Owen is a world class player, of that there is no doubt, but his not a born leader.
He is not the inspirational guy you want beside you in the trenches ... yet personally I believe Taylor would die for Newcastle!
Owen will be away in the summer, if not January, and I think most of us are braced for it happening.
Taylor, on the other hand, didn't sit back while transfer speculation linked him with a move to Liverpool ... he went banging on doors INSISTING he sign a new deal with Newcastle because the speculation of leaving St James' Park unsettled him.
Own has no link to Tyneside, or Newcastle United, apart from his pay packet.
If he is a passionate player it is for Liverpool, and if he was forced to give his true loyalties I'm sure he will agree.
This is in no way a show of disrespect for Owen, he does his bit on the field (where it counts), but I don't believe for one second he is a good skipper.
Joe Kinnear has hailed Steven Taylor for bouncing back to form with a vengeance in Sunday's draw at Everton, and England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce got in on the act when he said: "I would put my house on Steven Taylor. He is my rock."