- Title: Rooney achievements "breathtaking" amid criticisms - Owen
- Date: 24th January 2017
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JANUARY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** BRITISH BLACK TAXI ARRIVING CARRYING SOCCER PLAYERS FORMER ENGLAND PLAYERS EMILE HESKEY, MICHAEL OWEN AND DAVID JAMES GETTING OUT OF TAXI JAMES TALKING TO OTHER PLAYERS, INCLUDING FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED DEFENDER RIO FERDINAND FORMER GERMANY MIDFIELDER MICHAEL BALLACK TALKING / OTHER FORMER PLAYERS TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER ENGLAND STRIKER, MICHAEL OWEN, TALKING ABOUT WAYNE ROONEY, SAYING: "Well it is an amazing achievement, what he has done in his career really to be England and Manchester United's top goal scorer of all time is breathtaking really. He is a great lad and he has had to shoulder pressure right from a very early age and he has handled himself really well. I am biased because I know him and I like him and mates with him and I think he has done incredibly well. I have, at some points, felt for him as well during his career because no matter what you do, no matter how good you get in the game, it just means more and more people criticise you and when you think of all he has done in his career and he gets an amazing amount of criticism from his own people a lot of the times. So, to do all that is pretty spectacular and there will only be one player, or one person, smiling at the end of his career. Obviously he has still got a few years left in him." OWEN AND JAMES WALKING PAST (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER ENGLAND STRIKER, MICHAEL OWEN, TALKING ABOUT TITLE RACE, SAYING: "Well I think it is a big couple of weeks for Chelsea. Obviously they play Liverpool and then Arsenal and if they win both of those then you could safely say then that they are looking real strong favourites to go on and win the Premier League but not many teams win at Anfield. Swansea did in the last game but prior to that, nobody won for an awfully long time and I think it will be a really tough game at Anfield. From Liverpool's point of view they have to win and if they do then the title is not over." FORMER SPAIN MIDFIELDER GAIZKA MENDIETA WALKING PAST (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER SPAIN MIDFIELDER, GAIZKA MENDIETA, TALKING ABOUT PLAYERS MOVING TO CHINA, SAYING: "The obvious reason is the money, which is very tempting because we are not talking about two or three million, we are talking about doubling or trebling their salaries, which in a short career is even more representative. I personally always looked at that challenge - to live in a new culture, to learn a new culture and to obviously play in a different league. The Chinese league is one of the one that is growing faster and quicker, so why not? I think obviously people shouldn't be judging players for going there for the money. It is a great opportunity." JAMES AND OWEN IN TAXI BALLACK STANDING NEXT TO TAXI FERDINAND JOKING AND WALKING PAST TAXI
- Embargoed: 7th February 2017 16:43
- Keywords: soccer Star Sixes Michel Owen Wayne Rooney Gaizka Mendieta China
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00160FVI2N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Former England and Manchester United striker Michael Owen lavished praise on his former team-mate Wayne Rooney, who became United's most prolific goal scorer on Saturday (January 21).
After netting his record-breaking 250th goal for the Premier League giants against Stoke City, Rooney's achievement was lauded by Bobby Charlton, the player whose landmark he had surpassed.
Rooney also broke Charlton's England scoring record of 49 goals in 2016.
Despite the records and the trophies, Rooney has often faced criticism from fans and the media alike in his home country, as well as having every move in his private life splashed across the front pages since his arrival on the scene as a teenager.
Owen, who played alongside the now 30-year-old when Rooney first broke into the England team at the 2004 Euros in Portugal and also partnered him up front during a brief tenure at Old Trafford, said Rooney's achievements were even more special because of the stinging criticism he has had to endure.
"Well it is an amazing achievement, what he has done in his career really to be England and Manchester United's top goal scorer of all time is breathtaking really. He is a great lad and he has had to shoulder pressure right from a very early age and he has handled himself really well," Owen said on Tuesday (January 24) whilst speaking at an event to promote the upcoming Star Sixes tournament in London.
"I have, at some points, felt for him as well during his career because no matter what you do, no matter how good you get in the game, it just means more and more people criticise you and when you think of all he has done in his career and he gets an amazing amount of criticism from his own people a lot of the times. So, to do all that is pretty spectacular and there will only be one player, or one person, smiling at the end of his career."
Owen spent the bulk of his career at Liverpool, who have looked one of the sides most likely to threaten Premier League leaders Chelsea this season.
However, Chelsea remain eight points clear of Arsenal in second place and ten ahead of Juergen Klopp's Liverpool.
Chelsea's next two Premier League games are against Liverpool and Arsenal and Owen believes those two games will provide the true test of Antonio Conte's men.
"Well I think it is a big couple of weeks for Chelsea. Obviously they play Liverpool and then Arsenal and if they win both of those then you could safely say then that they are looking real strong favourites to go on and win the Premier League but not many teams win at Anfield," said Owen.
Joining Owen at the promotional event was an array of former international stars, including former team-mate Rio Ferdinand, former Germany captain Michael Ballack and Spanish midfielder Gaizka Mendieta.
All the former stars will be playing in this summer's Star Sixes tournament at London's O2. 12 national teams will be represented, including England, Brazil, France and China.
Chinese soccer has come into the spotlight recently after Chinese Super League clubs made a number of high-profile signings, with Shanghai SIPG buying Brazil midfielder Oscar from Chelsea for 60 million euros ($64.46 million).
Their rivals Shanghai Shenhua signed Argentine striker Carlos Tevez for a reported 84 million euros.
Some of the players choosing to go to China have faced criticism for the move, including from Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure who argued players should play for the love of the game and competition than money.
Mendieta, however, said he could see why the vast wages on offer, as well as the chance to learn about a new culture, was enticing for current players.
"The obvious reason is the money, which is very tempting because we are not talking about two or three million, we are talking about doubling or trebling their salaries, which in a short career is even more representative," said the former Valencia, Lazio and Barcelona midfielder.
"The Chinese league is one of the one that is growing faster and quicker, so why not? I think obviously people shouldn't be judging players for going there for the money. It is a great opportunity."
Mendieta himself chose to play in three different European leagues during his illustrious career.
The Star Sixes tournament will take place in July. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
