OMG. Plenty of talk in the past about Owen moving to CB... I know this is summer and the competition is not there but he pinged three perfect longs balls in those highlights and looked really smooth overall. Seems like being the center CB in a 3CB line could be a great position for him. Really hope he stays focused and recovers his career because he oozes talent out of that giant body.
I think that's obviously what happened or he wouldn't be there right now at all anyway. He probably made a few quid on his "service" but figured out real quick nobody was going to pay him what pro-soccer could if he'd treat it like a job and show up. All the talent in the world is wasted if he doesn't bother mentally, but we'll see how preseason goes and what happens from there. He can absolutely make it at a good level if he puts in the effort and listens to his coaches.
Let's hope he does. For all the scorn that's been poured on him, including from yours truly, he may have had mental health issues and that is nothing to laugh at. Ever. Let's hope he can get things sorted and if he comes good at even mid-table Jupiler level over the next 10 years, he can retire quite comfortably.
📋 Blauw-Zwart begint de oefenpot straks met Mignolet, Mata, Mechele, Otasowie, Skov Olsen, Balanta, Vormer, Sandra, Buchanan, Jutglà & Lang. #CluFck Het matchformat is 45+45+30 minuten, met telkens na 45 minuten een kwartier pauze. ⏱️— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) July 9, 2022 Started in a friendly. Looks like a first team line up Yup Otasowie foutloos denk ik he. Maakt echt goeie indruk.Skovke, inderdaad pfff. Hopelijk gewoon uit voorzorg en niet meteen een tijdje out.— Nico Vanhaelen (@NVanhael) July 9, 2022 "Yup Otasowie flawless I think. Makes a really good impression. Skovke, indeed phew. Hopefully just as a precaution and not out for a while." At least one twitter user was impressed
If he waltzes into the XI for Brugges at CB would be absolutely wild. Kid has supreme ability obviously, keeps getting oppos despite the mental issues and lack of desire. Can’t believe he’s back this far after the concierge thing, I thought he was done after that.
Just want to remind the class that mental health is a real thing and sometimes even elite athletes have real challenges that can impact their on-field performance. I have no idea what Owen was going through the past 12 months or so, but it could be it was just something that needed some time to address with medication, therapy or time (or all or some of the above) and he's back on track. Life is messy and we all deal with its messes differently. I'm pulling for the kid.
@bshredder posted a few weeks back that he hasn't had the best kinds of people around him for some time. He didn't go into the details then and may still be tight-lipped about it, but I got the impression that - like so many pro athletes - OO's always had some not-terribly-helpful stuff going on. Let's just hope he can pull it together. Life is tough, but the story of a guy who came from a troubled background, went in with the wrong crowd and then cracked up under the pressure, only to come good in the end, is part of the reason why we all love this game so much
The kid can play. I was impressed by him during one of the first USA training videos. In one play there was a one-to-one isolation play between OO and DLF. You would think Konrad had the advantage with his speed, Konrad just went ahead and pushed the ball forward to an open space 15 yard away or so for a foot race with OO. OO beat him to the spot. That's how fast he is. I dare to say, he is faster than Miles Robinson.
I remember ready an interview he had in which he made the comment that he didn't like playing CB because of the added responsibility of being the last field player to prevent a goal. Maybe that was part of his mental issues he had to solve.
This thread defies the laws of physics. Usually the pendulum has to cross the intervening space to go from one extreme to the other.