Can Michael Owen recover from his latest injury setback?

Manchester United striker Michael Owen will be out injured for six weeks with a thigh problem.

It doesn’t seem that the injury itself is too bad but its yet another injury setback in a career plagued with injuries for the striker.

Reserve

Since Manchester United signed him he has been backup to the main strikers.

And he’s not bad backup to have coming off the bench or starting in a Carling Cup match. He has however fallen a long way since he was the star striker for Liverpool and at times for England.

As I wrote in an article earlier this year maybe he is happy being a reserve at a big club rather than trying to play regular first team football elsewhere. Maybe its ideal for him, maybe his body couldn’t take playing regular first team football anyway.

Injuries

Michael Owen could have been an England great but for injuries. The list of clubs that he has played for says it all about the striker. To play for the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid you have to be a top player.

However Owen once had the potential to be far more than what he is considered now. Many England fans consider him one of the best strikers to ever don an England shirt, yet he could have had it all in Adele’s words.

Pushing

The fact that he is getting injured so often is proof that he is pushing his body to get more out of it. You don’t get injured by sitting on the bench and doing nothing at all. So he is trying to get back to his best and fair play to him.

Contract

Owen’s contract with Manchester United expires at the end of the season. Its unknown if he will be offered new terms at United or not. I can see United maybe offering Owen a pay as you play deal but they may decide to let the striker leave instead. It will be a waiting game for the striker.

Quit

With his contract expiring at the end of the season there has been suggestions that he could retire from the game completely. I really can’t see that happening. Whatever people say about Michael Owen he loves the game and will probably find a club elsewhere.

It wouldn’t surprise me if he ended up in the MLS alongside the likes of Thierry Henry, Rafael Marquez and Robbie Keane. I’m sure lots of football fans stateside would love to see the former-England international play in their league.

Ability

At 31 Michael Owen’s still got immense ability. He may have lost a yard or two of pace which comes naturally with the aging process but put him in front of goal and he can still find the net. I don’t think anybody has ever questioned his ability. Its just getting him on the pitch that’s the problem.

If he hadn’t had the injury problems that he has had then he would still be a regular first team player in a top flight Premier League side. He might even be a regular in the Manchester United first team but he is just not reliable enough.

Proud

Michael Owen’s story is one of what might have been. He has played 89 times for England scoring 40 goals. Not exactly a shabby record. I’m sure Michael himself still wonders what might have been had his body not betrayed him.

I don’t think Owen will be looking back on his career with much regret considering the amount of goals he’s scored and the teams that he has played for. I don’t think Michael Owen’s story is finished just yet though and I’m sure he’ll be back playing football and scoring goals soon.

Will Manchester United offer Michael Owen a new contract?