Former England striker Michael Owen recently appeared on Jamie Laing's Great Company podcast. During the episode, Owen discussed his complex relationship with emotional expression and shared light-hearted jabs regarding his former teammates.
The hypothetical marriage to Wayne Rooney and the alcohol factor
During a game of "marry, sleep with, or avoid ," Michael Owen (46) selected former teammate Wayne Rooney (40) as the partner he would marry. However, Owen quickly added a caveat, joking that the marriage would inevitably end in divorce due to the Manchester United legend's drinking habits. This playful remark, according to the report, served as a nod to Rooney's own public openness regarding his historical struggles with alcohol.
The banter did not stop at marital prospects. Michael Owen quipped that he would not want to sleep with Wayne Rooney because the striker is "a bit too hairy," though he praised Rooney as being incredibly funny and great company. For the remainder of the game, Owen confirmed he would sleep with Gary Lineker (65) and chose to avoid Alan Shearer (56), highlighting the awkward yet familiar camaraderie shared by these retired sporting icons.
From 260 Premier League goals to the Match of the Day studio
The interaction between these four men represents a golden era of English football, where individual scoring records defined legacies. As the report notes, Alan Shearer remains the all-time top goal scorer in Premier League history with 260 goals, while Wayne Rooney holds the record for Manchester United with 253 goals. Michael Owen himself contributed significantly to the English game, netting 150 Premier League goals and 40 for the national team.
This group also illustrates the diverse paths athletes take after retirement. While Alan Shearer transitioned into a respected pundit after retiring in 2006, Gary Lineker leveraged his 16-year playing career—notably completed without a single yellow or red card—into a massive media presence. lineker has spent 26 years presenting Match of the Day, transforming from a striker into one of the most recognizable faces in British broadcasting.
Why Gemma, James, Emily, and Jessica have never heard 'I love you'
In a more somber turn, Michael Owen provided a candid look at his parenting style regarding his four children: Gemma,James, Emily, and Jessica. Owen confessed that he has never told his children he loves them, admitting that he prefers to demonstrate his affection through his actions rather than through verbal affirmations. He described this as a form of "tough love," suggesting that constant praise regardless of performance is not an effective way to raise children.
This admission sparked a debate with podcast host Jamie Laing, who suggested that Owen's lack of verbal affection might be unhealthy. Michael Owen responded by questioning the actual value of saying "I love you" frequently, arguing that the phrase can lose its meaning if overused. While Owen acknowledged that he is becoming "softer" as he ages, he remains firm in his belief that emotional openness is a gradual process and that many men share his struggle with verbal intimacy.
Meet The Owens and the missing perspective of the children
These family dynamics are set to be explored further in a new fly-on-the-wall docuseries titled Meet The Owens. The show features Michael Owen and his wife, Louise , as they navigate the challenges of runing a horse racing business while managing a chaotic household. The series aims to provide a transparent look at the internal workings of the Owen family, contrasting their public celebrity status with their private struggles.
Despite the transparency of the docuseries, a critical question remains unanswered: how do the children actually perceive this emotional distance? While the report details Michael Owen's justification for his behavior, it does not include the perspectives of Gemma, James, Emily, or Jessica. Whether the children view their father's actions as a sufficient substitute for verbal love remains a point of speculation that the source does not address.
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