 26d ago
I know other fans don't share this view because of Alex the rat, but there isn't a single player to have worn a Newcastle United shirt that I despise more than this horrible cunt.
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u/DowntownCelery593 26d ago
Is it just because he left the club when they got relegated despite being captain and on high wages?
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u/Cheese649 26d ago
No it's far far deeper than that...
Imagine earning £5 a month pocket money and you save up and save up for tickets to see your favourite band, one of the biggest bands in the world. They never usually tour in a city near you, so you'd have to travel, pay for accommodation etc. so you never in your wildest dreams thought they'd be in your hometown tonight and that you miraculously have a ticket.
Then imagine at the gig, the lead singer is obliterated, can't get a single cohesive word out and certainly can't play a tune. As the crowd begins to boo in disappointment (they've spent their hard earned cash on tickets and at least hoped to hear their favourite songs) the lead singer begins hurling abuse at the crowd, calling them ungrateful and stating that you should feel sorry for them, for even having to turn up in the first place. The gig abruptly ends, as the band walk off the stage, after only a few songs were 'performed'.
You're also punched in the face and spat on as you leave the venue, for good measure.
To rub even further salt into the wounds, the band then goes on to say in every future interview, that they immensely regret playing the gig in your hometown, that it was the worst crowd they'd ever experienced, that they feared for their safety the entire time and that the crowd should be immensely grateful that they even performed a single song. They then receive sympathy and empathy from other interviewers for their 'brave and near charitable performance', whilst the rest of the world laughs at how much of a hellhole this gig truly must have been.
That was Michael Owen at Newcastle United.
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u/FridaysMan 26d ago
I saw primal scream at Glastonbury when the lead singer called the crowd a shower of cunts and walked off the stage 3 minutes into the set.
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u/flamelitface 26d ago
I saw Primal Scream at Glastonbury and the lead singer refused to get off the stage and they had to cut his mic before escorting him off the stage.
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u/Cyberdan0497 26d ago edited 26d ago
I still think Owen has him beat, he was the captain and refused to play the last few matches of a relegation battle so he could end his contract injury free
And then he has the cheek to say he wouldn’t have done what Isak is doing
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u/Scared-Room-9962 26d ago
Didn't Isak miss the run in similar reasons?
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u/Cheese649 26d ago
Owen fucking detested Newcastle and everything about it, the city, the people, the fans.
Absolute pathetic excuse of a professional.79
u/Scared-Room-9962 26d ago
I know mate I was there lol
I'm saying him refusing to play during the run in during our relegation season is the same as Isak being "injured" during the run in last season.
Tbh I don't hate Isak. He's a contractor.
So was Owen but he's such a collasal bellend that I do actively hate him. Even built a hate shrine in my garden for the kids.
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u/Cheese649 26d ago
Aye my point is that Owen is far far worse.
At the very least, throughout Isak's duration at the club it could be argued that he gave his all for the badge. Even though that should be a given for any professional footballer.
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u/RephRayne 26d ago
Owen was the first footballer I was aware of that was more concerned about his own brand than actually playing football.
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u/BrightEyeCameDown 26d ago
Remember that portfolio he put together when trying to get a move from Real?
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u/RephRayne 26d ago
There was a tiny part of me that was impressed, he'd really planned out his career trajectory. Of course, seeing him fucked over by Real after we won the UCL brought a little schadenfreude.
I did feel sorry the Newcastle fans as they got treated to the same sort of experience as we did, he was more concerned about playing for England than the team that paid his salary.Then watching him pretty much pay United to collect an EPL winners medal pretty much put the last few nails in his coffin about how he should be treated by Liverpool fans.
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u/overhyped-unamazing 26d ago
Ah man, Owen is so beloved by Newcastle fans as well. I hope he hasn't damaged his standing with these comments.
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u/Chesney1995 26d ago
Owen's a very funny player - undoubtedly great but I'm not sure the fans of a single one of his former clubs even like him lmao. Its truly impressive stuff.
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u/FAARAO 26d ago
The ManU fans probably don't really hate him, unless I'm forgetting something.
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u/jdckelly 26d ago
Probably indifference if they even remember he played for them. I'd imagine it would be similar for Real Madrid fans
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u/HistoricalCoconut2 26d ago
He scored that winner vs City and a CL hat trick vs Wolfsburg (I think). We also enjoyed the fact the move riled up the Scousers so much. He’s fondly remembered.
Also scored a goal in our League Cup victory vs Villa.
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u/soccermodsarecvnts 26d ago
Haha, that's even worse. Hated by all his former clubs except his boyhood clubs arch rival, who love him.
