Owen Hargreaves says he felt like a "guinea pig" at Manchester United as he battled against a career-threatening knee tendon injury. The midfielder, who barely played in his last three seasons at Old Trafford, has alleged his comeback was affected by a course of pain-killing injections. "I've had to be a guinea pig for a lot of treatments," Hargreaves, who joined Manchester City in the summer, said. Manchester United have said they are "not responding" to the comments. However, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who last year admitted to having concerns over Hargreaves' ability to make a successful comeback from his injury problems, will hold his weekly manager's briefing early on Friday. Hargreaves, 30, spent four seasons at Old Trafford but persistent tendinitis meant the player had to have double knee surgery during the 2008-09 season. However, he revealed the problems began in his first season at United, following his £17m move from German side Bayern Munich. "I received some injections and my tendon was never the same," he said. HARGREAVES' UNITED GAMESContinue reading the main story 2007-08 - 34 2008-09 - 3 2009-10 - 1 2010-11 - 1 "I tried to get back on my feet and [United's medical staff] said my tendon was good, but it felt like I was made of glass. "[The injections] obviously had a huge impact. With hindsight, I probably should not have had them. It's difficult. Hargreaves also suggested that he was pressured to play in a Premier League game against Wolves last season. It was the first game he had started since September 2008 but it proved to be his last for the club as limped off just five minutes into the game. "I said, 'I think I've got a bit of a muscle problem here'," Hargreaves said. "I was surprised it didn't go in the warm-up. I wasn't going to sprint, which sounds comical. "I was just going to try to get through 45 minutes because that would have been a start. "But I didn't even last five. I wasn't surprised because I had said to them that I had a hamstring problem, which I obviously did have." Hargreaves, who was released by United in June, made his City debt on Wednesday, scoring in their 2-0 Carling Cup victory over Birmingham. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15031918.stm Absolutely disgusted with him, so basically hes saying United caused him the injuries when Sir Alex arranged treatment in America... Nice one Owen..
It's commonplace for clubs to administer pain killing injections to players. If Hargreaves was unable to play under these conditions or felt uncomfortable taking the injections, he should have just said that he couldn't and wouldn't. There's no point blasting the club for this practice, when it was he himself who knew how his body felt and the condition it was in, yet played. Calling it a "difficult situation" is a bit of a cop out imo. I know for a fact that Carlos Tevez, when at United and City, has always point blank refused to take painkilling injections, for instance.
There is a story in the Mirror this morning with inflammatory headlines making out that Hargreaves blames United's medical staff for his prolonged injury spell !!!!! The words "ungrateful ****" spring to mind. Did we not continue paying him mega bucks for three years whilst he sat on his arse, and I'm sure United would have picked up all his medical bills whilst he jetted around the world seeing numerous medical experts ? Not to mention the £18 million or so we paid Bayern for him in the first place. I had every sympathy for this guy and wished him luck with his "new " team but if this story is to be believed then it would explain why he joined our bitter rivals, as a way of getting back at United perhaps ? Nobody wants to see a player injured or forced to retire but I'm afraid Mr Hargreaves you have just lost any respect I had for you !!!!!
just posted this as a "new post" at almost the same time ! So Owen Hargreaves blames Man Utd for his injury hell ! There is a story in the Mirror this morning with inflammatory headlines making out that Hargreaves blames United's medical staff for his prolonged injury spell !!!!! The words "ungrateful ****" spring to mind. Did we not continue paying him mega bucks for three years whilst he sat on his arse, and I'm sure United would have picked up all his medical bills whilst he jetted around the world seeing numerous medical experts ? Not to mention the £18 million or so we paid Bayern for him in the first place. I had every sympathy for this guy and wished him luck with his "new " team but if this story is to be believed then it would explain why he joined our bitter rivals, as a way of getting back at United perhaps ? Nobody wants to see a player injured or forced to retire but I'm afraid Mr Hargreaves you have just lost any respect I had for you !!!!!
Have just noticed that the BBC have not just one BUT three headlines about Hargreaves scoring the other night, on the front page of their sports pages, what with this and the "Mirror " story could this be an attempt to stir up passions for the forth coming Derby ?????? Seems the Beeb have now changed their front page and gone with the Injury story--- Fergies press conference this morning should be interesting !!!!!!!!
Complete ****.I lost all respect and goodwill for him when he signed for City as I thought it was a stab in the back after all our support.I had wondered why he had not thanked the United staff/fans or manager since he left us.Now it is clear its everyone elses fault, you willl fit right in with those classless bitter blue ****s you have joined Owen.
It's all hype because he scored. No doubt he won't play for a few weeks again then he'll get injured and sponge off them. He didn't play for us for years not like wer gna miss him. Seems to have forgotten who payed his bills and jetted him round the world. Complete ****er. Suits city
****ty have problem told him to say these things to "get one over" on Man Utd. Pathetic small time club.
I gotta admit merry, when you were talking about his problems mainly being in the mind earlier I wasn't convinced. I am now. It takes something wrong upstairs to complain that you feel like a "guinea pig" cos your club are doing everything they can to save your career. I know it's not on the same scale, but imagine if someone had cancer and went to their GP who told them there was a revolutionary new treatment that gave them a chance of a cure. Do you think they would turn around and say "No thanks, that makes me feel like a guinea pig"? Hargreaves has gone down in my estimation with those comments. P.S. Merged the threads so we can keep the debate in one place
Crank him up with a Horse Tranquiliser and Amphetamine cocktail, and set him loose. I don't see the problem.
I too had some sympathy with him but this is just unbelievable if true. Even if the medical staff did treat him like a guinea pig he was still content to draw an extremely generous wage for three years whilst doing nothing. I certainly wouldn't consider buying a guinea pig that costs that amount again!
I have lost all respect i had for Hargreaves after reading this. The club paid his wages for 3 full seasons even though he never played a match, payed his huge insurance bills and sent him to America to see some of the best specialists there are. Never wish injuries on any player but i certainly won't be shedding a tear when his knee pulls up again.
"but it felt like I was made of glass." Just about the only truthful thing you've said during the last three years. Nice way to thank United for paying him £10m+ for doing absolutely nothing and unflinchingly supporting him for three years during which he contributed absolutely nothing to the club. Can people finally start seeing him for what he really is?
