Michael Owen has taken another swipe at Newcastle legend Alan Shearer following their Twitter row earlier this week.
The former England strikers caused quite a stir with their social media spat over claims made by Owen in his autobiography 'Reboot', in which he opened up about the four regretful seasons he spent at St James' Park that ended in relegation under the management of Shearer.
Owen, who scored 30 goals in 79 games with the Magpies, told ESPN FC: "If Alan Shearer has come to the conclusion that I didn't fancy playing in the last game against Aston Villa because I was worried about getting injured and subsequently worried about my next move then, if that's what's in his head and that's how he's overcome his disappointment of not being a success as Newcastle manager, then that's fine in a way.
"It's almost like a grieving period and sometimes you've got to blame someone else. I've done it loads of times in my life. Do you think I've come off a pitch and said 'I've been rubbish today, it's all my fault?' No way. You'll never be a footballer if you're like that.
"You think 'well the right-back can't pass for toffee, the midfielder is not creative enough, my strike partner is not seeing my run', whatever you think.
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👊 Michael Owen can't resist another dig at Alan Shearer, who he says blames him for relegation at #NUFC in 2009.
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) September 5, 2019
"If that's how he's overcome his disappointment of not being a success as Newcastle manager, then that's fine in a way."pic.twitter.com/I2vuM9kIGF
"Very rarely if you're right at the top of the game do you blame yourself. As I say, it's a compliment to Alan Shearer. He's had to find some way of not blaming himself, I guess, for what happened with Newcastle.
"But I find it hard that he's come to the decision to blame me for it when I was hardly fit in the period he took over, and then I actually put my body on the line in the last game when really I was a week or two away from being fit from a groin injury.
"So I get it, I don't agree with it. I don't think that he will ever change his mind, change his view, so I almost think that bit is pointless."
Owen, who also played for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Stoke during his career, was good friends with Shearer when they were team-mates in 2005-06 but can't see their feud ending any time soon.
He said: "I've often thought of it. A few years ago, I knew I was going to be in the same room doing TV with him and I thought about speaking to him then. But he's a strong personality and so am I. I'm not going to change his mind.
"To be honest, I'm pretty surprised it hasn't come out before because we haven't spoken for a long period of time now, sadly.
"We were big mates prior to him taking charge of Newcastle but that was the turning point really and since then we haven't been big mates, let's say.
"I know the reasons why, I've obviously said those in the book. He has his reasons and that's where we are I guess."
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