Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Michael Owen and Gemma Owen

Episode Date: April 25, 2022

This week Emily went for a walk in Flintshire with football legend Michael Owen and his international dressage champion and fashion entrepreneur daughter, Gemma Owen. They chat about their three adorable dogs, the competitive streak in the Owen family and their pocket money rules! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why does he hate films, Gemma? I don't know. He's a weirdo, isn't it? He's like... Okay, that's the trailer. I would like to defend myself, but I totally agree. This week on Walking the Dog, I popped over to the beautiful Flincher countryside on the Welsh-English border

to meet Liverpool legend, England hero, and let's face it, football god, Michael Owen, and his super-talented daughter, Gemma Owen, a highly respected international dressage rider and now fashion entrepreneur with her very own swimwear range called OG Beachware. The Owens have three ridiculously cute dogs,

Kaiser the Staffy, Zola the Italian Greyhound, yes, Michael Owen has a dog named after the footballer Jean-Franco Zola. I know, it's genius. And Belle the Frenchie. Michael and Gemma took me for a stroll around their grounds

and we had the loveliest chat. Michael told me about his single-minded obsession with football from a very young age. and he had some fascinating insights into the mindset he developed to play at that level, which is something I also chatted to Gemma about, as is a focus she clearly shares with her equestrian career. They also told me about the competitive streak in the Owen family, why Michael hates films and is quite hardcore on pocket money rules.

And it was also interesting to chat to them about the work ethic that Michael and his wife Louise have clearly instilled in their kids and how Gemma was always encouraged to be independent and make her own mark on the world. I've got to say, I kind of fell a bit head over heels in love with the Owens. They just seem like such genuine, totally unspoilt people. And there was such a friendly warm energy in that house. In fact, I think I'm going to have to move in.

So get the spare room sorted, Mrs. O. And by the way, Raymond likes pink velvet cushions on his dog bed. I really hope you enjoy my chat with Michael and Gemma. Do check out Gemma's gorgeous swimwear range, by the way. I'm all over at this summer at OGbeachware.com. And if you're interested in finding out more about the work Michael does training racehorses at his hugely successful stables, have a look at manorhousetables.com. I'm going to shut up now and hand over to the dynamic duo themselves.

Here's Michael and Gemma and Kaiser and Zola and Bell. She'll keep up for the first ten strides and then that'll be it. Bell are you going to come with us? Michael is Bell coming? She'll try. My York are good. My Yorker good? Was it?

Yeah. Brilliant. 600 miles? Yeah. What, 600 miles? He's out of lawns you've made. I wish. I wish I could get him doing that much.

He's just come back from my yorka. Cycling. So he drags me out at bloody 5 o'clock every morning. Well, not every morning, but he's just a bit too good for me. So he went out with all the pros to my yorka cycling the other day. 100 miles and what? Five days? A hundred mile a day.

100 mile a day? Wow. Not a drop of alcohol either. No, that's why you're looking to slip. I need to take out a leaf out of your book. See you. Oh, look. Spring on a step.

Should we go, what do you want to do, Jam? Front field and round and just do the perimeter? Yeah, yeah. So beautiful here, Michael. I can see why, this is beautiful. I bought it after, do you remember when England beat Germany 5-1 in Munich?

It was quite a famous football. moment. I've literally bought it the next day. Oh it is a little bit wetter than I thought. Did you? What did you just think? You know what? No, well I was looking at it. I just remember it because I was so excited about the goal and then I thought and then I came home. Oh my God, got a new house as well. What a beautiful place to grow up in? It is. It is lovely with the horses and everything as well. I mean, I might have to move in. Come on dogs. So we've got the three dogs. The bell's keeping up so far. We'll lose her in a minute.

I mean, I should introduce you guys first. We're in, should we say, Flinchia? Yeah. We're near Chester? Yeah, just over the Welsh border. And I'm with England legend, Liverpool legend, one of our greatest living footballers. Not my words, the words of Pelle, I believe.

Mr Michael Owen, I'm also with his immense talented daughter dressage rider international dressage rider fashion entrepreneur business woman and to make you really sick the woman's how old 18 19 next month makes us all sick they're very wonderful Gemmer Owen I'm with Michael Owen and Gemmer Owen I'm so thrilled to be here now will you introduce me first to your three dogs guys so we have Kaiser, Staffy, who is like, as you can tell, very bold, very energetic. He's a great character, he's got so much personality. Zola, he's actually the first Italian

Greyhound that we've had. He's quite shy, but, you know, very intelligent. Can I just say, I love that the Owen family have an Italian greyhound called Zola. I don't. This is against my wishes. I said all along we've had staffies and, well, basically, we've had staffies and a couple of French bulldogs all our lives. But I just wanted to go down the staffy route because they're just the best dogs. And I was bullied and bullied and bullied, mainly by her. And then she managed to get into the other kids. Anyway, eventually I was outvoted like most things in our house.

So we've ended up with an Italian greyhound. He's all right. He's great. No, he's great. He is great. Who came up with the name Zola? I think that was mum, was it? Yeah.

We were thinking of Italian names and she used to love Jan Franco Zola, the old player. Yeah, it's a really good name. And Kaiser as well. We couldn't decide a name for Kaiser for ages. We were thinking chunk, you know, something, nothing really stuck. But then, Dad, it was your name, Kaiser,

was your idea and we were like... It was in its pedigree, wasn't it? I went to pick him up, and in his papers, it said, in something Kaiser and my best mate, Diddy Haman who I used to play for Liverpool with for years, we used to call him Kaiser and then I saw it in the pedigree as well. So I found everyone up and said, we've got to call it this and everyone was agreeing straight away. So Kaiser it is.

Zola is a lovely tribute. Do you think, I don't know, Viali has maybe a Welsh corgi called Owen? I doubt it. That would make me so happy. And introduce me to dog number three, guys. Oh, yeah. Old Belle. How old is she now?

