Page "Michael Owen" Paragraph 10

Owen celebrated his seventeenth birthday by signing a professional contract with Liverpool.

He was handed a place in Roy Evans ' senior squad with Steve Heighway stating that: " is ready for whatever you throw at him ; nothing fazes Michael Owen.

He's ready.

If the manager wants a recommendation from me, Michael gets it.

" Owen also declared his aim was " a first-team place in the next year or so.

" Karl-Heinz Riedle, who prior to joining Liverpool in the summer of 1997 had never heard of Owen, declared: " It's unbelievable when you see him play to realise that he's only 17 ," he said.

" He's such a good player, so very quick and for his age he has excellent vision and awareness.

He's a great player already and in one or two years he will become a very great player.

" Owen was rated as " the best attacker of his age in the country " in January 1997.

Ted Powell, championship winning coach of the England u-18 side, declared Owen to be the best of a generation of young players that included Paul Scholes, David Beckham, and Robbie Fowler.