The gamble

The deed is done, the ink is dry and Michael Owen is indeed joining Manchester United.

The CounterAttack thinks this is a brilliant move. Sir Alex Ferguson is renowned for his love of the horses and a spot of gambling but this could turn out to be one of his best bets.

Mickey, still only 29, after all cost nothing to get. Manchester are paying relative peanuts for his services. The consensus, from The Times, The Independent and The Guardian, is that Owen will be on £30,000 a week plus bonuses.

The more he plays and scores, the more he will earn. There is no downside for either. Mickey gets Premier League and European exposure and a chance to wear the Three Lions again. Manchester will either get a boatload of goals or will have paid less for an experiment than they pay their second-string midfielders.

Reactions from the United and Liverpool forums are all over the place. Manchester forums are torn between trusting Ferguson and not wanting a former Kop legend to wear the United shirt. Apologies for this terrible attempt on the Repulik of Mancunia site but it sums everything quite nicely.

Liverpool reactions are, to be honest, quite amusing. Most of the comments on the Liverpool unofficial official (sic) fan forum Red and White Kop are furious or mocking. One thread, started after Owen's agent put out a brochure to find a buyer for Mickey's services, has now gone on for 58 pages. It is a backhanded compliment to Owen how much Liverpool felt betrayed by his move to Real Madrid in 2005, that there is so much vitriol four years later.

One of the few reasonable RAWK comments also details why United supporters should be more excited about Owen. This lad's got it spot on:

That's the thing though he's not shite, he'd score a bagful with them. The style of play would suit him down to the ground, Andy Cole had a successful career with the Mancs. I'd honestly have prefered them get Benzema for £30mil, unproven and could be another Cisse for all we know. Owen is still only 29 and if he manages to put his injuries behind him he'll score goals for whoever he plays for, if they get him for nowt, even if he's a bench warmer the more money they have to spend on more players.

If Cantona can come to Manchester after wearing the Leeds shirt, the CounterAttack has no problem with Owen. If he turns out aces, all the better.

(But it is weird to see him in a United shirt!)

photo via Manchester United Official web site.