She's... Eight. Yeah, she's an old girl. Bless her. Yeah, she lost her sort of best friend, Ronnie, last year in October time. So we've got our two new puppies to keep her entertained. And she's a Frenchie?

Yeah, she's a Frenchie, yeah. They're so beautiful your dogs. And they're all the most stunning sort of... What would you call you? it jimmy is it like a silvery grey yeah silver yeah i think the official colour is blue isn't it yeah yeah yeah you used to only see like vimaranas and things like that in that colour don't you but now you see it quite a lot i mean i was never i never went for the colour back you know years ago we've had red staffy two red staffies a white staffy of course you have red yeah avoided the blues

and always avoided this colour but anyway i don't want to make you sad but i'm really sorry you Was it Ronnie that you had? Yeah, it was heartbreaking. He was, he was my, you know, best mate. You know, I absolutely loved him. He followed me around everywhere. He was like, my dog, in my opinion. Yeah, no, he was, he was the best ever.

But yeah, no, it was really heartbreaking for all of us. We were on holiday at the time. Yeah. I mean, I'm always one of those that looks at the positive sides. but I had flown back I had to commentate on a game so I'd flown back from Dubai and I was on air

and I had a beep in my phone I keep my phone under my leg when I'm on air and I just felt my phone vibrating and then as soon as we got to an ad break I looked at it and it was my mum saying call me straight away and you know when you get that one it's just like heart sinks doesn't it?

So I was in London and then I had to do another two hours of the show knowing that my dog was literally being put down as it happened. It was there and then phoning the kids up in Dubai. It was probably the best thing in terms of, you know, being in Dubai because it took our mind off it a little bit. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was the worst holiday we've ever had. But it was still, you know, if you're here and you feel him not being here and things like that, it would have been even worse, I think. But anyway, you think life just stops there, don't you? But you move on and he still get a bit emotional when you're talking about him. They're incredible things dogs, aren't they? Because I always think they make you want to be a better person. Do you what I mean? Unconditional love, isn't it?

They don't want anything bar you and your time. Your food. You have the worst day in the world you come back and they still love you, whereas people aren't so generous sometimes. Come on, Belle. Come on, Belle. She'll find a way to the back door. Do you know what, guys?

Bell reminds me of me on the school sports day. And what I love about the Owens is that both Gemma and Michael are both phenomenal sports people and yet they tolerate the likes of me and Bell who bring up the rear. You were walking quite quick when we first wore out. I'm the slowest walker in the world. Is it? But you were. You were striding on.

So we're here to talk about all sorts of things, dogs, the Owens. Look at this little bridge. This little bridge, which I'm already obsessed by. You've got a little stream, Irwinz. Are you both quite competitive? I would say. Dad's more competitive. He is like unbelievably competitive.

In anything, not just sport, just in life. He's like, everything's a competition. Everything's like, yeah. I'm not so bad. I definitely am still competitive. What about sort of family, monopoly or... Do you know what? We've never actually played a monopoly.

No. Never. It takes too long, doesn't it? Yeah. To win. Yeah. Yeah, it's a competitive house. So did you have Michael, in your family growing up, with Terry 2 Jags?

Brilliant. Did you have dogs growing up? Only when I was about 14, I think we got our first one. I was like any or most families, we budger our parents for dogs and all the time. They always say no. And then eventually they gave in. And at 14, I bought a red staffie. And a love affair with Staffageable Terriers and dogs sort of ensued, really.

And then I've never spent a day without owning a dog since. How many brothers and sisters have you got? I've got two of each. I'm number four in the pecking order. It was always a nice, happy family. Always fiercely loyal and, you know, competitive. It was a lively household. But even to this day, I mean, we all get on really, really well.

It's a close-knit family and it's probably what I've tried to create. Or not tried to create. It just comes naturally, I suppose. But I'd say that our family now are very, very similar. And you, one of the loveliest stories, you know, when you see 10 facts about Michael Owen, I'm not asking you about some of those. There's always, and I appreciate some of them are just uttered,

rubbish people have made up. But one of the loveliest ones, which I think is true, is that you bought essentially a cul-de-sac for your family. Yeah. No, I mean, listen, I'm sure lots of people do it and I was fortunate that I could, was in a position to do it. But yeah, when I was 19 or 20, it was, uh... I wouldn't. I'd say you on your own name. Yeah, I'm waiting for Gemma actually to be really successful and see what type she'll be. I hope I'll give her a good example, but I'm not sure I have. No, it was one of those things that, you know, our house was a lovely house growing up, but when you can afford it, isn't nice to be able to buy your mum and dad an even nicer house. So I bought a house on a new development and what happened, it was the show house.

So then next door was getting built and that was another show house for all the other houses on the estate. So I thought at the time, my brother was desperate to move out. He was 25 or something. So I thought, oh, I'll buy that. You know, I'll buy next door and let my brother live in there. And then once it dawned on me, I thought, hang on a minute, I can't buy a house for my brother and not my other brother and sisters. And the whole street had six houses that were going to be built. So I bought five of them and put my mum and dad and, of course, my brothers and sisters in each of them.

When you were growing up, Michael, as you said, you didn't have money and it was very much a sort of bailiffs at the door type situation sometimes, wasn't it? Did that give you a slight determination and drive that you felt right, I'm sort of a way out? I can make a better life for my family. Did you have a sense of that? Yeah, I knew it. I knew it. I knew by the time I was 14 or 15 that, you know, the hope was that I could do something and, yeah, make life better for everyone.

I never had it as a pressure, never ever. Didn't you? No. And even when I was, you know, 17, 18, and. I was still giving all my money to my family, to my mum and dad. I really didn't need anything. I was sponsored by Umbro at the time. They were giving me tracksuits.

I lived in tracksuits. So I didn't need to buy clothes, didn't need to buy cars, didn't need to buy a house. I was sponsored by Jaguar at the time, so I didn't need to buy a car. I didn't need to buy anything. What do I, what, you know, and at the time, it was just, well, my mum and dad need it more than me. And I basically got sponsorship money, everything. And a lot of it, right at the outset, went to paying off the mortgage. and then buying my mum and dad and then buying houses from my brothers and sisters.

And I basically was my last thought. And as soon as I became 19, 20, 21, of course, you realise what money can do and what you can buy and certain things. So of course, you know, you develop and you change. But when I was younger, I had no intention of, you know, money was never, ever, ever a driver. I wanted to be the best footballer in the world. end of story. What followed was what followed but I never ever wavered from that mindset of wanting to be the best. So the money was

never really something that motivated you? No, it does now. I wouldn't go to work if I didn't get paid. Do you know what I mean? It's like now you think, geez, I've got four kids. I want them to have a nice life. I want, you know, I've got parents, I've got brothers, I've got my state, I've got business, you know, of course now you do things A lot for pleasure. But now I realise them. But when I was 1819, I was that zoned in to being the best footballer I could be.

Then all the outside stuff, whatever that might be, whatever people perceive as being on the periphery of being a professional footballer, it really was on the periphery for me. And Gemma, with you, I'm interested because your dad's done all right for himself. And you grew up in sort of relative privilege compared to your dad. But I'm so fascinated that you obviously still. because, you know, being in equestrian and there's a little early mornings and it requires a lot of discipline and graft.

Yeah, for sure. It's interesting you've got that work ethic, haven't you? Yeah. Yeah, no, I think from a real young age, you know, dress arches being horses, it's been my passion. You know, I started riding when I was like two, three years old, so it really has been all my life. And, yeah, no, it's, I've never had a lion, you know, I'm going. weekends even if I go out for a night out the day before I'm always out certain the horses out in the mornings it's just what you have to do isn't it when you when you're at the sort of top level of

your sport it's just I've always wanted to you know achieve for myself you know I've always wanted to you know stand on my own two feet be independent you know do my own thing and so that's always been you know really important um for me and that's sort of what's motivated me and with the business side of things as well you know as i got to my last few years of school and i sort of thought do i want to take dress do i want to make dressage my career or is it just a you know serious hobby that i'm just going to you know so that's when the sort of um beachware idea you started and you because you've been doing dress o's since you were pretty young as you said yeah yeah yeah so i started um I started doing dressage properly when I was eight.

And then when I was 11, that's when I was selected for the Great British under 16 squad. So since I've been 11, I've been competing all over Europe, internationals. I did my first European championships last year, which was absolutely amazing. So you were 17? Yeah, yeah. So I'm seeing a few people. patterns here because I remember someone else who was 17 and competing internationally. Isn't that interesting that there's you're both, that's a precocious age in a way to be excelling and competing at

that level? Yeah, it is. I mean Gemmers progress right throughout the ages. Of course the biggest and the hardest step is the last one. You know, you go into open company, open age. And then it's, you know, mixing it with with the big people. guess but so far Gemma's been amazing her dedication has been you know really admirable because you know she says we've never had a lie in they're just not acceptable in our house you're up at seven no one no one's lying in oh I can't stand people that lie in just get out of bed you know there's the day ahead of you so did owens all rise early yeah yeah we do yeah we do but just going back to I mean

Gemma was always you know it can we all know what the weather's like in this country hail, snow, rain, no matter what, she would always be in that dressage ring, practicing, training. And it was never from me, it would never sort of go on, you've got to do it. It has to be from within. You cannot force any person to do something against their will. You just won't do it well. And it has to be something that they want to do, that they feel that the benefits of doing it. If you want to get to the top, it's not a choice. It's absolutely, it's got to come from deep within. You know, football, I wanted to go to sleep holding a ball.

I loved that football. It was my pride. I'd clean it. You know, it would be on my mantle. I just idolised a football. And Gemma's like that with, her husband like that and is like that with riding. She's never missed a beat. If she has a day off, it's not because she wants a day off.

It's because the horse needs a day off or whatever. So dedication comes from within and she's always had that. And of course, you reap the benefits of that. You know, when you turn up and you go into step foot in that ring, or in my case, you step over a white line, you've got no worries at all. You know that you've put the hours in, you know, that you've been dedicated, you know, that you've practiced, you know, that you could do what you're about to be doing with your eyes closed.

You're that good at it. And that's elite sport. And that's what she's always had the right attitude to compete at elite sport. I reckon you've got a steely determination. Yeah, but it's, you know, if riding and dress, if it's taught me anything, you know, it is that dedication, commitment, that work ethic, that you can, you know, that I can now transfer to my business

and start in that. Because it's the same, you can't have any days off when you have your own business. You know, if you want it to be successful, you have to, you know, put the work in. And we should say that's something because you recently decided to, move into this area didn't you yeah um so it was over lockdown really when i had you know stopped

my education riding took a bit of a break because obviously there was not many competitions going on i had the time to properly you know think about it and make something you know of the idea um so it's only launch you know a few months ago so it is still really really early days but just the whole experience so far is just honestly it's so so exciting and it's called Oji Beachwa. Original gangster. Yeah, and my initials backwards as well. I love Oji.

Yeah. Well, I want to talk more about your business, and I'm going to be buying all of your eyes. It's amazing, it's beautiful, I've seen it. I've already picked out some things. Have you? But I want to also, let's bring us up to speed. Let's get us here to this beautiful place and have it all happen.

Oh my God. Zola, don't be using that. What even is that? Dad fuzzin. Come on. Zola, come on. So you were sort of a child prodigy, but what I find interesting about your dad, Jenna,

is that whenever he's interviewed, people will often say, what was it like? What did you feel like? And it's interesting, I understand why they asked that, but I sort of think you were just you. You just felt I can do it. this I can't, it's a bit like when people ask astronauts, what did it feel like? And you think they were just doing a job?

Yeah, it's the easiest question to ask, isn't it? It's a real difficult one to answer, even though it's such a simplistic, you know, question. And that is the answer, basically. If I was trying to be clever and whatever, I'd be giving you all types of spiel about what it felt like, what it was. But the bottom line was, it was entirely normal to me. That's just what I'd always been. And you can't, answer the question without being totally honest and then if you're totally honest you sound like a big eddigit so you know but every mind i mean i had broken every single record that there was ever to break in terms of scoring goals of playing at a you know playing years ahead of myself

for england the under 15s all the way through broke every so i never knew anything different than being the best footballer i would that's just was just was just my life. I didn't go to sleep thinking, oh God, I'm good at football. It's just what you are, isn't it? It's just, you know, we're all got strengths, weaknesses. Sometimes people go to sleep worrying about what they're not good at. But I just don't, it just didn't feel anything different. I just knew I was good at football. And when I walk onto a football pitch, I'm at home. I'm so in control. You can put a billion people watching me. In fact, please put 10 million million people watching me because that's how I felt

and she's like that she's like that I'm telling you she's like that when she used to go to shows and there's only three people in the crowd it'd be like oh who am I going to show off to? Because so you but that is that is unbelievable self-believe

having that it goes against the grain of what people think and that's what separates certain people and you can only do you weren't necessarily born to do that or whatever you can only do that if you've practiced your skill have you've been dedicated You've got the self-belief to go out there and not have any doubts whatsoever in what you can do. So when I'm 18 and in a World Cup, it is literally, give me the ball.

I didn't even know who we were playing against, let alone, you know what I mean? It wasn't like, oh my word, I've just scored a great goal. Let's just like sit there and think how great it's going to be for the rest of your life. Because I've scored a great goal and a great game. It was no, let's kick off so I can score another. You know, it's an obsession. It's an absolute obsession of being good at something or reaching the top of something, but certainly not one that you...

I only think about it, really. I think about how to parent. I think about how people... How footballers think now. I only think about that nowadays. I never used to think about any of that when I was younger. It was just cracking on and what's the next thing I can achieve. When anyone says to me, what's your greatest attribute?

Everyone expects me to say, oh, cool in front of the goal, or super fast. or this, that, whatever attributes you've got. But the only one that matters, the only one is what's between your ears, is having that, well, all the requirements in between your ears that you need. You need self-belief, you need drive, you need passion, you need anger, you need everything.

You just, you know, and when I talk about it, when I think about it, I'm almost gritting my teeth saying it, because that's how I lived every single day was I wanted to literally change, the world every day I woke you. It's an obsession. And what used to kill me is the final whistle went at the end of the season and I go on holiday

and within about five or six days, I was like a volcano waiting to erupt. I just couldn't physically sit there and do nothing. I couldn't feel that I wasn't being sung to or I couldn't score a goal and let my emotions burst or all those things. And that was just me as a character. I had to do some real change in when I retired to not be an elite performer anymore.

It was really difficult. I'm interested, Gemma, growing up with a dad who performed at elite level. Yeah. Were you aware of that, that it was sort of match days, maybe to stay out his way a bit? Yeah, I mean, I think when he was at sort of the highest point in his career, I was, you know, maybe one, two years old. So it's sort of, you know, I was aware, you know, I started as seven, eight, I was aware, you know. But he was sort of at his end of, you know, the end of his career, you know, when I sort of knew what was going on.

So, look at him. Squaring up to the horses now. I'm trying to explain what's happening here. Who's this horse? So this is jigsaw. This is my sister's pony. He's a bit, he puts his ears back. He looks grumpy, but he's not.

What kind of a pony is he? He's beautiful. He's not beautiful. Look at him, he's patchy. You've not seen Gemmers. I hope Jessica doesn't listen to this. Can we see your horse? Yeah, we'll go and see mine now.

Let's go and have a look. But just to finish that little story, she's exactly the same. You know, match day, if it's a big competition or going into that ring, she turns into a horror. You know, it's like, that's it. You get your game face on, and you're, you know, can't control it I didn't want anyone talking to me on match date or in fact all the day before just stay out on my way and let me do my business she's the same she's

horrible stay out of her way when big competition's coming around that's how much it means to you start focusing on the on the job in hand because you need to be in the zone yeah yeah but it's interesting you had that yeah yeah no this is um this is this is sis as serious black as his show name Can we take a picture of the horse? Yeah, of course. Jen, why don't you go next to your dad? I'll go, we want the two glamorous owens.

Next. I'll, I can't say there's any glamour over on this side anymore. So talk me to you a horse, Jen? So I've had him for four, five years. I started competing internationally with him two, three years ago. So yeah, he took me to my first European Championships, which was in Spain. So that was an incredible experience.

He's such a nice character. He's like a gentle giant, as you can see. He's absolutely huge. But, you know, he's so safe and he's such a lovely caring horse. I can tell he's gentle. He is. He's got a nice temperament.

He's got that, you know, never been booked quality to him, unlike some. Come on, Ben. She's a bit deaf. You can have to shout. A bit louder than that. I like the one that's bonded with me is the old slow-deaf one.

And so you were saying when you were younger, because obviously did you move about a bit? Because your dad's career obviously took him from all over the place, really. Liverpool for a long time. And then around Madrid was immediately after that, was it? Yeah. Yeah, Gemma was in Madrid. Yeah, I was young in Madrid, I think.

