Owen Hargreaves to stay with FC Bayern 'til 2010

I don't know the first thing about club football, much less about FC Bayern.

But I do know that the TT page about Owen Hargreaves is one of the most viewed pages on this website. Check the number of comments which have been made - 113 at last count.

I had thought that Owen, after playing for FCB for what, 5 years already, was certain to be moving to an English club? Well, a comment just came in saying that this week he had renewed his contract and will be staying in Munich until 2010.

[img]http://www.toytowngermany.com/munich/owen-hargreaves.jpg[/img]

He had been linked with Spurs a number of times, but since we're now resplendent with midfielders, that's pretty unlikely. Anyway, he's a bit rubbish really, isn't he?

Yeah. Owen Hargreaves has not really materialised into that major footballing force we were told he would become.

He scores the occasional good goal but generally pretty pants

Yeah, I saw that on Auntie this morning, and I was thinkin' that probably nobody wants him. Besides, Bayern need to keep him coz Ballack's going to Manchester in January anyway.

And before you all go slaggin' off poor old Owen. How d'ya know he ain't a closet Toytowner?

Although Sven has been keeping faith with him I wouldnt be suprsied if he doesnt make the world cup squad.
He never really impresses at international levl and there are so many othe better midfielders

He reminds me a bit of Phil Neville - a utility player. He's a poor defender, mediocre midfielder but must be a smart guy as he's earning shed loads of money. Oh and Sven loves him just like he does Phil Neville.

Or the real experts like Eriksson and Uli Hoeneß, who know more about football than any of you guys will ever know, know that he's worth keeping until 2010 and putting in the World Cup squad.

Eriksson's an expert now. Bloody hell!

I don't see you getting paid millions to coach a football team? Have you ever coached one?

I think he's pretty good. Why hasn't he been in the England team for the last few games - is he injured?

He had a back injury and his return to Bayern was delayed by a cold. I think he's pretty good too. More a defensive midfielder than an offensive one. But I'm no expert.

Oh yeah. Did Manchester United for as couple of seasons, but no trophies, so they kicked me out. Monaco and me didn't mix, and as for Napoli... well, let's just say that they still want their money back. I have to go around in shades and a dodgy beard so's their hitman don't recognise me.

What do you think?

I'm entitled to my opinion as you are to yours mate. I just think that considering the weight of talent available, and considering how bad it got against Austria away, Northern Ireland away and Denmark in the friendly, the muppet should have done a hell of a lot better... which I retain as a fair point.

Although he's useful to have in the squad as a utility player, there are too many other players better in a specific position imho.

In right backs we have Gary Neville, Luke Young and Jamie Carragher. Centre backs we have Terry, Campbell, Ferdinand, King and Carragher. Right midfield SWP, Beckham and even Gerrard can play there. Central midfield, Lampard, Gerrard, King, Parker, Carrick.

Personally I don't think he is better than the aforementioned players in any 1 position but he does have the ability to play in any of these positions. Therefore handy to have in the squad but not in the starting 11.

@Sin

Yes, you are entitled to your opinion and just remember there're about 50 million opinions in England every time an England team plays and they always know better. And just btw, I support England.

As for talent, yes, there's plenty. But you can have 11 fucking talented players together in a team and they play like a bunch of pricks. Holland and France are good examples.

I personally think a team needs someone like Hargreaves cleaning up in front of the defenders and freeing up the more offensive midfielders like Gerrard and Lampard to wreak havoc up front. That's just my personal opinion. No, I don't want Eriksson's position although I could with the money. Reason: he's way more qualified than either you or me are. But you're right: we're entitled to our opinions.

Everytime I've watched a game he's played well.. he's always the one who kicks corners and penalties for Bayern... he also scored the first goal of the season in the new stadium, which isn't a bad way to become a piece of history..

Is this the same France who won the World Cup and European Championship not so long ago? If anything they had more superstar individuals then than they do now and it didn't stop them winning it.

As for Holland I wouldn't write them off yet. Finally both a good team with a well liked and respected manager. Just depends whether the players can get on with one another. They also qualified top of a group that included the Czech Republic and Romania and beating the Czechs in their own back yard is no mean feat.

Agree that we need someone cleaning up in front of the back four but I would still choose King, Parker or Carrick before Hargreaves.

I think we can write off Holland and Portugal along with couting Germany as the favourite.

Hargreaves is the best English player around and the best looking too.

@ Kingjeff - Just to clarify a point Hargeaves is actually from Canada and qualifies for England via other means, so he's not really English !

Sat next to the Canadian chap at dinner a few weeks back (he was with Pizarro or one of the other Bayern players). We got to talking about grilling and he was very friendly - not at all like most of the pro athletes in Canada... glad to hear he is sticking around for a bit longer.

That's because he's Calgarian

yes he is. He's as English as Greg Rusedski

Isn't he also from Canada ?

Born in Canada, raised in Canada, went to highschool with my friend. Might be British by citizenship though.

Think you can add Lennox Lewis to that list as well. Didn't he win gold for Canada in the Olympics once?

Hargreaves has an English dad and a German mother IIRC, or something like that