Michael Owen has fascinatingly revealed he ‘couldn’t wait to retire’ during the back end of his stellar career.
Owen enjoyed a very successful career at the highest level of the game, playing for the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United.
However, muscle injuries plagued the former England international’s career and as a result, Owen spent plenty of lengthy spells on the sidelines as he lost his blistering pace that once used to petrify defenders.
Michael Owen has revealed he ‘couldn’t wait to retire during the back end of his stellar career
Owen – who scored 40 goals in 89 internationals – ended up calling a day on his career back in 2013 while in the Premier League with Stoke, at just the age of 33.
And the former striker, talking on BT Sport following Liverpool’s victory over Brighton on Saturday, has strikingly admitted that he hated playing for the last six or seven years of his career as he lost all of his special attributes.
Owen said: ‘Once I did it once (hamstring tear), I was gone really. I changed my game, I went from someone who scored goals like I did against Argentina, beating players, I was quick, running in channels, I was crossing the ball. That was me.
‘The last six or seven years of my career, I just turned into the only thing I could. I was petrified of running into a channel, I just knew I was going to tear a muscle.
‘The worst thing about it all, your instinct says what you’ve always done, I was bred to be a footballer. Worst thing ever, Macca (Steve McManaman) gets the ball and then I think “oh no, you can’t, don’t, come off short”.
‘You have lost everything. All I did at the end of my career for six or seven years, I hated it. I couldn’t wait to retire at the back end of my career because I wasn’t me.’
Owen scored 200 club goals throughout 17-year career, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup (three times) and UEFA Cup.
Owen was plagued by muscle injuries and retired from the game at just the age of 33
The former striker walks down the tunnel after straining his hamstring against Leeds in 1999
The former striker was also named European Footballer of the Year in 2001 – the first Englishman to achieve the accolade since Kevin Keegan in 1979.
But Owen will look back on his career with a sense of disappointment due to his mammoth injury count, as he also admitted his problems affected the way he played on the pitch.
‘What’s even worse, I explained how it felt when Macca got the ball, and my immediate reaction is do this. And then in a split second, no you can’t, just go short,’ Owen added.
‘The worst thing is, you then get into a rut whereby you don’t even put yourself into a position where you are able to run. So you actually then go and stand in areas where you shouldn’t even be.’
Injuries unfortunately were never far way for Owen and his first spell on the sidelines came when he tore his hamstring aged just 19, leading to five months out.
He was plagued with muscle injuries to his hamstring, thigh, groin and calf but also suffered a broken metatarsal when playing for Newcastle back in 2005.
Owen enjoyed a fantastic career, playing for the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid and Man United