I was again, like two years old maybe. So I don't remember anything from Madrid. I do remember living a bit in Newcastle though that's the sort of early earliest memory I have but yeah other than that we've been here it was tough for your mum over there as well I think just because she didn't speak the language and it's

yeah it's you know yeah from what she sort of told me you know about living away I think she she did sort of struggle with it because I was only you know two however old I was she didn't really have any family friends that support network obviously everyone was left at home so yeah I think she did struggle um out in Spain um because he was obviously working all day and so yeah I think I think she did struggle but you know it's just and what were you like as a kid because as I

say you strike me as very sort of like driven and single-minded and confident but when you grow up with a parent who's high profile and successful at what they do. On a sort of world stage level, you know, you'd be forgiven for thinking, oh, you know what, I don't want any focus on me and I'm finding this a bit overwhelming. But that's clearly something,

that's not how you dealt with it. Yeah. Yeah, no, I've, as I said previously, you know, I've always wanted something, you know, I don't want to be known as the daughter of somewhat, you know, as I wanted to be something that myself, have my own, you know, achieving.

my own things have my own goals um so that's always been important i've always wanted wanted that um so i've always had a really really small circle um i don't trust people that easy um i sort of do have a little bit of a wall up when you first get to know me and i think that does come from you know people having opinions and you know before even met me you know i can hear people say oh yeah no Gemma's this, she's that. And I think to us, I've not even met you. I have not even met you. How have you worked that out? People can have an opinion on social media then. Yeah, it's easy to have a, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, no, but I do really like to keep my circle small. It's just, you know, I'd rather have a

handful of friends that I can trust with everything than loads and loads of friends all on a sort of surface level. Were you a football fan when you were younger? Were you, No, not really. I know this sounds really awful, don't I? I haven't read his book. I'm not a football fan. I sound like an awful daughter. His book's really good, you know?

Yeah. Okay, we need to talk to you about this, Jenna. Are all Owens like this? This is what I'm calling this section of the podcast. Yeah. So your dad says, first it was eight films, he said he'd seen. Oh yeah, he's awful with films. Is he?

Yeah. He can't, I think he's just, Yeah, you can't sit through them. He can't sit through. He just starts, like, fidgeting, and then he's off. He can't keep it still for that long. Well, your dad wants tweeted, I'm on a plane. I've only watched eight films.

And then he said hashtag hate films, which is one of the greatest hashtags to wear the train in the history of social media. And I can miss all the films because I've never forgotten it. I'm glad you can. Yeah. Ghost, Pete, cool runnings. Sea biscuit, he's seen. You know about Tammer.

to that that I was lasting too long yeah Morris Gump yeah oh god Rocky Jurassic Park

I was forced to see that twice as well why does he hate films Gemma I don't know he's a weirdo isn't he's like okay that's the trailer I would like to

defend myself I totally agree why do you think do you think know what I think it is he I find it hard to switch up maybe I do

I find it hard to switch up and it's a little bit like the lying in thing. Just to wait, you know, you could be doing lots of things with those two hours. You know, it's... Please tell me he didn't say that to your Christmas Day. I can imagine him at like 5 in the morning. Come on, kids, you could be doing lots of things with those two hours. Exactly.

So we have a picture by the goal. Come on. Come here, Owens. My plan looks so young, you two look like my children. My plan literally has an age. Your dad looks at your mum. My mum, yeah, I'm not sure about my dad. Oh, she's full of criticism for her dad.

Her mum's her best, mate. Yeah, she is. Is she? She is. I've, like, an abnormal relationship with my mum. We're so close. Yeah. You're the oldest, aren't you?

Yeah. Tell me what you know about your parents' meeting. Yeah, so from what I can remember, I think they've always gone to school together. I think he moved away to. you know some kind of football am I allowed to chip in at any point? No, let's see what I say first and then you can

so we moved away to football school he came back then they got together properly at 17 they moved in together had me when they were 21 23 23 okay

I'm doing alright yeah but at least say if you're going to say 25 I would have let it right I thought you got married at 25 we did yeah okay that's close enough You better not be thinking of having kids when you're 21. So you missed out the bits in the middle, so Louise chased me before I went away.

Oh no, see, this is what you like to think. This is why you shouldn't have asked him for his life of the story. That's why I asked if I could ship it. You've got to make it sound better, isn't you? Yeah, no. Mum didn't do any chasing. Anything that he says, he thought that happened. He's exaggerating.

He says it to make himself feel better. She's absolutely right. It's a nice love story, isn't it? Because they've been together so long. We have. Yeah, we were together. We were together like, you know, what boyfriends and girlfriends are like when you're 8 and 10 and 12 and 14.

It's just, you know, you play kiss chase for one minute and then you dumped them the next minute type of thing. We were always boyfriend and girlfriend growing up. And then when I came back, I had to go to Lilishul for two years, which is a national school for football. And then as soon as I came back, obviously, there was no phones back in those days, or mobile phones. As soon as I came back then I saw again in the local pub and that was that.

We've been together ever since. I think we were 16 when I came back from Little Shaw. You've had such a dilett childhood and I think your dad had as well. You make the best of whatever situation. I mean I was, we didn't have money but I had a football. I had a park that was in walking distance. That's all I needed. We had a garage so if I was at home, we didn't have time to have the park.

I could use that as my goal. sort of what we made of it. Gemma's been brought up in different surroundings and she's made use of those surroundings. If she had my upbringing, she would never have been a dresser's rider. She would never, you know, be doing what she's doing now. So, you know, your kids can only perform or can only grow up in what the, you know, in the surroundings and we've made the best of those. And yeah, she's, uh, eventually, she'll go off into the wide world and meet someone and live somewhere else or whatever she'll do, which is all quite scary for everyone.

But that's what being a father and a parent is all about, isn't it? You give them what you can. You make sure that when they leave, that they can look someone in the eye, that they can talk to people, that they've got good manners and all the right attributes. But also, I think you've got to give kids the chance to breathe, chance to be themselves, the chance to grow up

and actually be an individual. and not be micromanaged all the way through their lives. So she's made mistakes. I've shouted at her, but in general she's been, you know, a very easy child to bring you up. And now she's obviously an adult and I've got no say anymore. Now she tells me what I've got to do. This is the nicest has been to me in a long time. What do you think, Gemma, what are the...

