16 Aug 2012

Owen has a go at football fans

8:46 am on 16 August 2012

The former England football striker Michael Owen says he wouldn't take his children to watch a match, contrasting the atmosphere at English Premier League grounds with that of the London Olympics.

The sporting spirit of fans and athletes during the Games threw a harsh light on the hostile environment common to many major English football fixtures as evidenced by the weekend's Charity Shield clash between Manchester City and Chelsea.

Owens says in his opinion, the whole culture of football must change if the Olympics is going to be the guiding light.

He says football has lost touch with reality slightly, if you were playing at an away ground and went to hug the spectators like Usain Bolt did, you would struggle to get out alive.

Owen highlighted the tirade of abuse every footballer gets once in ear shot of the crowd.