Michael Owen reveals he has not spoken to Alan Shearer in FOUR YEARS

Michael Owen reveals he has not spoken to Alan Shearer in FOUR YEARS after the England legends fell out over claims about his spell at Newcastle in his 2019 autobiography

  • Owen and Alan Shearer publicly clashed on social media over his autobiography
  • Tension surrounded Owen’s time at Newcastle when Shearer was manager 
  • Owen had claimed Shearer had blamed him for the club’s relegation in 2009 

Michael Owen has revealed he is still not spoken with Alan Shearer after the former England strikers had a public war of words in 2019 over his autobiography.

Shearer had coached Owen during the latter stages of the 2008-09 Premier League season, with the Newcastle legend parachuted in as manager in a desperate bid to save the club from relegation.

Newcastle were relegated on the final day of the campaign, finishing one point from safety.

Tensions had emerged between Owen and Shearer, with ex-Newcastle coach Paul Ferris claiming the former had been unwilling to risk his fitness due to his contract expiring in the summer.

Owen had denied the claims and insisted he was willing to play for the duration of their match against Aston Villa.

Michael Owen reveals he has not spoken to Alan Shearer in four years after a public feud

Owen and Shearer had formed a strike partnership with both Newcastle and England

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The striker only featured for the final 24 minutes, as Newcastle lost 1-0 and were relegated from the top flight.

‘I told him (Shearer) I wasn’t fully fit but was prepared to play. As I left his office that day, he made an insinuation that led me to believe he thought I had half an eye on my next contract,’ Owen wrote in his autobiography ‘Reboot’.

‘I’m not stupid — we both knew I was out of contract in a few weeks. It wasn’t until three months later that I discovered Alan Shearer was apparently seething with me.

‘Not only that, it transpired that he was telling anyone who’d listen what he thought of me.’

The tension had reignited after Owen’s autobiography was published in 2019, where he revealed he did not want to sign for the Magpies in 2005 and said Shearer’s record as manager was ‘dire’ as they were relegated in 2009.

Shearer hit back on social media when posting a clip in which Owen admitted to hating the last seven years of his career and said he could not wait to retire.

The Newcastle legend commented: ‘Yes Michael, we thought that also, whilst on £120k per week…’

‘Not sure you are as loyal to Newcastle as you make out mate,’ Owen responded.

‘I distinctly remember you being inches away from signing for Liverpool after Sir Bobby Robson put you on the bench. You tried everything to get out.’

Owen previously claimed Shearer had blamed him after Newcastle were relegated in 2009

Owen has revealed the pair have not spoken since the public feud in 2019. 

‘I haven’t spoken to Alan Shearer since he criticised my book, no,’ Owen said in an interview with DAZN Bet.

‘Alan works at the BBC and I work on other channels, so we rarely cross paths. 

‘I would say hello and shake his hand, things like that, but no we haven’t spoken since then.’

Reports had previously claimed Amazon Prime had taken the decision to send the pair to separate games during punditry work for the streaming service.

Owen’s autobiography had suggested Shearer had opted to blame him for Newcastle’s relegation, rather than take responsibility as manager. 

‘He was brought in at St James’ Park as the saviour, the local boy,’ he said. ‘It could have been a great story. But he failed. Newcastle United were relegated.

‘Perhaps rather than examine his own shortcomings, it felt easier to blame Michael Owen. When you analyse it, it all makes sense.

‘Shearer’s record as manager in the last eight games of that 2008-2009 season was dire: lost 5, drew 2, won 1. These are hardly God-like stats.’

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