Pulis to keep Owen at Stoke, but why?

Tony Pulis has recently gone on record saying that Michael Owen will definitely be staying at the Britannia Stadium until the end of this year when his contract expires. The only question I’ve got for him about that is, why?

Michael Owen has only played five games, four of those were appearances form the bench, for the Potters since joining and is yet to score and he is also more easily and frequently injured than a race horse with a vitamin D deficiency. Amongst the many reasons why I don’t think that Owen and Stoke are a match is that he does not fit into any system that Stoke City play.  (I’m desperately holding myself back from saying anything to do with punting or scrumming or anything about rugby in connection with the words “Stoke” and “system”, I think I’m doing quite well so far….)

Recently a move to the Australian Football League for Owen was being punted around (bugger, I mentioned it) in some papers but it ultimately got ruled out. I think that’s unfortunate for Owen as were he to go down-under, he’d  create quite a stir and, provided he could get and stay fit, he’d probably score plenty of goals. 

It’s all a bit sad that England’s one-time brightest star is now languishing somewhere between Stoke’s treatment room and their bench. Surely he’s due one last star turn somewhere, and I don’t mean in another booklet advertising his skills.

Peter Stickney

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