Share

England legends Owen, Shearer in Twitter spat

Cape Town - England legends and former team-mates Michael Owen and Alan Shearer became involved in a public spat on Twitter over their time together at Newcastle United.

In an extract from his new book, Reboot - My Life, My Time, serialised by The Mirror, Owen revealed that his move to Newcastle United from Real Madrid was a step down in his career and a move that he regretted.

Owen spent four years at Newcastle and was part of the side that got relegated at the end of the 2008/2009 season, where Shearer was the interim manager for the final eight games.

The Ballon d'Or winner sensationally went on to reveal that his once-close relationship with Shearer broke down when Shearer requested him to play the final game of the season in an attempt to avoid relegation, when not fully fit.

"He [Shearer] was brought in at St. James' Park as the saviour, the local boy, Owen said. "It could have been a great story. But he failed. Newcastle United were relegated. Perhaps rather than examine his own shortcomings, it felt easier to blame Michael Owen.

"I was a week away from fitness for the final game of the season that saw Newcastle needing a point at Aston Villa to avoid relegation.

"I told him that I wasn’t fully fit but was prepared to play. As I left his office that day, he made an insinuation that led me to believe he thought I had half an eye on my next contract.

"I'm not stupid – we both knew I was out of contract in a few weeks.

"It wasn’t until three months later, I discovered that Alan Shearer was apparently seething with me. Not only that, it transpired that he was telling anyone who'd listen what he thought of me.

Shearer took exception to Owen's comments and hit back on Twitter which kicked off a war of words between the two England legends.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE