Owen hits back at media for negative press

Departing forward Michael Owen has slammed the media for 'writing him off' for much of his career, and for unsavoury comments published over the past few weeks.

The 29-year-old made these comments while speaking to Sky Sports News about how the press has equated Newcastle United's relegation to a murder, and how he wishes that people would for once say nice things about him.

'There is a lot said and written about me in last few weeks and not many nice things, but that is life!' he said.

'I have got skin thicker than 99.9 per cent of the population. I get used to it - people write you off but when I scored a goal in the World Cup at 18, people were writing me off six months later. Then I was scoring a hat-trick in Germany and winning trophies with Liverpool and then they write you off again.

'Somebody will always criticise you no matter what, so if you let that affect you, I wouldn't be where I am today.

'Yes I prefer people to say nice things about me as it is not as if I have murdered someone, but you get more criticism as a footballer and you have to be thick skinned.'

Lil Mickey leaves the club on 30 June, 2009 after four abysmal years on Tyneside. If anyone wishes to shed a tear for the departing striker, now would be the appropriate time.

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