Summary
MICHAEL OWEN'S appetite for reviving his faltering career was doubted again yesterday when Wigan chairman Dave Whelan questioned his 'bottle' and claimed he may already have become a spent force. The former England striker's fall from grace during four injury- ravaged years at Newcastle was highlighted over the weekend when it emerged his advisers had circulated a glossy brochure to selected clubs in a desperate attempt to find any takers. There has been little response so far, amid growing concerns over his fitness record and Pounds 110,000-a-week wages, and Whelan was adamant Wigan would not be offering the 29-year-old a fresh start. Asked why, the Wigan chief appeared to endorse the view that Owen might himself wonder whether he has it in him to reach the heights that once made him one of Europe's most feared finishers.
'We haven't received the brochure, and we wouldn't be interested in him, anyway,' Whelan said. 'His wages are too expensive, for one thing, and, for another, you have to ask whether he still has the urge, the bottle and the drive. 'I hope he has, because he has been a great player. But that's a big question. I tried to sign him when he came back from Real Madrid. I told his agent I'd pay the Pounds 15million asking price and allow him to move on whenever he pleased, because I wanted him to be playing over here in readiness for the World Cup the following year.See the full content of this document
Extract
OWEN'S LOST IT, SAYS WHELAN
'He's looking a bit injury-prone these days, and he does love his horses. His wages will come down, but it would...
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