Sir Alex blames Livepool for Owen's unfulfilling potential

Alex Ferguson claims Liverpool stopped Michael Owen fulfilling his potential as a footballer. Fergie says the Reds stunted Owen’s technical development by playing him too often as a teen.

The Red Devils boss signed Owen for Manchester United in 2009 and said the striker felt he was thrown in at the deep end at Anfield.

Ferguson said: “You can play too much football, particularly young players growing and developing physically.

“That’s exactly what happened with Michael. He would’ve been a far better player if he’d been allowed to improve technically and develop rather than playing all the time.”

Owen, currently with Stoke, took part in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia with England as a 17-year-old.

He then played 44 first-team games for Liverpool in the 1997-98 season before exploding onto the global stage with a breathtaking display at the 1998 World Cup.

Still only 18, he then featured in another 40 games for the Reds the following season.

And Ferguson insists all those matches so early in his career stopped Owen nurturing his raw striking talent and becoming a more complete footballer.

Fergie added: “When the England youth team played in that tournament in Malaysia we had two players in the tournament at the same time, Curtis and Wallwork.

“We gave them a month’s rest after they came back from the tournament but Liverpool put Owen right back in the first team.

“And then the following season he played in the World Cup so he never had a summer break.

“I don’t think he was allowed to develop technically, as he himself said to me when I discussed it with him.

“It’s maybe a bit churlish to say that’s the reason he wasn’t better. I think he would have been better technically but he was still a fantastic player.”

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Source: TheSun