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Newcastle United chairman Derek Llambias hits back at Manchester United’s Michael Owen after Twitter comments

June 3, 2011

NUC lauds Jonathan over funding of tertiary education — BY CHRIS OCHAYI ABUJA-The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, yesterday disclosed that the nation’s education sector, especially the tertiary sub-sector, has enjoyed greater funding under this administration in the last three years. Professor Okojie, who made the remarks while speaking in Abuja, said the education system had recorded tremendous development and growth during the period under review because of the commitment of the present administration, led by President Goodluck Jonathan, towards funding it

By David Lynch

3 Jun 2011 08:35:00

Michael Owen, Manchester United (Getty Images)

Teams

Players

Newcastle United chairman Derek Llambias has criticised the club’s former striker Michael Owen after he labelled the Tynesiders a “poor team” on Twitter.

Speaking after signing a one-year contract extension at Manchester United, the forward responded to claims that he is at the club to pick up his wages by saying: “Prefer playing less often in a top team than every game in a poor team. Been there and didn’t enjoy it.”

Newcastle fans took exception to the comments given that the other clubs at which Owen has played for are European giants Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Llambias added to the claims that the former England man is only interested in the money by disclosing how much he was paid during his time at Newcastle.

He was quoted as saying by the Express: “I’m very disappointed. Under Kevin Keegan’s management he was offered a one-year extension at £140,000 a week which he did not take. He was already on £133,000. His time here cost £40-odd million, about £1.3m per goal.”

A former chairman of the club, Freddie Shepherd, also waded into the argument, claiming the Chester-born striker should be more thankful for what Newcastle gave him.

He said: “We might have been a poor team but we made him a rich man. He spent more time ferrying between Cheshire and Tyneside in his £3.5m helicopter.”

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