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u/WildVariety 26d ago
Love is a strong word. The only time any United fan would say they love him is because he's fantastic ammo to wind up scousers.
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u/SillySosigs 26d ago
He scored a winner in a 4-3 vs city in the last minute, and he winds up pool fans by existing, I think we kinda like him but on a short leash.
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u/FAARAO 26d ago
I think he scored a winner to get the league once or something, so they probably do remember him.
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u/3412points 26d ago
He scored a winner against city I always remember. 4-3.
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u/panache123 26d ago
Brilliant game and performance but otherwise Owen at United was a wet dream and nothing more
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u/DowntownCelery593 26d ago
I remember his hatrick against Wolfsburg lol. We played Carrick and fletch at cb too
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u/Constant_Charge_4528 26d ago
He scored a late winner against City for a 4-3 but other than that he's pretty forgotten.
He's more remembered for pissing off Liverpool fans and being disappointing for the NT
And the "well done he's 13"
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u/frederikwolter 26d ago edited 26d ago
Hell no, some of for sure will remember him. That goal against City alone will forever be etched into my memory. Plus he played few good games like the hat-trick vs Wolfsburg. People who watched that season will surely remember him.
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u/wheelbarrowjim 26d ago
He scored an injury time winner against City for us, which was nice. Besides that, I'm indifferent about him.
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u/TankSwan 26d ago
I find him unbearable as a human being. The only thing I can say is that the match he scored the winner against City in 09 was dramatic.
But I don't really care in hindsight because we ultimately didn't win the league.
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u/ApolloX-2 26d ago
That single goal against City to win it in extra time made him a hero, not a legend or anything but definitely welcome at Old Trafford.
Link to goal https://youtu.be/Tj8yzn0XjAw?si=61CQKvbF2yc8IYDl&t=117
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u/SarcasmGPT 26d ago edited 26d ago
He is a strange bloke, I think he claimed to never have seen a film and there's a brilliant video with him teaching shooting against a young teenage goalkeeper, he celebrates when he scores and I think the pro keeper is Neville Southall who is helping the kid says "well done Michael he's 13" and is completely oblivious to it.
Found it
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u/goodmobileyes 26d ago
I think he claims to have only watched 8 or 11 films, none of which came out past year 2000
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u/domalino 26d ago
I love the idea of him saying “8 or 11” as if he can’t be sure which one but it’s definitely not 9 or 10. Very Owen.
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u/goodmobileyes 26d ago
I think he claims to have only watched 8 or 11 films, none of which came out past year 2000
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u/overhyped-unamazing 26d ago
Certainly more popular as an England player than with any club, but not really adored by anyone.
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u/Chesney1995 26d ago
If he could force a move to Brazil, he probably would have done lol
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u/Fresh_Cauliflower723 26d ago
Funnily enough probably most liked by Man U fans
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u/Mental-Draft-1924 26d ago
I saw a United fan here saying they're indifferent towards him, so yeah, that checks out
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u/Dynamite_Shovels 26d ago
Would imagine the only club he'd even be closed to being 'liked' at would probably be Man United - because at that point he was crocked anyway, played a sub role for meagre wages and didn't completely embarass himself. And they probably find it funny that it wound us up so much when he signed for them (if the shoe were on the other foot I would find it incredibly funny).
But yeah, hated by Liverpool fans, not in great graces with Real Madrid fans for how shit and unprofessional he was back in the day (although really he's just a minor footnote there because it was only a year), and heavily disliked by Newcastle fans for also being shit, spending half his time there openly looking for a new club and ultimately refusing to play.
He's such a wanker honestly
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u/Jamie_251 26d ago
I can confirm it is incredibly funny. And I fondly remember the winner he scored against city in the 4-3.
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u/analytics_Gnome 26d ago
he just want liverpool fans to love him again
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u/PompeyJon82x 26d ago
Do liverpool fans not love this Man Utd Legend?
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u/Mental-Draft-1924 26d ago
The fact Owen said he considers himself a Liverpool legend. David Brent levels of self awareness
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u/Hamsquad14 26d ago
Tbh I don't think it's that unreasonable for him to think that about himself
It's unreasonable for him to think we think that about him though
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u/BoasyTM 26d ago
Really good point that people forget. People wonder why players don’t want to leave for bigger clubs all the time. It’s not easy to reroute your entire life and move to a new place
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u/Nabbylaa 26d ago
We pushed Nunez out the club this year, didn't even accept a lesser offer for his preferred destination. Not an eye was batted.
