MICHAEL OWEN has lifted the lid on his career and claimed that he was born to “score goals and be adored.”
The former superstar was one of the best strikers in world football during his playing days, turning out for the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United.
Michael Owen has opened up on his footballing careerGetty Images – Getty
FIVE: YouTubeOwen claims he was born to score goals[/caption]
FIVE: YouTubeHe now runs Manor House Stables[/caption]
FIVE: YouTubeOver 100 horses are looked after at the site[/caption]
Owen scored an incredible 158 goals for the Reds in 297 games while also finding the back of the net 40 times in 89 caps for England.
Despite becoming a racehorse owner since retiring, he says nothing compares to football and he was born to be a world-class striker.
He told FIVE: “I was put on this Earth to score goals, to be adored by people and sung to.
“When you are loved like that and all of a sudden you can’t do it anymore, I needed to find something that gives you that buzz.”
Owen expanded his love for horses and now runs Manor House Stables, looking after over 100 stallions in Cheshire.
His love for horses stretches back to when he first got involved in the business aged just 23.
However, Owen explained: “The reality is there will never, ever be a buzz like scoring a goal, an important goal in the last minute or in a World Cup or something like that. That’s what you live for.
“But I put this [stables] in place ten years before I retired, I wake up in the morning and I am loving what I do.
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Getty Images – GettyOwen scored 40 goals for England[/caption]
FIVE: YouTubeOwen won the Ballon d’Or in 2001[/caption]
“I still get big thrills after horses win but it is not even close to scoring a goal.”
Owen burst onto the scene scoring 18 league goals in his first full season in senior football and then he netted an iconic strike against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup.
He claims he had “supreme self-belief” and found the rise and hype that comes with becoming a world-class talent “easy” to deal with as he is “mentally quirky”.
His impressive performances in 2001 saw him win the Ballon d’Or.
The goalscorer-turned-pundit was part of England’s golden generation side alongside the likes of Rio Ferdinand, David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney.
But the Three Lions failed to ever go beyond the quarter-finals of a major tournament while Owen was in the squad.
He said their failures were down to them “having something missing” as a team unit.
Owen left Real Madrid after one season in 2005 and signed for Newcastle despite him hoping to return to boyhood club Liverpool.
While at St James’ Park, he saw his level decline after suffering an ACL injury in 2006, which sidelined him for a year.
Owen went on to controversially sign for Man Utd in 2009, much to Liverpool fans’ disgust.
On the move, he revealed: “Brendan Rodgers said he didn’t need me at the time so at that point you’ve just got to go to the next best available club.
“Once I got over the ‘is everyone going hate me, have I ruined everything?’ It was a no-brainer.
“I knew every player, I knew Sir Alex Ferguson, I could live at home, play in that stadium, and have a chance of winning the league and Champions League. I had no doubts it was the best move career wise.”
And it worked out as Owen went on to win the Premier League with the club two years after joining.
He jumped at the chance to take the iconic No7 shirt at Man Utd and he made an impressive start to life at Old Trafford, famously scoring a stoppage time winner against bitter rivals Manchester City.
But the legend later struggled for starts, once believing he was going to be named in the team against Arsenal only for Fergie to instead ask him about horses.
Owen said: “All of a sudden on a Friday, he shouted: ‘Michael, can I have a word?’ And I thought ‘I’m playing’.
“He put his arm around me and goes, ‘right, I see you have got some runners at Chepstow today, have you got any tips?’
“I got so excited and that was it, I knew where my place was.”
Owen retired in 2013 following a brief period at Stoke and he keeps busy as a racehorse owner and breeder.
The 43-year-old has a stable where he and his extensive team look after over 100 horses with some owned by the likes of Sir Alex, Ian Wright and a handful of current Premier League stars.
Owen claims the site has been “20 years in the making”.
He revealed: “Paul Scholes, Steve McManaman, Owen Hargreaves and Andy Townsend bought a horse together and we called it Box-to-Box because we are all on the tele and half the people in the syndicate are midfielders.
“He has been an absolute superstar, he’s won four or five races and we have had a load of enjoyment from him.”
FIVE: YouTubeOwen looks after horses for footballers and managers like Sir Alex Ferguson[/caption]
FIVE: YouTubeHe says the stables are “20 years in the making”[/caption]
Michael Owen has had a passion for horses since his days at LiverpoolGetty Images – Getty
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