Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Liverpool8217;s joy over extending captain Steven Gerrard8217;s contract has been dampened by England striker Michael Owen8217;s refusal to commit himself to Anfield beyond 2005.
8220;It is impossible to say about my future at Liverpool,8221; Owen was quoted as saying on the club8217;s website on Wednesday.
8220;If they are winning the league every year, there will not be any decision to make about playing abroad,8221; the 2001 European Footballer of the Year added. 8220;There is no problem now and, in an ideal situation, Liverpool will do really well this season and challenge for the Premier League. 8220;But I really need to be playing in the Champions League and that is something we have to remedy.8221;
The club are eighth in the Premier League standings, 13 points behind leaders Arsenal with two thirds of the season left. Owen8217;s England captain David Beckham has said he would like the 23-year-old striker alongside him at Real Madrid and Barcelona have also been linked with Owen.
But Owen added: 8220;I8217;ve moved into a new house, I8217;ve just become a father, and my family are close by. I8217;ve lived here all my life, and you don8217;t just jump up and go.8221; Gerrard signed a new contract running until 2007 on Tuesday.