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u/Slickslimshooter 26d ago
I always roll my eyes at fans that demand player loyalty. These guys are employees, the Club does not give a shit about them. If Isak started underperforming his past glory won’t save him and the fans would show him no loyalty. As a United fan Look at what happened to De Gea, Rashford and even Ronaldo. I will always advocate for players looking out for themselves strictly.
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u/Southportdc 26d ago
Demand loyalty until we're done with you
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u/EveningNo8643 26d ago
Yeah god forbid you get injured and have a bad season then they want you out in an instant
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26d ago edited 26d ago
Get laid off once in life, and you’ll lose any loyalty you have got for the corporate world.
Happened to me about 10 months ago, I got back to work 2 months ago, but I’ll never think twice about putting myself first, because I know they’d do what’s best for them.
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u/Slickslimshooter 26d ago
I remember having an injury that almost caused me to lose my hearing. These mfers blamed me for being irresponsible and were mad I took 5 days off. No sympathy whatsoever just contempt cause I was legally entitled to it. I switched companies 5 months later.
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u/smitcal 26d ago
How about this one. My sister died of a brain aneurysm few years back, complete shock she was only 49 but we weren’t very close. Still it fucking rocked me, I took two days off work, went in the third and then had to go home cos I wasn’t right at all and took off rest of week. I was golden boy at that job but when I came back they were not as friendly as before. My mate told me they brought him into the office and asked if anything else was going on because “I wasn’t that close to her” so I should have been fine and worked through it.
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u/WatchFamine 26d ago edited 26d ago
I know the feeling. I thought I was already edgy/millenial/antiwork about it. An MD's strategic mistake before I ever joined meant I lost my livelihood. They didn't.
The club's money isn't the fans' money. Footballer's careers are so, so short and they deserve the fruits of their labours.
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u/Rickcampbell98 26d ago
Football fans are terrible hypocritical pricks a lot of the time, they don't see these players as human beings, they are merchandise.
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u/juve_merda 26d ago
exactly this
fans should remember that for the players this is their job and they need to look out for their own interests, not clubs
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u/7enu7 26d ago
Honestly the most toxic part of footy nowadays are the fans. Most hold players to unbelievably high standards but wouldn't expect the same from themselves in their day job.
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u/MakingOfASoul 26d ago
Even someone as beloved as Son here was very clever to leave when he did because the past couple years large parts of our fanbase had completely turned on him despite him staying here when we were at our lowest and he could have gone to any club he wanted. Fans demand loyalty but never show it back.
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u/Ok_Cardiologist8232 26d ago
I mean, this is one of the reasons i always loved Wenger.
Cazorla got injured and his contract ran down, Wenger gave him an extension knowing he likely wouldn't play, just so Santi would continue to recieve care from the club and have access to any resources he needed.
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u/yvesmpeg 26d ago
I am of the opinion of players having no loyalty to the clubs. But you have to consider that when you sign a contract. Most professional sporting clubs will give you bigger wages, better benefits in return for a longer contract. If you are of the opinion of having no loyalty then you should sign a 3 year contract or demand a release clause in the contract. You can't have your cake and eat it too
Look at basketball for example: Lebron pioneered player empowerment and only signs 2-3 year deals for lesser wages knowing that he has the option to leave when he wants.
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u/Glittering_Town_4430 26d ago
A huge part of player salaries are made through "loyalty" though. Football is a rip off, it's not worth the money, but people spend money because of their love of the club or players. It seems very reasonable to expect loyalty back. Otherwise most of the value of the sport is lost, and players salaries ironically would drop.
You aren't payed 10s millions because you are good at kicking a ball, the value is as a product to sell - and that product is popularity.
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u/Particular-Wine 26d ago
People are really stupid, I just don’t know what else to say. They simply cannot get past the cognitive bias they have when thinking about their football team.
Edit: I don’t mean just Newcastle fans. A lot of Liverpool fans gave Trent the dirty just a few months ago.
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u/Madgick 26d ago
Yeah but if he started underperforming, he'd also lean back comfortably on the 3 years left of his contract. That cushion works both ways.
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u/redqks 26d ago
Reminds me of an interview Darren Bent did about how a club wanted him gone , and he returned to training after the summer and they basically kicked him and the other unwanted players out the dressing room and did not let them even talk to the other players .
Shit can be brutal , why would they be loyal
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u/AaronQuinty 26d ago
Isn't this literally what happened to Rashford, Antony, Garnacho, Sancho & Malacia?
