Where can we start with Owen? We can start when on 12 August 2000, he made his professional debut as a 19-year-old in the 4-1 victory at home to the Old Lady (Hertha Berlin). The central midfielder came on as a substitute for Carsten Jancker in the 73rd minute and went on to become an integral part of the Bayern side in the years that followed.

But I can safely say that my first “real” (and everlasting) memory of him was in the second leg of the epic semi-final match against the “GALACTICOS” (May 2001). It was his first start in a champions league game and he played for none other than Bayern’s fearsome captain and on-field general, a certain Stefan Effenberg. Owen, who before this game, had been largely untested in the Bayern squad, had the task to fill in the hole in Bayern’s midfield left by Effenberg. After 4 minutes he had already dispossessed Luís Figo, the world’s most expensive player, and immediately engineered an opportunity for Giovane Élber to score.

As the game progressed, he did remarkably well in neutralising Madrid’s menace ( Makelele, Roberto Carlos, Raul, McManaman, Figo and Guti ) and I remember saying to myself “this boy, with his hard-running, authoritative display which contained measure and craft well beyond his 20 years, will help us win this match”. I sincerely think that his powerful, influential presence in the middle of the park was instrumental for Bayern to reach the final.

The next challenge came in the final where Owen was given the task of marking Pablo Aimar, which he did with such efficiency that the Argentine was substituted at half-time.

His career at Bayern boasted the following silverware:

  • 4 Bundesliga shields: 2000–01, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06
  • 3 DFB-Pokal cups: 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06
  • 1 DFB-Ligapokal: 2000 and last but not least
  • 1 UEFA Champions League: 2000–01 and
  • 1 Intercontinental Cup: 2001.

He played a total of 218 games for Bayern, scoring 10 goals, in a career hampered with injuries.

Unfortunately, after making some rather peculiar comments during an interview with Kicker magazine, the Bayern Bosses and Fans were displeased with him. He was reported as saying “You feel a little more at home there [in England]. I have a lot of fans over there and it is something unusual if you are an England international and you don’t play there.” This came from a player who had never played professionally for an English club and had never lived in the country.

Even though Hargreaves decided to stay at Bayern a further 2 years, tenuously committing his future to Bayern he still harboured deeper ambitions of someday playing in the Premier League, which he did in 2007.

A player who constantly thrived in overcoming challenges, Owens last season at Bayern saw him break his leg and miss most of the season but that didn’t stop him from being an integral part of the England National Team set-up. In the build-up to the World Cup in Germany that summer, Hargreaves had been booed and heckled by his own England supporters, mainly because he played in Germany. Such was his tenacity, that Hargreaves emphatically captured the supporter’s hearts with a superb performance against Portugal, chasing down lost causes and flying in with meaty tackles, two acts that are always likely to elicit roars of approval from fans. During that game, the England supporters roared “there’s only one Owen Hargreaves”, and no one had expected such chanting to take place, especially not Hargreaves.

Those who like me remember Owen playing for Bayern, couldn’t  but agree with this, as truly, “there’s only one Owen Hargreaves”, Bayern’s own “DYNAMO”.