I'm always interested in this. I might ask your dad the same thing. But what are the best qualities you've got from your mum? And what are the best qualities from your dad? See, this is a positive, Michael. Well, we'll see. Wait for it. I know I'll be positive to the mum.

No, I think the positives about my dad, his, you know, dedication, his work ethic, his commitment to, you know, his sport. I find that all really, you know, inspiring. And for my mom, oh, God, there's too many. No, I'm Jake it. No, my mum's, my mum is like the glue to our family, in my opinion. She, you know, holds everything together. We'd all be sort of lost without her.

True so far? Yeah, I've said nice things about you as well. Yeah, no, we'd all be lost without my mum. She's sort of, and I think because obviously my mum and dad are opposite, me and my mum are opposite, that's why I get on so well. I have such a good relationship with my mom. She is just like the glue to our family really, which is really nice. But that shows that your dad and your mum have done a good job.

Yeah. Because I was so impressed when I heard that you were sort of doing your own thing really, you know, and launching your own business and it's brave and it's quite scary. And I suppose you don't have to. Yeah, I mean it has been very scary. and I've made mistakes, you know, already. I've never self a business or done anything like this before.

So there's things that, you know, I didn't even know you had to do or, you know, I'm learning everything as I go. So, you know, I've made mistakes. But I think if you can, if you make mistakes, I think you should take them as positives because you're actually learning something from them and, you know, you should use it to benefit.

I think the exciting thing. benefit for you Gemma I think is the design and the excitement of design and different you know she'll go on a holiday she's always been keen on fashion she's always looked at it and i think from a business point of view you can lean on myself or other experts are around not that i'm an expert but you but you can lean on other people can't you and set up a business or set up the structure or set up you know how tax is going to be paid and all these different things i guess they're things that Gemma's learns and is continuing to learn but I think the core of it and the excitement for her right the outset was designing her own stuff and that's where she excels and that's where

i walk around the house and see little drawings here and there and all the rest of her of her and Louise you know different colour schemes and different this and that and i think that's where she gets excited and the rest of it has got to be you know it's got to be done but it's something that she's learning along the way yeah it definitely has been you know hard a long sort of long journey but you know it is all worth it you know as dad said before the exciting part is you know designing you know I I really thought there was a gap in the market for good quality you know luxury swimwear yeah you know there's a bit younger not as expensive as design a piece so that's sort of what I've gone for and that's I'm so

you know happy and proud of everything it's all and your dad um I liked it when you said in an interview. You said something recently, didn't you? You said, no, my dad doesn't support, you know, it's not like, you said, I'm not saying he's tight. I'm not saying he's tight, but I was waiting for this interview. See him she was going to say any positives towards me before. Yeah, no, he sort of, he gave me a bit of money for my birthday and so I've said, you know, do what you want with it. So that's, that's what I've done. And there's so many things, like, it's frustrating as well because there's so many more ideas I have and so many things I want.

want to do and new designs and new colours and you know new fabrics everything but you know i have to wait until the money comes back in and it's all very you know so it's good difficult isn't it from a from a parent's point of view that you know you want to give your children the best start and the best chance and the best this and that you're always wrestling with the fact well if i just make it so easy and that i go and do this and do that you're going to learn from any mistake she's going to so you're always wrestling in life with anything like that and not making them spoiled. Did you have pocket money? Was there the sense of... Yeah, but it stopped. Yeah. Stopped when it's 80. Yeah, mine started late and stopped. Why did you ask

this question? It's not fair, honestly. She's fuming. Why did you ask this question? Stop when you're 18, get out and work if you want money that much. There's a pub down the road and work behind the bar or something. That's my view. It is. Yeah, no. And I agree. Stop pocket money 18 that's fine but pocket money only started for me a few years ago so my brothers and sisters have had a good few years on me so in that way it's not fair remember ages ago i said about competitive nature and all this nothing's fair in our house nothing's fair trying to balance all four kids and a wife and everything else it's the most impossible job um and you went to Liverpool, went to Royal Madrid, and then you're in Newcastle, and obviously there was sort of ups and downs.

It felt like that you had this period where your confidence was a bit dented almost, wasn't it? For the first time this sort of unshakable-blowing belief, which you had grown up with and witnessed, I feel that you struggled a bit then, didn't you? Well, from then onwards, sort of reality kicked in, and the problem with me is my self-belief and everything else is of a, is something that you can't change. So you still think that you are what you were in a way. And, you know, I was having to adapt my game at the time to make sure I didn't get injured and things like that.

And it really wasn't what I was. But I couldn't be what I was because I was exposing myself to getting injured. If I start sprinting into the corners and everything else like I always did, then so it was a hard mental, physical change, but then it was a mental change for me thinking, You know, I am not what people or what I think I am anymore. You do evolve, don't you? You do get older. You do get this and that. And you've got to not be deluded anymore.

And part of being good at something is, I guess, your brain almost thinking you're better, and you do catch up to your brain, and then you think you're better again. And all of a sudden, you're having to come to terms with, I can't run past that defender anymore. And that challenge, do you know what though? I thought it really helped me because when you retire, if it's just going bump and stop in there and then, then it's a hard wanter.

But almost my, I was semi-retiring in my brain once my performances were dropping anyway. So it made it almost a relief to retire as opposed to thinking, what am I going to do next? Do you know, halfway through my career, I decided I'm, you know, when I retire, I'm not going to stop and then have nothing to do. So I bought Manor House stables and just basically knew that in time with doing a bit on the telly, we're doing that, then it would fulfil me. Tell me about Manor House then.