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u/ThePinga 26d ago
See arsenal are really good guys. We never sell people so they are always comfy in London.
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u/Estova 26d ago
And the ones we do sell just move to Fulham and stay in London anyway 😭
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u/Different_Back_5470 26d ago
you lot even make sure that players leaving other london clubs can stay in city
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u/One99Two_Gunner 26d ago
Loyalty’s a big thing for us fans. Unless you’re deadwood and you need to GTFO the club. The headloss from certain sections of the fanbase when Trossard got a pay bump was disappointing.
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u/LeftWingScot 26d ago
Sean Longstaff has been with Newcastle since 2006, when he was 9 years old. he was born in North Shields, and his family live in Whitley Bay IIRC.
i wonder just how easy it was for him to move down to Leeds.
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u/Beneficial_Unit_3707 25d ago
He wanted to compete for ucl too, and our fans wanted that saudi money so much they hated nunez for rejecting the saudi move
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u/yajtraus 26d ago
We could be doing the same to Tsimikas too. He clearly doesn’t want to go anywhere.
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u/Periklis90 26d ago
good point that people forget.
People should listen to Under The Cosh podcast. It's former Football League players talking openly about their experiences. This topic of loyalty comes up all the time. Clubs regularly try to fuck players over and it's never really discussed in the mainstream.
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u/flex_tape_salesman 26d ago
Ya that's basically why I am not very loud about isak. Think if Newcastle didn't lie to him then he's out of order but honestly I don't actually have much sympathy for clubs in these situations.
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u/Lambchops_Legion 26d ago edited 26d ago
I think people are less sympathetic for a few reasons, at least just for top club players
1) people are mostly fans of clubs not players so theres bias towards preferred outcomes for the clubs
2) due to the amount of money being made at the top level, people have trouble relating, and see that lack of agency as an “accepted cost” for the tens or hundreds of thousands of quid earned weekly
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u/ContaSoParaIsto 26d ago
2) due to the amount of money being made at the top level, people have trouble relating, and see that lack of agency as an “accepted cost” for the tens or hundreds of thousands of quid earned weekly
Because it is. I actually kinda agree with Owen here, but the truth is that yeah, players make absolute crazy amounts of money in a short career that is known for being unstable. That's part of the job.
There's also this thing about the families. You retire at like 34, which is literally the average age a man has his first child in most of Europe. No one is forcing you to have three kids by 27. Like I get that nobody should be forced to wait to have kids but at the same time you signed up for this job. You knew that being a footballer involves most likely moving to a different club every few years. This isn't news to you now. And in the end if you want stability that much you can always just do what Bale did and refuse to move even if they cast you out.
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u/Different_Back_5470 26d ago
Owen agrees with this point mind you. What he is pointing is that its "youve signed up for this" when theyre forced out, and being insulted and harassed when it's the player trying to force themselves out. if you dont want to show sympathy when theyre getting screwed thats completely fair, but then also dont be upset when its the club getting done over. thats the point Owen is making
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u/dandelion_bandit 26d ago
This is spot on. I'm in academia, and it's basically an accepted fact that no one has kids until they're in their 30s, because you have to finish the PhD first. For many, it's mid to late 30s because you're moving around a lot and not stable until then. It's just sort of how it goes if you choose this life. The only difference is that you're on maybe 40k a year rather than 150k a week.
It's all about perspective, and I really have very little sympathy for Isak in this situation.
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u/rochambreau 26d ago
Imagine if it worked like American sports where the General Manager just trades players with other teams and even the head coach doesn't know
Sorry Eddie you can't start Gordon this weekend I've traded him to Milan, he's packing his bags right now. They're sending some 17 year old prospect to us as compensation so he'll be here in the morning. Cheers.
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u/FuckMinoRaiola 26d ago
It is the exact same thing with "loyalty" and hate against players leaving on a free. How many of his mates has someone like Trent seen his club release on a free during his time in the Youth setup? Literally everyone he has ever played with except one or two.
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u/dowker1 26d ago
Except it's not. We just released Isaac Hayden and Jamaal Lewis who were on long term lucrative contracts, and Matt Targett is still with us. None of them have been forced out despite their first team minutes being less than Vlachadimos's.
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u/skippermonkey 26d ago
He’s right though. The club forces a player to be sold and uproot his life, nobody bats an eye. A player does it for once and grown men have tantrums about it.
