The 48-year-old, who also managed Owen at Newcastle towards the end of the 2008-2009 season, was far from happy at Owen's recent revelation that 'he couldn't wait to retire' from football
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NEWCASTLE legend Alan Shearer has criticised former team-mate Michael Owen for his admission that “he couldn't wait to retire” during the last seven years of his career.
As well as playing alongside the ex-Liverpool and England striker at St James' Park, he also managed him for the final eight matches of the 2008-09 season.
The Magpies were relegated from the top-flight and Owen, who remains Newcastle’s record signing after a £16.5m move from Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2005, failed to find the net during that period.
And Owen, who scored 222 goals in an illustrious but injury-hit 17-year career, revealed that he hated football for "six or seven years" while speaking on BT Sport’s Premier League Tonight show.
He said: "I was quick, running in channels, beating people. That's who I was - compared to the last six or so years when I turned into the only thing I could.
"I was petrified of running into a channel. I just knew I was going to tear a muscle.
"The worst thing about it is your instinct is to do what you have done all your life but you start thinking: 'Oh no, don't.'”
"For six or seven years I hated it," he added. "I couldn't wait to retire."
And Shearer, who himself had his own injury problems during a glittering career, was far from impressed at Owen’s latest comments - taking to Twitter to express his disappointment.
He said: ‘‘Not sure NUFC fans, team-mates or employers will want to thank him.”
Owen scored 30 goals in 79 appearances during an injury-ravaged spell on Tyneside and proved unpopular with supporters.
