Problems Deepen As Kinnear Wants Permission To Talk To Owen!

Last updated : 16 November 2008 By Footy Mad - Editor
But, as Newcastle put in the most pathetic 45 minutes in recent weeks, Joe Kinnear says it is about time something was done because United are set to lose all of their star players.

Michael Owen has a rather shocking appearance record for the Magpies but Kinnear says the club cannot afford to lose him ... although it is odds-on the former Real Madrid striker will be on his bike in January.

If Owen is allowed to leave St James's Park in January, for a fraction of his real value, it will be the single biggest mistake of Mike Ashley's increasingly laughable reign on Tyneside.

Without the England international, a second-half substitute and the spark for an unlikely revival, Newcastle would have been a laughing stock! 

Kinnear: "We have got to sit down and talk to him about a new contract, if I am allowed to do that.

"It (the club) might be sold next week and someone else comes in and might see things differently.

"Of course I would like too keep all my best players here. It would be silly not to, wouldn't it?"

Kinnear said he was disappointed not to have won Saturday's clash with Wigan, even more so considering Wigan played 30 minutes with only ten men.

Kinnear: "We never got going in the first half and it was probably the worst we have played whilst I have been at the club.

"I couldn't have asked for any more in the second-half and feel we have been mugged with a late goal.

"It was a cruel way to lose a victory and I feel for the players after we had laid siege to their goal.

"They had the better of the first half but once we upped the tempo and took the game to them we fully deserved our two great goals.

"Maybe we didn't need to give away the corner which led to the goal but on the bright side we got a point and are now out of the bottom three."