 New Newcastle United boss Sam Allardyce plans to sit down with Michael Owen and convince the England striker his future is at St James' Park. There is so much for Big Sam to sort out in his new job, but Owen is undoubtedly at the top of his agenda. The United manager told me today: "One of the first things I will be doing is sitting down with Michael Owen and having a little chat with him. "I will be asking him does he want to stay with us or go? Obviously I would like him to stay because he has that rare commodity of being able to score goals. "What I think Michael needs is more time to get on track for us and hopefully he will decide to take that time." Allardyce revealed that he had been watching and listening to Owen's big mate Alan Shearer talking on television about what a new manager has to do at St James' Park. He said: "I have been taking in what Alan Shearer has been saying and I can sense just how impatient everybody is for things to be put right here." "I will expect all my staff to work 24-7 just like I will be doing. "We will be working as a family unit and it does not matter if we don't like each other because our only aim to is bring success to this football club. "In the end that comes down to the players on the field and everything I and my staff does will be designed to give the players all our support." Meanwhile Allardyce laughed off criticism of his "long-ball tactics" at Bolton Wanderers. He said: "This is a tag which has been labelled on Bolton Wanderers because we were so good at our jobs. "The big teams like Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United used to use it as an excuse because they could not beat us and it is a figment of their imagination. "The only tactics I know are those which win matches and that's what we did at Bolton Wanderers and what I am hoping and expecting to do here. I feel I have achieved a little bit in my career, but I want to achieve a lot more here at Newcastle United." --------------------------------------------------------- Big Sam Factfile: Bolton and back via Sunderland and Tampa Bay 1954: October 19, born in Dudley. 1971: Joins Bolton. 1973: Makes Bolton debut. 1978: Wins Second Division title, his only playing honour. 1980: Joins Sunderland, plays 26 games 2 goals. 1981: Joins Millwall for £95,000. 1983: June - Joins Tampa Bay Rowdies. September - Joins Coventry. 1984: Joins Huddersfield. 1985: Returns to Bolton. 1986: Joins Preston. 1989: Joins West Brom as player coach. 1992: Returns to Preston as player coach, later becoming caretaker manager. 1994: Appointed Blackpool manager. 1996: Returns to Sunderland as director of youth under Peter Reid. 1997: Takes over at Notts County. 1998: Notts County win Division Three (right). 1999: Relegated from Division Two. October - appointed Bolton boss. 2001: Bolton win promotion to Premiership after beating Preston in play-off final. 2003: Bolton survive relegation on final day of season. 2004: Bolton beaten by Middlesbrough in Carling Cup final, but finish eighth in Premiership. 2005: Bolton finish sixth in Premiership to qualify for UEFA Cup for first time. 2006: Loses out on England job to Steve McClaren. 2007: April 29 - resigns as Bolton manager. | 