You decided to buy that. Was that partly inspired by Louise, Gemma's mum, because she's obviously always been passionate about that's something you share. We've always, yeah, we've always loved horses full stop. But racing was a big passion of mine at the time. I was 24 when I bought Manor House Stables and I think at the time I had a lot of horses in training and I was thinking to myself it's something that I want to do in the future I want to continue to enjoy the game but will I be able to afford that you know 50 60 years of buying horses having them

trained it's an expensive hobby so I thought I've got to do something myself so I bought a farm when I was as I say 24 converted it into a racing stables and it's just grown organically since then we had 20 horses but about 10 of them were mine. So really we had 10 clients and fast forward to today we've got 151 horses and about five of them are mine. So we've built the business really well over 17 years and it's now one of the, you know, one of the big noises in the racing game training is one of the best facilities in the country and we get big results. You speak confidently and it's interesting you say we're the biggest, we're doing this, we're the

Do you know what I mean? You're not... We will be. We might not be now. But you don't know, even when you're talking about football, you say, I was good, you have said, I was, I'm learning, but I know I can do this. I'm good at dress. And there is quite a British, an English tendency, I think. You know, there's an embarrassment about acknowledging you're good at something. If you haven't got that conviction, if you were dither and, you know, mess and, oh, this might work or this might, and go for it. You live once. Is your brother interested in football? I mean he's slightly interested he doesn't do it so you know a high level or anything like that

you know he's no one really is that bothered about football in the family except from dad which is good for you though Michael it's great I wouldn't have it any other way listen my wife if you walk into my house you wouldn't have a clue that an ex footballer owns this house until you go to the furthest far-flung room that we've got and I'm allowed

my memorabilia in there. So you wouldn't have a clue. Yeah. And I like it. You know, I like it that way. Do you? Yeah. The kids know nothing about my career. No, they obviously see trophies and they probably know a little bit now. Oh, Dad must have done this and that and that. I don't talk to them about my career. I don't, I don't want them to think. I just want to be a dad, a normal dad to them because, you know, they deserve that. They've been brought into this world and it's not their fault if their dad was this, that and the other, but creating a normal upbringing for them is just what you should do. It's the Mersey Tunnel thing that you had, isn't it? Yeah, I suppose so. Does your dad ever tell you that? She's not read my book, she won't know. My Mersey Tunnel analogy.

Will you tell Gemma that because I think it's lovely? I used to just have, used to have a distinct sort of switch button whereby when I drove to work, drove to training, you go through the Mersey Tunnel and all of a sudden, you Michael Owen. footballer play for a little you know you get sung to you do photos and autographs and things like that and you basically live in a life that is not normal and if you get carried away with that if you start thinking that is the norm you're going to come down to worth with a big bump at some point you have to because no one sings my name nowadays so and I used to just realize that yeah embrace it yes

love it desire it more because it means you're doing great and everything else But then when you turn around and you're coming home, you're now a brother, you're now a son, you're a cousin, you're a husband, you're a father, you're all these things. You're not the person that's running around in a red shirt with shorts on in this false thing that's just lessened for 10 years and that it's going to have a fallout at the end of it. It has to because if you get carried out and lots of footballers, look around lots of people struggle like hell when they retire because they can't. just can't grasp, they've just got, let themselves get carried away in that life. So I just had a switch button where I was driving home and now I'm just a normal, I would never say to my kids, oh look at this, come and look at this video or anything else. They wouldn't have a clue that I was a football unless people spoke about it.

And that's why I wouldn't want anything else. I just want to be a dad and try to actually be as good a dad as possible and bring them up into, you know, what they are. And all the individuals, I never, ever want to rule with an iron fist or rule and say this, that and the other. kids are different totally different and I'm proud that they are different because I've me and Louise have almost let them grow into what they want to be but just sort of guiding them along the way and giving them the right you know respect and as I say eye contact and politeness and all those things along the way but absolutely

letting them be who they want to be I get the impression you were never spoiled I don't imagine he was the sort of dad that was like you know let's get you some mini lebutans you're four and do you know what you mean yeah no he definitely wasn't like that you know he was very generous and you know he supported me obviously with my horses and my dressage he's been very supportive in that way but you know i i wouldn't say any any of us were spoil or took anything for granted i think we all appreciate you know everything we have and you know we it's it's really nice we do all appreciate it a lot the other thing is when they obviously we're getting to an age now whereby they will start sprouting their wings soon

but I know full well, but they won't go far. We need to talk about a couple of things. Masked singer. Oh, God. No, do we have to? Both of us were like, oh, God. Do you know what? It was brilliant.

Absolutely loved it. I didn't think, when I agreed, I was like, oh, shall I shall I? I can't believe how good a decision it was to say, yeah, let's do it. I mean, I was obviously absolutely horrific, but that was no surprise to me. It might have been surprised to some people, but everyone knows me, knows I've got a horrific voice. But once I was on it, I just thought, sod it,

I'm out here now, I've agreed to it. I've just got to entertain, just go mad and just like, I'm not going to win the competition for my voice. So I might as well be as entertained as I could. Crowd pleaser. It was good to watch. Did you like it? I mean, no, there was a few songs and a few notes. I was like, oh, you know, stop.

But in general, it was, it was, Good to watch it was. Well, I asked Jonathan Ross, who is one of the judges, as you know. Yeah. I said, I'm just popping to see Michael and Gemma. Any thoughts as a judge? Because Michael's quite hard on himself. Jonathan actually said, tell Michael it was unforgettable, although I've tried.

Perfectly summed up. I totally agree with him. Hey, we give it a good shot and we had a load of fun on the way. It's weird because sometimes there's people say, this boring thing. But do you know what I mean? Where is that come from? I tell you where it came from.

It came from right at the outset. When I'm 18 and I go to a World Cup and the press bring you a back and you've scored a guy and you're whiter than white and you've got David Beckham that gets a red card and everyone to vilify him. And I was made out to be some angel and whatever and that just stuck.

