Despite scoring 158 goals for Liverpool, helping fire the Reds to an historic cup treble, and even winning the Ballon d’Or for his individual efforts, Michael Owen is not a popular figure amongst Kopites.
He used to be, of course, when leading the line for Gerard Houllier’s side and wearing the famous red shirt. Even after he left for Real Madrid in the summer of 2004, Liverpool fans famously chanted, ‘There’s only one Michael Owen!’ during their 2005 European Super Cup victory over CSKA Moscow amid rumours the Reds were in talks to re-sign the striker.
Alas, Liverpool were priced out of such a transfer as Newcastle United offered a then club-record £17m for the striker. Upon his first return to Anfield with the Magpies, rather than his name being chanted, Kopites instead sang, ‘Where were you in Istanbul?’ in reference to the club’s 2005 Champions League win a few months earlier.
But the killer blow to Owen’s relationship with fans of his former club was his controversial decision to join their bitter-rivals, Manchester United in the summer of 2009. He has repeatedly defended such a decision, pointing out he was available on a free transfer following Newcastle’s relegation, Liverpool had rejected his attempts to return to Anfield, and he was left with a choice of the Red Devils, Everton, or Hull City.
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However, unsurprisingly that did little to win over Reds supporters who saw such a transfer to Old Trafford as the ultimate betrayal.
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, who is close friends with Owen after breaking into the Reds first team within months of each other in 1996/97, did try to block his controversial transfer, only for his efforts to be in vain.
"Someone told me, I got wind of it and I phoned you straight away,” he revealed when Owen appeared on his Greatest Game podcast in February 2020. “You went 'Yeah I am signing in two days'.
“I got in touch with Rafa, said ‘Listen Owen is on a free and he is about to sign for Man United in two days. Whether you like him or not, do it to stump Man United'.
“'He is happy to sit on the bench, whatever. I think – you look at it now and I think we had just signed David Ngog and they were like ‘No we don’t want to do it, let it go’.”
While Carragher had ultimately been unable to prevent Owen from joining United, despite his best efforts, there was one thing he was desperate to know after the forward had completed the transfer.
Speaking to Football Ramble in September 2018, Owen shared what his former Liverpool team-mate text him straight after his Manchester United debut.
“I always remember coming off the pitch for the first time and looking at my phone in the dressing room,” Owen said.
“Carragher text me - we’re big mates. It said ‘Phone me as soon as you can mate, I want you to let me know what a Fergie team talk is like.’”
Owen went on to spend three years at Old Trafford, scoring 17 goals from 52 appearances as he won the Premier League and League Cup with the club, before finishing his career with a disappointing season at Stoke City.
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