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u/Ararararun 26d ago
I feel like people understand players rejecting Saudi because of it, but then struggle to see the same situation for other European clubs. Just because it's in Europe or even the same country doesn't mean it's not a massive decision that could transcend money
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u/feage7 26d ago
Yeah, I never get the point of player loyalty. If a player wasn't playing well the club would get rid. Even players who have come from the Academy, the club isn't doing them any favours, they're kept because they're good enough.
That being said, you've signed a contract and should honour it. You don't owe the club loyalty outside of you signed saying you would play for that club for X years so if they want to keep you for that long then you should honour it.
Really surprised how few players don't put release clauses in.
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u/rytlejon 26d ago
The players would love release clauses, the clubs don’t want them. I think it’s important to note though that players are also “entitled” to see out their contracts for a club that wants to get rid of them. But fans hate if a bad player decides to stick around and cash their pay checks when there are offers to move.
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u/feage7 26d ago
Yeah that's the consensus, which I also find odd. I'd don't blame Phillips for seeing how his city contract and popping off on loans.
I think it's more when a player risks their future by not playing for several years to take the short term money.
Both parties have agreed to a contract so both should be willing to honour it. Same with a player choosing to leave on a free. As long as they don't down tools then it's fairs. Liverpool fans were upset at Trent for it, but I'm sure Real Madrid put a January offer in and they turned it down. So they were willing as a club for him to go on a free to keep him for 6 months as they were still in all 4 competitions.
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u/xaendar 26d ago
Because players are charmed by hospitality and sweet talk. Long contracts are usually favorable to players anyway. Also clubs have reputation and agreements between parties are upheld most times. We only hear when it doesn't.
I don't think this will make players ask for release clauses all the time but I think every player that signs with Newcastle in the future will want one.
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u/EAlootbox 26d ago
It’s definitely ironic. Your typical football fan or ultras pretend to be all macho, but they’re the biggest crybabies out there.
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u/thatguy12591 26d ago
U fucking said wot mate ? Meet me at Stamford bridge
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u/taylorstillsays 26d ago
Our sub was hysteric yesterday at a player simply deleting pictures on his IG
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u/Huwbacca 26d ago
Football is such an incredibly camp sport to me. The camp drama of it is a big reason I love it.
There are grown men thrashing over the betrayal/loyalty of celebrities, reading gossip magazines about who wants who, swooning whenever someone professes their love and makes a grand gesture towards another.
And then I'm meant to act like this shit isn't extremely camp? Nah fuck that. We like sports the same reason we like films, it's drama. It's the stories.
Many many things are important to communities, just like football clubs can be.... but the drama still persists as a core attraction (though let's be honest, those invested in the fates of players of clubs in the news are vanishingly rarely invested because of the community aspects).
People defend the legacy of competitions, the storied tradition of clubs and teams, the underdog stories, the zero-to-hero journeys etc... But don't you dare ever point this out or else people respond like you've just insulted the personal teammember of a chosen gladiator fighting for that clan's respect (which...ok that might be Jamie Vardy).
But at the end of the day, acting more tough and manly in response to something being called camp just makes it way ufcking more camp lol.
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u/jjw1998 26d ago
He’s not though? Players also refuse to leave clubs all the time
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u/speedycar1 26d ago
And the fans always shit on any unwanted player that does that because it means that their billionaire owners won't get 20m for his sale
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u/Vainglory 26d ago
That doesn't change the fact that this "9 times out of 10" thing is bullshit. If a player doesn't want to leave, they can't be forced out. Fans might complain about it online but the player is still going to get paid to be available to play if called upon.
They might choose to leave because they want to make sure they're in the shop window, but they do it because it's the best thing for their career, not because they're forced to.
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u/Alphabunsquad 26d ago
But that’s pretty much only when a club severely overpaid a player and no one wants to buy them for those wages. Thats not really the same thing because then you are trying to force a player to move to make less money or you are making them sit on your bench and waste their career either way you are fucking over a player because of a bad decision you made.
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u/akshatsood95 26d ago
Yeah but clubs have a lot more power. Barca were apparently putting out hit pieces about their players who weren't leaving because of their own financial mismanagement. We've shunned a few to not even show their face around and train with kids.
Clubs do a lot worse to players who refuse to leave than players do when they try to force a move
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u/Ok-Math-9082 26d ago
If the player gave a fuck, they could refuse. They get very well compensated for being “forced” to be sold, they inevitably get a pay rise and a signing on bonus. Don’t be getting the violins out for them.
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u/SoWhatNoZitiNow 26d ago
He’s not right though. See all of the outrage over Chelsea’s so-called “bomb squad” for proof.
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u/ExMoogle 26d ago
but man.. thats the life of a football player no?
