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OWEN PUTS ENGLAND FIRST

Michael Owen has upset bosses at Newcastle United with his desire to play for England in the summer

Monday April 16,2007

By Niall Hickman

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MICHAEL OWEN and his club are at loggerheads over the striker’s determination to play for England, if fit, against Estonia in June.

Owen has point-blank refused a request from Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd to pull out of the European Championship qualifier if he proves his fitness between now and the end of the season. His inflexible stance has sparked rumours that he could be willing to leave Tyneside in the summer.

While he may be an attractive option at a cut-price fee, the fact that he has barely played for three seasons means the Premiership ‘big four’ would be reluctant to take a gamble – just as they showed little interest two years ago when he moved to the Magpies.

On that occasion Liverpool expressed mild interest in taking Owen on the cheap, but eventually only Newcastle were prepared to take the risk on his fitness.

It was a gamble that has not paid off.

Owen has started just 10 games for them and only made his return after nine months on the sidelines from a cruciate knee ligament injury last week, in a specially arranged match.

He could play some part in next Sunday’s Premiership clash against Chelsea and the striker is adamant he will be available for England in Estonia as that game takes place seven weeks later, on June 6. Not surprisingly, Shepherd believes Owen should just prove his fitness for his club.

He has every right to feel concerned, for at the back end of last season Owen played just a few minutes before breaking down at the World Cup.

Shepherd thinks Owen should take a break and return for pre-season training with his injury fully healed.

But that is not a view shared by the player.

Shepherd is also in dispute with the FA over compensation, but this is not the cause of his row with the player.