And every single person I meet says afterwards, I thought you were boring. You're actually quite good for whatever. And that's the, always the feedback but in general my image out there is boring. Since I saw hashtag hate films I thought

this man's got a I didn't even know about that hashtag brilliant sense of humour I love this man it's just a part of the performance it's a brand it's because you've got umro and you've got Tiso watches I remember yeah and so yeah my agent played up to it

I mean he made me into that then all of the squeaky clean whiter than white brands and all these brands they all came flooding so you know He did his job in many ways, but possibly created something that I've not been ever... Listen, it's fine. I really don't care about what my image is in many ways, as long as it's not a really bad one. But yeah, it's definitely different to what I am, I believe, but it doesn't keep me awake at night.

So where can we buy your swimwear? You've got your own website, haven't you? Yeah, at OGbeachware.com. Has your dad been on it? Yeah, well apparently I've tried to wear some of the shorts and she says no dab bobs. He's banned. I'm banned, no dad bodds in my shorts. So I'm willing to put in a big order but she's still saying no.

We should let you go, but before we go, I need to know about the Queen. I want to hear about Michael at Royal Ascot. I was at Royal Ascot and I'd been invited into the carriages to come up the racetrack. So it was amazing. Me and Louise got invited. We went to Windsor Castle, had lunch with the Queen. Queen, I sat next to Prince Philip. Brilliant, amazing day. Into the carriages, up to Royal Ascot. The gates open and we start coming up the track. Obviously beforehand we've been given a bit

of a prep saying when Her Majesty does this, you do that. If she walks here, you sweep around and do this and take your hat off when the Nash Lanthan or if she speaks to you, etc, etc. So that's just in my mind, right, okay, I've got to, got to remember this. Anyway, we get into the, go up the track, Nash Lantham plays, we come sweeping under the arch, into the parade ring, the majesty gets out the carriage, starts inspecting the horses, and starts walking towards the Royal Lift. So perfect, there's only 12 guests. So I'm like near the front so I think, right, we've got to sweep around, start following her round. So she walks into the lift and I sort of, I've got my hat off and I stand there and she says, come on, come on,

We'll all fit in here. Come on, squeeze in. So I'm first, aren't I? So I walk in and I get reasonably close and obviously my hat is off because she's talking to me and that's what I was told. And anyway, she keeps shouting outside to everyone.

Come on, no, we've done it before we can get everyone in. So obviously I'm getting pushed closer and I don't want to invade her personal space but I'm sort of now take another step a little bit closer and I've got my hat off holding it. And she looks at me and looks down at my hat and says,

if you put your hat back on, we might all be able to fit in this lift. I'm sorry, Mom, put my hat back on. And yeah, bolloped by the queen. Honestly, I want to move in with Yehens. You're such lovely people. You're... The more than merry.

Your dad once said something about you have fire in your belly, but you've got to have ice in your brain. Do you think Gemma has that? Yeah. Me and Gemma are very alike why we've had some rumblings in the past but deep down we get on I think I understand her probably as much as any of the kids because as I say she's very very similar to me

but that's why you're similar to him yeah so you will clash some time we do we get we either get on so well or we're you know we're having a disagreement but because he sees himself in you probably I shouted her for some not anymore she shouts at me but back in the day I'd shouted her for some things and Louise would go are you having a You did exactly how the hell you've got the front to be able to have a go with for that? And I'm like, I know, I know, but I dislike myself about doing that. So I'm trying to make her a better version of me. But I'm afraid he's got some competition.

She actually said to me this day, I'll have more Instagram followers than me soon. Yeah, that's true. What would your dream be in terms of fashion empire? Is that what you'd like to? Yeah. Yeah, obviously it's still really early days with my business. so I'd love to grow that and for that to be really successful. And I'd love to carry on with my riding as well

because that's such a huge part in my life. I've done it for as long as I can remember. So, yeah, I think building my business and carrying on with my riding, I think that's my plan for the next few years anyway. And what do you say, Michael? You just want her to be happy, I presume. Yeah, I mean, I'd obviously interested

to think where her, you know, where her. life will take her and I think doing what she's doing you just never know do you you just really never know there might be an opportunity for her to you know do something on the telly or to do some whatever it might be just if you haven't got a clue i mean she might shake her head and say no i'm not going to do that or this or that but you just don't know where life will take you and if she is successful and continues to be a decent person and all the rest of it then she uh she'll have a chance of being successful of course do you know you two are adorable And these dogs are just gorgeous.

I can really see what, and they seem very happy dogs. To be fair, we've had dogs all our life, and we've probably had to shout at these less than any of the others, although they did try to ruin the house when we were out the other day. We didn't lock them into their room, and they nearly tore the house down. So they had a bollick in the other day. So you don't know a house about dogs? No.

No, we've always had stuffies, French bull dogs, and Zola the first time in great. We've always had two dogs, three dogs at once. It makes it home? It does, it is. It would be weird without dogs, not home without dogs. I always say my favourite quote is, be the person your dog thinks you are.

Because your dog thinks you are God. No matter what, you could do something bad and they still love you, can't they? That's the beauty of having dogs. Come on. Thank you so much. No, thank you so much. Thank you. It's been very easy.

And I've loved meeting these gorgeous dogs. Do you think they've enjoyed it? Yeah, well, they were a bit disappointed because they thought they were going to meet your dog today, so we've been revving them up. Doggy's coming, doggy's coming. I've shown Gemma a picture of Raymond. Yeah.

There's another one of him. He looks... Wow. Do you take a lot of time to groom? No? I mean... He looks like you've really got to shampoo, his hair and everything. You work with the likes of Ronaldo.

Don't have a find out. Thank you so much, guys. It's been wonderful. I think I might have to come again. Yeah, absolutely. The dogs will be a bit bigger and so will I probably. Oh dear. Come on, in the house.

Bye, Irons. Good lads. Well done, Belle. Come on, Bell. You know the ropes. Well done. I really hope you enjoyed listening to that and do remember to rate, review and subscribe on iTunes.