Owen to Provide Poacher's Instinct to Stoke City

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Owen to Provide Poacher's Instinct to Stoke City

England fans of a certain age will remember Michael Owen not only as the wonder kid who scored that stunning goal against Argentina in France ’98 but also as the first national football hero they ever had.

1998 was a turning point in football and with the depreciation of Gazza, Beckham’s petulance and Alan Shearer’s upcoming international retirement, Owen inspired a fresh generation of youngsters eager to replicate his sneaky runs and wry finishes.

It is with relief therefore that the striker has managed to find another club after years of exile in the basement of Old Trafford and he could not have chosen a better team to play for than Stoke City.

The move, which Owen said he was “always keen” to push through and had been tipped to happen in most Premier league predictions, could rekindle the flame that shone so brightly during his spell at Liverpool a decade ago and has the potential to push Stoke up to the next level.

For Owen, despite his appalling injury record, still has the talent to make it at the highest level. He may not have played a full 90 minutes since November 2009, but he has proven to be a useful squad member in the past.

Manchester United fans will always remember his stoppage-time winner against Man City three seasons ago and his experience and work rate was commendable as the striker eventually became a utility man, scoring he odd goal for United as younger and more expensive strikers got the nod over him.

Although the proof will be in his A utility man is just what Tony Pulis needs to improve Stoke’s live scores and push them towards the league’s European places. Pulis now has a mean strike force with Peter Crouch, Jonathan Walters and Cameron Jerome all looking sharp this summer and Owen will add a poacher’s instinct to the team that creates chances but sometimes struggles to put them away.