Michael Owen behaviour branded 'disrespectful' as he riles up ex-Man Utd team-mate

Michael Owen has been branded "disrespectful" for his comments that riled up his former Manchester United team-mate Ben Foster. The ex-England striker sparked a backlash following his outspoken appearance on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.

Owen claimed that he was a better player than Wayne Rooney when he made his Premier League breakthrough at the age of 17 with Liverpool. He later doubled down on the comparison on social media after highlighting their respective goal-scoring tallies during their early careers.

Rooney diplomatically sidestepped the question when asked for his response on his self-titled BBC show, instead choosing to praise Owen, who he said was a "very different player" to himself. However, the former Real Madrid man wasn't done there as he went on to label Harry Kane "nuts" for moving to Germany when he was on the verge of becoming the Premier League's record goalscorer.

Ex-United and Wrexham goalkeeper Foster, who played with Owen during the shot-stopper's final season at Old Trafford in 2009-10, has now hit out at his former colleague. He accused him of being ungracious towards six-time European champions Bayern Munich over his comments regarding Kane.

Foster went on to criticise Owen for lacking modesty in comparing his statistics to Rooney's, despite acknowledging his impressive figures.

"It is a little bit disrespectful, without a doubt," Foster said on his Fozcast podcast. "If you're listening to that as a Bayern Munich fan, you're saying, 'Hang on a minute, Michael, we're one of the biggest football clubs in the world.'

"I think it's definitely more aimed at the league. If he [Kane] had stayed in England, he would have been very much on his way to breaking that Alan Shearer record. I understand it, but just leave it. You haven't got to come for him, have you?

"There were a lot of things coming out of that interview, like the comparisons with Wayne Rooney and who was the best at 17 years old. He [Owen] was like nothing you've ever seen before. Don't get me wrong, Wayne Rooney was an absolute beast, but numbers wise, Michael Owen was on a different planet.

"The only difference is that Wayne Rooney, though, went on and did that in the Premier League for another 12, 13 or 14 years. There's not much modesty there [from Owen] basically. I think with the career that he's had, just enjoy it mate, you've earned it."

Owen, now 45, notched up an impressive tally of 222 goals over a 482-game club career, which saw him turn out for Liverpool , Real Madrid, Newcastle, Manchester United and Stoke before hanging up his boots at 32 due to injury woes. He also scored 40 times for England.

Rooney, currently aged 39, made the switch to United from Everton at just 18 and subsequently became their all-time top scorer with 253 goals, clinching five Premier League titles and the Champions League in the process. He also bagged a then-record 53 goals for England

Meanwhile, current record holder Kane, left Tottenham in the summer of 2023 after 19 years at Spurs, switching to Bundesliga giants Bayern. Owen questioned Kane's decision as he had notched 213 Premier League goals for Spurs, and was only 48 away from beating Alan Shearer's haul.

However, he was rewarded in May with his first career trophy as Bayern lifted the Bundesliga title. Kane has since responded to Owen's comments, declaring he is "very happy" with his move to Germany.

Speaking ahead of England's clash with Serbia on Tuesday, he said: "Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I've spent a bit of time with him but don't know him well. Obviously, he is a Premier League great and an England great as well.

"I'll respect him as a person, but ultimately as he will know, everyone's career is different - everyone's decisions and motivations are different. I know he was insinuating I went just for the trophy, but it was to be at the highest level for as long as possible.

"I'm really happy in that sense of playing big games, title runs, big Champions League matches, the Club World Cup quarter-final. I feel I'm improving as a player, I'm pushing my limits as a player in terms of goalscoring."

Kane added: "It's hard not to hear things these days, but the decisions are best for me and I'm really happy that I made that decision and very happy at Bayern Munich now."

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