Owen announces retirement

Former England striker Michael Owen has announced he will retire from football at the end of the season.

































The 33-year-old who began his career at Liverpool before spells at Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and current club Stoke City, announced the decision on his website.

A statement on the site read: "It is with an immense amount of pride that I am announcing my intention to retire from Professional Football at the end of this season.

"Having progressed through the ranks at Liverpool to make my first team debut at 17, before embarking upon spells at Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, not to mention representing my country on 89 occasions, I now feel it is the right time to bring the curtain down on my career.

"I have been very fortunate in that my career has taken me on a journey that like many young players starting out, I could only have dreamt of.

"None of this would have been possible without the tremendous support I have received from managers, coaches, fellow players, back room staff, the supporters and my own personal sponsors. I would like to thank each and every one for the huge role they have played in helping me reach the top of my profession.

"Most of all though, I would like to thank my family. To my beautiful wife Louise, for her continued love and support through the many ups and downs in my career and for affording me the most precious gift of all, our children.

"To my Mum who has always taken the brunt of my frustrations yet continues to keep our family so tight-knit, a trait that has formed the foundations of my own success. Her dedication to me and my brothers and sisters is immeasurable. I'd like to thank Terry, Andy, Karen and Lesley for being so understanding and creating the perfect environment to grow up in.

"Last but not least, my Dad. We did it my old mate! From those freezing local parks to terrorising the best defenders in the World on the biggest stages of all. I couldn't have done it without you".

Owen, whose father Terry played for Everton, joined Liverpool at the age of 12 and broke club and international scoring records throughout his youth career.

Owen score the winner in a heart-stopping 4-3 win over neighbours City in September 2009.

He continued his prolific strike rate when he broke into the first team picture at Anfield aged 17, scoring on his debut against Wimbledon in May 1997 and then winning the Premier League Golden Boot the following season after rattling in 18 goals.

The teenager burst onto the international scene at the 1998 World Cup when he slalomed through the Argentina defence to score England's second goal of a memorable quarter final defeat.

Although he began to be plagued by the hamstring injuries that would blight his career, he went on to be named the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001 after helping Liverpool lift a unique treble of UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.

2001 was also the year of Owen's finest hour in an England shirt as his hat-trick in Munich inspired a landmark 5-1 win over Germany.

After scoring 118 goals in 216 games, Owen elected to leave Liverpool in August 2004, joining Real Madrid in an £8m move but he failed to nail down a first team place at the Bernabeu despite continuing to score whenever he was selected.

Newcastle brought Owen back to the Premier League a year later for a fee reported to be around £15m but injuries plagued his four years at St James' Park and he managed just 71 appearances, scoring 26 goals.

Old Trafford was Owen's next destination as he joined Manchester United on a free transfer and famously came off the bench to score the winner in a heart-stopping 4-3 win over neighbours City in September 2009.







Owen spent three years at United, scoring 17 goals in 52 games before moving to Stoke City at the start of the current season where to date he has scored one goal in seven appearances.

Stoke's Huth accepts FA punishment

Stoke defender Robert Huth will serve a three-match suspension after deciding not to contest a Football Association charge of violent conduct.



The German was charged on Tuesday following a clash with Fulham defender Philippe Senderos in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Craven Cottage that was missed by match officials at the time.



Huth will miss this weekend's Barclays Premier League meeting with West Ham as well as matches against Newcastle and West Brom.



Stoke said in a statement on their website: "Stoke City have confirmed that Robert Huth has accepted the charge of violent conduct following an incident in last weekend's game at Craven Cottage."



Video footage from the match showed Huth catching Senderos with his forearm, and Stoke would have been mindful that an appeal deemed frivolous could have resulted in an extra match being added to the ban.



Huth's absence will break up his centre-back partnership with captain Ryan Shawcross, and boss Tony Pulis must now decide who to move into the centre.



Stoke loaned Matthew Upson to Brighton last month, which has left them without another specialist centre-half.



Versatile United States international Geoff Cameron would appear to be the obvious candidate while full-backs Ryan Shotton and Marc Wilson could also come into contention.



Wilson made his comeback at Fulham following a broken leg and he would be happy to fill in for Huth if required.



The Republic of Ireland international told the Sentinel: "I will play anywhere for the team and do a job. There was a time at Portsmouth when all the centre-halves were out and I played about 20 games there."

FA charges Stoke defender Huth

Stoke's Robert Huth has been charged with violent conduct following an incident during Saturday's Premier League game at Fulham.



The Football Association confirmed on Tuesday that the defender would face action following a clash with Fulham counterpart Philippe Senderos.



The incident was not seen by the match officials at Craven Cottage - but was caught on video.



Huth has until 6pm on Wednesday to respond to the charge. Dimitar Berbatov's goal was enough to settle a scrappy contest.



