For James Owen, being the son of former England striker Michael brings natural expectations and a recurring question: ‘Do you want to be a footballer like your father?’
James played the game throughout his youth and showed signs of promise, but his dream of turning professional became impossible when he was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease at the age of eight.
Stargardt is a rare genetic disorder that occurs when fatty material builds up on the macula – the small part of the retina needed for sharp, central vision. There is currently no cure.
James’ eyesight progressively deteriorated throughout his teenage years and he is now ‘clinically’ blind.
“People expect me to play football and I used to really enjoy it,” James, now 17, told Mail Sport.
Michael Owen has opened up about the problems faced by his son James, 17, who is clinically blind
Owen said his son had been through a lot but praised his positive attitude and outlook on life
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‘But it got to the point where it became too difficult to know where the ball was.
“I really lost the fun because I wanted to be the best.”
It is not just James who faces questions about his football qualities.
“It’s probably the worst question, not that I ever show it to anyone or say it to anyone,” Michael Owen told Mail Sport.
“You find yourself having to make an excuse or say he’s not interested and people look at you and say, ‘He’s not interested in football?’ Then you have to explain everything and you end up in a conversation that you don’t really want to have with anyone.
‘If someone comes up to you in the pub and says, ‘Does your son play?’ you just want to change the subject. That’s probably been the hardest thing in recent years. James probably didn’t enjoy football as much as he should have because he wasn’t as good as he should have been.
‘When he was very young and his eyes were probably a little better than they are now, the pitches were smaller and everything was a lot closer so he could see the ball better, he was very, very good. I said to my father, my wife and everyone: ‘He has a good chance to become a footballer here’. But once he was diagnosed, he gradually stopped. He handled it well.”
James speaks with the intelligence of a young man who perhaps had to grow up faster than other children.
“When football wasn’t possible, I wanted to find something alternative,” he says.
James, 17, was a promising footballer in his youth before being forced to give up the sport
Owen and his son hope to raise awareness of Stargardt’s eye conditions and others through their new documentary Football is For Everyone
Owen senior admits there are still things that upset him about his son’s condition
‘Not for a while, but now I want to have my own business and provide for my future family years.
‘I used to be much more emotional about it (the condition), I was more identified with it.
‘When I was younger, I actually felt sorry for myself. I thought: why me? I can’t drive, I can’t do this.’ But me being angry about it won’t change anything, so I might as well move on.”
Owen snr laughs at James’ comment, joking that his son ‘sounds just like me’ with his positive outlook on life. But the former striker admits their journey has been fraught with struggle.
“You just want to take it all away from them, you want the problem to be you and not them,” he adds.
“You just don’t like the thought of what the future might bring. Initially you look at all the negative points. He won’t be able to drive, he won’t be able to do this and that. What jobs can he have? There are still things that upset you. I want him to be able to do all the things everyone else does. It pretty much does that, just with a few minor changes.
‘It wasn’t easy at all. The poor little boy had to go to the hospital every two minutes and had to bravely lie there while things were shoved into his eye. His eyes stung and he screamed (in pain). You just think ‘why?’
The ex-Liverpool and England star hopes the documentary will give people ‘a lot of hope’
Owen Jnr (centre) says he had to give up football but has bright plans for his future
‘But I’ve made a lot of hospital visits in my time and seen a lot of people who were less fortunate, so you have to put it all into perspective. We get on with life and have a great time.
‘I get the positive out of everything. I have a lot to be proud of because he has grown into a brilliant boy.
“Being the way he is, I just think, ‘You know what, I’m going to have a son that I’ll probably be even closer to.’ He won’t be able to drive anymore, brilliant, I’ll be his taxi for life! It would be great if he could see perfectly and hopefully one day he will be able to do that.’
Owen and his son hope to raise awareness of Stargardt’s eye conditions and others through their new documentary Football is For Everyone, premiering January 30 on TNT Sports.
The documentary they present delves into the world of sight loss and football, offering an intimate and inspiring look at the England Partially Sighted Futsal Team as they prepare for the 2023 IBSA World Games.
“James has never really met people with eye conditions like his, so it was really helpful to go to these camps and talk to them,” says Owen.
“For the people in James’ position, hopefully it gives them a little bit of hope. Something to say ‘you know what, just because I’m less lucky than my neighbor doesn’t mean I can do things in life.’ I hope it’s quite inspiring from that point of view. Those of us who are more fortunate and in good health hope that awareness will be stimulated a little.’
For James, he hopes the documentary gives hope to others who have just been diagnosed with conditions like Stargardt’s.
‘I would like to create awareness. I enjoyed finding a community of people I can relate to. “I think a lot of people who were maybe in the same situation as me, where they wanted to get into the world of football and for that to end up being impossible, I would like them to know that (playing) is still an option.”
‘Football is for Everyone’ starring Michael and James Owen premieres on January 30 at 11pm on TNT Sports 1. Subscribe to TNT Sports and discover+ here