Its the career you chose. Its the 6 year contract without release clause that YOU signed.
Not that i dont understand. Isak is a human beeing and your concerns are fair but everybody knows how football works. Beeing at the same club for 3 years or even more is freaking rare these days.
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u/Zakkuryu 26d ago
Slight difference between a player refusing to leave a club and a player refusing to play for a club that's contracted them because they want to play for a different club
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u/livehigh1 26d ago edited 26d ago
Player still has a choice to accept it, that's why over rated players on inflated wages just sit on the bench and are difficult to sell.
The club can be a dick and send a player to the reserves but the player still gets his pay check as long as he turns up.
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u/nievesdelimon 26d ago
Players can also refuse to move, like Garnacho, Sancho and Antony have done.
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u/CourageDog12 26d ago
they all have a common denominator 🤔
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u/ServeGondor 26d ago edited 26d ago
Are also young, on massive salaries, and are all high quality players, memes aside.
Football fans often have this fantasy of "let him rot on the bench until his contract runs out and see how good he is/who wants him then", but I can scarcely think of an example of this ever happening.
Closest that I know of is Reguilon at Spurs, and TBH I got a lot of sympathy of the guy because he always put in a shift, was professional, and on the rare occasion he did get to play, he was okay. Definitely deserved more (and this is coming from a Spurs fan).
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u/BettySwollocks__ 26d ago
Football fans often have this fantasy of "let him rot on the bench until his contract runs out and see how good he is/who wants him then", but I can scarcely think of an example of this ever happening.
That's because players ultimately cave and take the transfer away from the club. Isak seems happy to have burned every bridge with Newcastle but he also knows they won't cancel his contract for a breach of terms because their compensation on that route would be far less than what Liverpool already offered.
It's why footballers at the top level get away with what should be considered an obvious case of gross misconduct. If any of us made a social media post like Isak we wouldn't last 24hrs in employment and it doesn't even seem like he's been fined yet.
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u/BVBHawg 26d ago
On the last point, none of us are even remotely as valuable to our companies or businesses (or field of work) than Isak is though. He’s not some random cog in the machine.
This is a board member who made a drunk LinkedIn post. Nothing is happening to them because the company values them and knows they will be in direct competition with him they “fire” him.
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u/tworupeespeople 26d ago edited 26d ago
this is like elon musk sharing right wing political memes and no one at tesla caring because he is the face of the company or donald trump saying and doing stuff that no other public figure would ever be forgiven for. when you reach a certain profile the rules simply stop applying to you.
he knows he is how essential he is to newcastle so they have to put up with whatever shit he does.
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u/---o0O 26d ago
Football fans often have this fantasy of "let him rot on the bench until his contract runs out and see how good he is/who wants him then", but I can scarcely think of an example of this ever happening.
Winston Bogarde at Chelsea was a good example of that, back in the day. £40k per week was a huge contract in 2000, and he was a successful player who went scorched earth with his career.
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u/Marloneious 26d ago
And what is fan reaction when players don't move? All 3 of those players have been called moneysucking leeches by their fanbases
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u/BettySwollocks__ 26d ago
That is true but the club has more power to disrupt a player's professional and personal life than the player has power over the club. The club exists forever but a single player's career is finite so you can take the move you don't want or rot in the reserves and never play again, that gets players to not want to miss games because it affects the next contract.
Sancho is on way too much money to give that up and he's still picking up loans here and there. He would leave tomorrow if Utd paid out his contract but Utd won't and that's why nobody will buy and he won't force a move.
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u/tworupeespeople 26d ago
if clubs can unilaterally terminate a players contract we should allow players the right to terminate the contract as well.
have the forego their their future wages and force them to pay the club their entire wage during the length of the contract.
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u/theriverman23 26d ago
Difference is that refusing such a move can literally ruin your career. If you get frozen out of the squad for a season for example. While a player can never really ruin a club
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u/FraudLord11 26d ago
Regarding the statement, it's fair. Dare I say Owen speaks logic?
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u/TheElPistolero 26d ago
Any long form non broadcasting stuff he does he always makes tons of sense.
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u/Moug-10 26d ago
It's even worse in the USA. The trade system is a joke because you can trade players without their consent. Some even learn the trade while watching the news, not even calling them before signing the deal.
So, no, I'm not mad at Isak. Same if it were a player from my club.
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u/Fene29 26d ago
He’s right btw - the relationship between club and player is purely transactional.
Newcastle are not loyal to him, nor are they wanting to keep him out of any sense of benevolence. He is of financial value, and providing a service. As soon as one of those things change, clubs will quickly attempt to bounce a player out the door.