Stoke had been lucky to not be reduced to 10 men midway through the first half after Steven Nzonzi, who had taken a knock on the nose in an earlier collision with Berbatov, was booked for shoving Bryan Ruiz in the face.

Owen facing FA rap

Michael Owen could face action from the Football Association after reacting badly to a challenge by Mikel Arteta during Stoke City's defeat at Arsenal.



Owen appeared to thump Arsenal midfielder Arteta on the back towards the end of the 1-0 defeat at the Emirates.

The striker was not booked but the FA could investigate after it was caught on camera.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis said: "Arteta's challenge was poor, but Michael should not do that."

The Potters had fallen behind to Lukas Podolski's deflected free-kick when Arteta challenged Stoke substitute Owen.

Former England international Owen reacted angrily and appeared to lash out at the Spaniard, but referee Chris Foy did not book the 33-year-old.

"If Michael has done what he has done and they look at it, then they will deal with it," added Pulis.



"We'll see what they say. Obviously I am going to be biased as it is my football team."

Begovic backs Walters to forget

Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has tipped his team-mate Jon Walters to swiftly move on from his nightmare outing against Chelsea by scoring in their FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace.



Walters had a truly miserable time of it when the Blues visited the Britannia Stadium for Saturday's Barclays Premier League match, heading in two own goals and missing a penalty as the Potters were beaten 4-0.



Begovic has no doubt the forward is strong enough to bounce back from that and would not be surprised to see Walters make an immediate return to form by getting on the scoresheet against Palace, who Stoke are hosting for a third-round replay after drawing 0-0 with them in the original tie on January 5.



"I don't think anybody will worry about Jon Walters," Begovic said.



"His character and personality won't be affected by anything that happens to him.



"It was a couple of unfortunate incidents for him. I take the blame for the second goal because I probably should have come for the ball, but seeing him there I decided not to.



"He is a big enough character to bounce back and I am sure he will probably score a goal on Tuesday."



The Chelsea defeat was 10th-placed Stoke's first at home in the league since February and the heaviest they have ever suffered on their own turf in a Premier League fixture.



It also means they have conceded seven goals in their last two games at the Britannia Stadium, having drawn 3-3 with Southampton on December 29.



Prior to that result, they had let in only four in their nine home top-flight matches for the season, and Begovic - who is likely to be rested tomorrow - is optimistic the Potters can get things back on track in front of their own supporters in the contest with npower Championship outfit Palace.



"You always want to put things right and hopefully we can do that on Tuesday," Begovic said.



"Crystal Palace will come here with nothing to lose.



"We appreciate the support from the crowd. We feed off it and it is important to have it.



"No matter what the result, they are always there cheering us on and we appreciate that.



"Hopefully we can put things right for them as well on Tuesday."



Stoke boss Tony Pulis admits there was some despondency in the camp off the back of Saturday's loss and is determined to get his players geared up again for the FA Cup, a competition in which they were runners-up in 2011 and quarter-finalists last term.



"There's one or two broken hearts in the dressing room and we'll have to have a look at those and then take it from there," Pulis said.



"We want to do well in the FA Cup. We've only lost two in 12 in the cup and we want to keep that run going."



Pulis is set to make a number of adjustments to his first XI for tomorrow's match.



Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, a regular for the Potters in cup competition, looks set to come in for Begovic once again, while striker Michael Owen will be hoping to be back involved after starting the initial meeting with Palace but then missing out on a place in the squad for the Chelsea game.



Defender Marc Wilson and midfielder Rory Delap, who have been sidelined by a broken leg and calf problem respectively, remain unavailable.

Owen in Perth Glory link

Stoke striker Michael Owen has reportedly expressed interest in a move to Australia, with Perth Glory the frontrunners for his signature.



Owen, 33, has played less than an hour of first team football since joining Stoke from Manchester United in the summer, although he is likely to feature in the Potters' FA Cup trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday.



"Michael Owen's agent has enquired about Michael playing in the A-League," a Perth spokesperson told the West Australian . "Perth Glory are interested but are yet to find out Michael's terms and conditions. Until these are known, Perth Glory will not enter any further negotiations."



Stoke boss Tony Pulis insisted Owen is still wanted at the Britannia, despite failing to use him over the busy festive period.



"We've done okay as a club anyway, but Michael has been a part of it over Christmas without me selecting him," Pulis said. "He's been available so hopefully I'll get him involved somehow [on Saturday].



"But his attitude hasn't surprised me and I think the players like him in the way he is, he's a decent lad. I don't think Michael sees this as a big chance to prove people wrong.



"He just wants to play football and he has to be fully fit to do that. We have to get him in that position first but he's been a pleasure to work with."