Leading the Way: Michael Owen Appointed Captain of Newcastle United

Standing opposite Bolton Wanderers manager Gary Megson on the touchline, newly appointed Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan was left shaking his head after yet another disappointing performance in front of the Toon Army at St. James' Park.

Hoping for an emphatic start, Keegan's men were found looking flat-footed and perhaps a little leggy throughout their goalless draw against Bolton.

Undoubtedly, like all Newcastle supporters, Double K will be hoping to turn fortunes around during his second stint as manager at Tyneside.

Among the early changes made was the appointment of English striker Michael Owen as captain of the club. The move comes as a suprise, considering the deteriorating relationship between the two men during their time together with the English national team, when Keegan was the England manager. 

These troubles were well documented in Owen's autobiography, where he indicated the fallout he had with the former England manager. Going into further detail, Owen firmly disagreed with Keegan's tactical knowledge and overall personality. He believed that Keegan was trying to turn him into a type of player that he simply could not be. 

Another major point to emphasize is that Owen also claimed that he began to doubt his own ability as a result of his confidence being shattered by Keegan while on the England squad. According to the striker, Keegan and his staff always had something negative to comment on when assessing his overall performance as a player.

Regardless, it seems as if Keegan is willing to let the dust settle and put past differences aside, as he tries to inject some confidence into a lacklustre Newcastle squad. Keegan has openly forgiven Owen through the press for his comments, and will be looking to reinforce a stronger relationship with the striker the second time around.

"He is the right guy to lead [Newcastle United]—and that tells [the media] what I think of him,” said a confident Keegan. 

The Toon Army will be hoping that Keegan was right about his decision—and that their new captain can stay injury-free.