Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan has confirmed that striker Michael Owen will continue as club captain of the St. James Park outfit next season.
Keegan has been impressed with the way the 28-year-old has conducted himself since he was made captain back in January, and is keen to continue the arrangement into the new campaign.
"He leads by example, and that's a good way to lead," said Keegan. "He's not scared to give his opinion when he's right, or to say what he feels."
While Newcastle improved dramatically under Keegan and Owen towards the end of last season, there is still much uncertainty surrounding the North-East club.
The inability to attract high profile targets such as Luka Modric and Pablo Aimar (both men opting instead to join Tottenham and Benfica respectively) has been symptomatic of an embarrassing and frustrating transfer period on Tyneside.
The club, whose transfers are handled by Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez, seem unable to convince players to move north of the M4 – something Keegan managed with ease during his first stint at the club.
With arch-rivals Sunderland spending big to bring in new faces, the pressure is mounting for Chairman Mike Ashley to seal the deal on some big signings. It would be unbearable if the ‘Mackems’ were to overtake the club this season.
The insatiable ‘Toon Army’ demand quality signings to demonstrate the ambition of the club. The only summer arrivals so far, Danny Guthrie and Jonas Gutierrez, have done little to satisfy them.
Equally important to bringing in new faces, however, is securing the long-term future of the club captain.
Owen’s lucrative contract expires at the end of this season, and the club look unwilling to improve, or even match, his current £120,000 per week deal. The financial re-structuring of the club no longer permits the outlandish spending that occurred when Owen arrived from Real Madrid for £16m in 2005.
However the English striker is aware that at age 28, this is probably his last chance to secure a big contract and he undoubtedly wants the club to match or improve on his current deal. He will also want assurances that the Newcastle hierarchy shares his ambition and desire for trophies, not to mention European football.
Such differences of opinion have led to slow progress in negotiations. Keegan, increasingly frustrated by the lack of action, is adamant that his star striker should be re-signed at any cost. Having privately urged the board to act, he is now beginning to use the media to get his message across.
"He has really impressed everybody. He's a tremendous professional and he trains properly every day", said the man locally revered as 'King Kev.'
Whether or not this is enough to convince Ashley to open his wallet is debatable. In confirming Owen as club captain, Keegan must hope that it has at least made both parties more inclined to negotiate.
Losing Owen, whether on a free or not, would be a massive blow for a club that is never far from disaster. With a few new signings and complete backing from the board, Keegan should be able to steer the club to a top half finish.
But without such backing, the club could quickly descend into crisis. Ashley must decide which route he prefers.
Re-signing Owen would be the clearest indication that he wants to take the former route. Newcastle’s fans would no doubt approve.
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