I stayed too long at Manchester United, admits Michael Owen

By PHIL MEDLICOTT
Published on 14/09/2012 03:08

Michael Owen has conceded he may have been better off leaving Manchester United earlier than he did and, having now joined Stoke, has hinted he is looking to finish his career with the Potters.

The Staffordshire club last week completed the signing of former England striker Owen, a free agent after his release over the summer by United, on a one-year deal.

The 32-year-old was reported to have had various potential suitors over the past few months, with there being talk at one point of a possible return to his first club Liverpool.

Owen yesterday confirmed there had been different interested parties but would not name any of them specifically beyond Stoke, who he said he had been keen to join since speaking to Potters manager Tony Pulis earlier in the summer.

Talking at a press conference yesterday morning, Owen said: “I spoke to the manager here a few months ago, so I knew there was a strong possibility that I would come here and I’ll blame him for not making it happen so soon! There were things I’m not quite sure about that meant there was a delay, but that’s all in the past now, I’m here and I’m excited to start.”

Owen played a very much bit-part, albeit often injury-affected role in his three seasons with United and, having made only four first-team appearances for them in 2011-12, he accepts he might have been better off leaving Old Trafford a year earlier.

“I was on the bench a lot of the time, but then when the manager says ‘you have a big role to play and we want you to stay for another year’, it was great to hear that from someone like Sir Alex Ferguson,” Owen said.

“In hindsight, probably with that extra year, it might have been better if I had moved in many ways.”