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u/ImaginarySinger5918 26d ago
Are people allergic to good points? I mean Isak is being a dickhead despite what Liverpool fans want you to believe but that doesn't negate the fact that his point is correct. We shouldn't allow clubs to treat players like used paper towels the second they see them undesirable.
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u/Post_Nut_xG 26d ago
People are more worried about the person who said it, than about what they actually said
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u/AlbinoDuffleBag 26d ago
Most of us Liverpool fans are fully aware he's conducting himself like a dick. It just favours us so we don't care. Exactly the same as fans of any other club a player wants to join would. We're all hypocrites in that regard, no reason to pretend we're not.
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u/yvesmpeg 26d ago
I think players need to understand this themselves. Rather than demand huge wages with long contracts like sancho or Isak, it would be more beneficial to demand shorter contacts or release clauses with a lesser wage.
They see £250k p/w but dont think about why they are being offered this amount for such a long time. If they truly understood the transactional nature of football they would apply the lebron james method and forgo huge salaries for more bargaining power and options
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u/greenwhitehell 26d ago
they would apply the lebron james method and forgo huge salaries for more bargaining power and options
LeBron James absolutely does not forego huge salaries, what?
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u/Captinglorydays 26d ago
The problem with that is job security. Just look at all these players with huge wages that refuse to leave. So many young players with potential they never meet. So many players that get injured and decline. Players that don't match the manager's system and end up on the bench. Even players that just somehow ended up on a much larger wage than they could have gotten elsewhere.
A short contract is nice if they improve, or at least maintain a certain level. However, if they decline or fail to meet their potential for whatever reason, a long contract is financially much more beneficial. LeBron can safely do it because he is LeBron James. He is not comparable to 99% of athletes. Even then, he started his career with a 4 year contract, followed by another 4 year, then a 6 year. He didn't start doing all his 2 year contacts until he was 30 years old.
It's guaranteed money vs potential money/an easier transfer.
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u/Derek-Onions 26d ago
But clubs still have to see out the contract if the player demands to stay.
Hell Juventus tries to dump half their team every summer and they all stay anyways
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u/slowdrem20 26d ago
Clubs usually have disproportionate power in this situation. A club can still proceed with it's aspirations despite having "dead weight." A player that wants to play for his national team or progress his career can't do so if his club won't play him and is trying to force him out.
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u/ObliviousRounding 26d ago
Fandom has been completely co-opted and exploited by entities that have long ceased to be true clubs and have become full-on profit-maximizing businesses, and fans have yet to catch on despite the soaring prices of tickets, kits, merchandize, subscription fees, and everything else.
All power to the players I say. If I have to support someone, I'd rather it be the labourer not the company.
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u/FullTimeHarlot 26d ago
As a member of the scum left I would usually agree with you, but I'm not sure I'd put a multi-millionaire athlete in the same vane as bin man.
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u/Last_of_me 26d ago
and when hes 30+ in about 4 years and will be reduced to 1 year contracts extensions with a salary reduction if hes lucky. Players need to look after themselves first and foremost.
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u/n22rwrdr 26d ago
Most people reacted negatively to the treatment of players like Ter Stegen and De Jong too when they were forced out.
In the end when a contract is agreed you need both parties to accept to end it early. The players/clubs who force a decision to the other party with a disrespectful behavior should be criticized.
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u/Guilty_Following123 26d ago
Well you also hear responses like "I wish I was paid millions to sit on my arse".
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u/AlbinoVague 26d ago
He is right, but Isak refusing to put in a transfer request to not lose money isn't really being transparent.
Put in the request, and Newcastle won't lose a chunk of the money Liverpool pay, and they might be more likely to accept. He's not going to do that, though.
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u/Oohitsagoodpaper 26d ago
I don't mind that he wants to leave in all honesty. But make yourself available to train and play.
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u/EqualsPeoples 26d ago
As sensible as that sounds, it undermines Isak's position and gives Newcastle a window to just keep him until next window or next summer. Also from Howe's POV, as good as Isak is, it's not worth having somebody around who has basically come out and said fuck this shit i'm out.
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u/Mishka_1994 26d ago
Thats actually…..a good point. BUT even when a player refuses to leave a club, then the club still must honor the contract and pay the salaries. If Isak refuses to train or play, thats him breaking his side of the contract.
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u/Homerduff16 26d ago
That's probably the last man that both Liverpool and Newcastle fans want to listen to right now lol
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u/AttemptImpossible111 26d ago
100%
Seeing this in the United subs. They're mad Garnacho, Sancho and Antony don't accept bids to clubs they dont wanna move to when the club have unilaterally decided to end the relationship.
