Former Liverpool and England international Michael Owen has revealed he would have preferred to play for Celtic. The 45-year-old won the Ballon D’Or in 2001, but has revealed a familial link to Celtic and stated that he would have played for the club.
Owen won the Premier League with Sir Alex at Manchester United, which strained relations with Liverpool fans. The player went on to play for Stoke City.
According to Record Sport, the former hitman has a family connection to Celtic and grew up following the club.
“I suppose it all boils down to your family, doesn’t it? My father grew up and spent a lot of time in Scotland; his mother was Scottish. My grandparents’ side of the family is Glaswegian, the Donnellys.
“You listen, hear, and ask questions as a child, and my father grew up in Scotland, and his entire family was a tremendous Celtic fan. Naturally, my father bought me a Celtic shirt when I was a kid, and I followed them as my team in Scotland. That is the sole relationship.
“Of course, I’ve played against Celtic a few times, but that’s my only link. My father’s side of the family were all huge Celtic fans.”
Owen was asked about rumors linking him with a pre-contract move to Celtic in 2009, before deciding to leave Newcastle for Old Trafford.
“I would have loved to play for Celtic. I honestly would. That’s one thing I believe. At that stage in my career, I reasoned that there were a lot of players of a comparable caliber rising to the top.
“Top players who were around the ages of 30, 31, and 32 and had two or three years of experience scoring a few goals. And, to be clear, you always have the majority of the ball. When you play for Celtic, you get the majority of the ball and will have more opportunities.
“It’s actually pretty wonderful, as a player in their 30s, not to have to chase and defend so much. You always have the ball, and you have chances. I believe it would have been a great way to end my career. I don’t regret anything, but I would have preferred to join Celtic near the end of my career.”
Owen emerged as a teenage star at Liverpool, rapidly becoming a household name thanks to his scorching pace and accurate finishing ability. His spectacular goal for England against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup sealed his reputation as a global superstar.
Owen went on to win the 2001 Ballon d’Or and several trophies with Liverpool before joining Real Madrid for £8 million. Following an uneventful spell in Spain, Owen returned to the Premier League with Newcastle United before crossing the Rubicon with Manchester United. Injuries limited his later years, but his 158 goals for Liverpool and 40 for England are a monument to his ability. Owen finished his career at Stoke City, but he also won titles with Liverpool and Manchester United.
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