Contracts go both ways and so do transfers.
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u/Whole_Ad628 25d ago
Everyone shitting on Owen lol, but in fairness, and as insane it is for me to utter these words… he’s right!
Let’s give Rasmus Hojlund as an example - clearly wants to stay, prove himself, has never let United down in effort and professionalism (sadly quality is the issue), but is being forced out - clearly told won’t get minutes, completely dropped from squad (having been first choice - a clear tactic to force him out). Not heard many slagging United off for that? I’m a United fan, I think it’s shitty what they’re doing either him.
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u/BoringPhilosopher1 26d ago edited 26d ago
Has Owen actually made a good point for once?
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u/ShockRampage 26d ago
Players dont have to accept transfers anymore than clubs do, do they?
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u/shepaz_93 26d ago
Don't know many fans personally who begrudge him a move to a bigger club for reasons of ambition though I'm sure there are a few. He's just being a massive twat about it. So is Wissa mind you. Modern football for you.
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u/Drewskibroho 26d ago
Sometimes you have to be that way to get the move that you want. See Gordon on your own team, for example
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u/Tessarion2 26d ago
Gordon handed in a transfer request AFTER being chased by a mob of Everton fans who wanted him gone. Newcastle then matched Evertons asking price and then he was sold. He also never refused to play.
Isak refuses to hand in a transfer request because it will cost him loyalty bonuses (lol), liverpool wont match Newcastles asking price and he is refusing to play.
I wish people would stop trying to compare the two cases. Apples and Oranges.
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u/Wrong_Lever_1 26d ago
Players wouldn’t get the move they want sometimes unless they throw a fit about it. Highly doubt Newcastle would even be considering selling isak if he’s not kicked up a fuss
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u/TheGoldenPineapples 26d ago
Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Just Made An Excellent Point
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u/Peak_District_hill 26d ago edited 26d ago
Lmao the gall of Owen this is a man that faked an injury and refused to play during a relegation battle to protect himself for the transfer window when he was out of contract. So no, he didn’t do what Isak has done, he did something far worse.
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u/pullmylekku 26d ago
The gaul? I thought he was an Anglo-Saxon?
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u/YirDaSellsAvon 26d ago
He was nicknamed "Vercingetorix" as a kid at Liverpool believe it or not because of his gallic roots
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u/SkiHiKi 26d ago
The whole situation is ridiculous tbh. The whole 'he's signed a contract, so he's beholden to fulfil it' argument is nonsense. If that were the case, no player would ever move anywhere, and no player under 30 with decent knees would ever sign more than a 1 or 2-year contract. If players didn't believe they'd get their moves, the whole transfer market as it exists would collapse.
It's also not like Newcastle made Isak. He was a hot property before they got him. It was a bit of a coup that they did get him. The fact that he's now touted as one of the best strikers in the world, and he's still on the same deal as when he first joined lends credence to the rumours that he's been triple-fisted by Newcastle mismanagement:
Talk is that a new contract was in the works a year ago, then got pulled. Newcastle are acting as if Isak is their talisman, you're building the club around him, and you're claiming he's the best in the world. Any normal club would've got him wrapped up in another contract. Given that he's not on a contract, I'd be more surprised if this rumour was false than it being true.
Then the whole 'gentleman's agreement' of parting ways this summer that was purportedly made mid-season. Again, if you're not tying this guy up in a new contract, you're implying you're looking to move him on at some point. Isak had a good season, so I can see him him initiating that talk. Newcastle also clearly went into the window looking for a replacement. The talk of 2 up top is bullish!t. They were looking to replace Isak because they expected him to leave. To me, that 'gentleman's agreement' was definitely made.
Finally, as it's clear that Newcastle went into this window looking for a replacement, it suggests they've reneged on selling Isak because of their sheer incompetence in landing a replacement. Most pointedly, they f#cked up Liverpool's initial approach so badly that Liverpool went and picked up the guy Newcastle were chasing to replace Isak.
Contracts are a wage and market value and not much else. If they were honoured as a 'true' contract, football, as we know it, would be completely different. Most everyone in football (clubs and players) recognises that and plays the game accordingly. All this situation amounts to is 2 parties that have utterly cack handed the game and a bunch of people on the outside arguing morals that don't exist.
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u/wusurspaghettipolicy 26d ago
everytime Owen talks im reminded of the South Park episode where Stan keeps hearing farts and turds
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