Michael Owen could regain fitness with England

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Michael Owen could regain fitness with England

By Rob Stewart

Last Updated: 1:08am BST 06/08/2007

 

 

The customary club-versus-country debate took an unfamiliar twist last night when it emerged that Michael Owen could play for England this month before he takes part in a Premiership game for Newcastle.

 

Sam Allardyce, Newcastle's manager, suggested it would be beneficial for the Tyneside club if Owen stepped up his comeback from injury in England's friendly against Germany on August 22, a match that will be central to preparations for the crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia next month.

 

Allardyce, who has ruled Owen out of Saturday's Premiership opener at Bolton, said: "Michael would, at the very earliest, be fit at the beginning of next week, but not fit enough to play first-team football without a couple of games behind closed doors or in the reserves.

 

"It [the Germany game] could be a good thing for us if he is fit by the end of next week, plays a reserve game and gets involved in a game with us and then gets another game for England under his belt. It would be better doing it that way if it helps, so an extra game for him is all we need."

 

Owen, whose club claimed victory in a bitter compensation battle with the FA and Fifa after the striker was injured during last year's World Cup, has missed Newcastle's last four pre-season friendlies due to a thigh injury sustained in training.

 

"Michael would have been better off not training and playing six games in pre-season," Allardyce said. "If he'd got through them all he would have been what are looking for, and that's match-fit. But just 45 minutes at Hartlepool is all he's had. Now it's only a question of when he gets fit to play in as many 90-minute matches as he possibly can, and in the beginning that won't be in the first team. So the sooner he catches up that way, with hopefully no recurrence of the injury, the sooner we get him back to challenging for a place in the first team."

 

Allardyce, whose side beat Sampdoria 1-0 yesterday courtesy of debutant Alan Smith's header from a Geremi corner, launched a counter-attack at Alan Curbishley after his West Ham counterpart blamed Newcastle for the collapse in Kieron Dyer's proposed move to Upton Park. "West Ham are not as upset as we are about West Ham," Allardyce said. "Why? That's private and confidential. But if Curbs started it then we are more upset than they are. That's a fact.

 

"In the end we decided he was under-valued. We escalated the price to what we thought was realistic. West Ham didn't want to roll with it so Kieron is back with us - a top player back in the fold with a squad that's growing.

 

"It's life isn't it. He's signed a lengthy contract which means he is employed. Sometimes it happens that it doesn't work out, you come back, you get on with it. It's not a hard life. It's a very pressured life. If anything else happens in terms of West Ham increasing their offer then great. If they don't then clearly they don't value him as highly as we do.

 

"The attacks on his car [outside St James' Park a week ago] were completely out of order. But he's got to put that behind him and get on with his football."

 

Allardyce, who said goalkeeper Shay Given would have a scan on a groin injury that curtailed in role in yesterday's game, is hoping to confirm the £6 million transfer of Spanish Under-21 international Jose Enrique, from Villarreal, today. He is expected to sign a four-year deal.

[Dr Gloom 22293]

[JawD 99]

Though my first reaction was more like "Are they fucking joking?" when I think about it I guess Sam does kinda make sense here.

[wykikitoon 21029]

Its doing my tits in the situation with Owen. Its getting worse than Marcellino

[menace13 0]

Hope he fucks off sooner than later.

[JawD 99]

Id rather he stayed. Once he is fit he "could" be invaluable to the team. Suppose Sam needs to get him into his own regime to build up his strength. Once he has done that (I dunno, 6 months?) will be interesting to see how he does.

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Id rather he stayed. Once he is fit he "could" be invaluable to the team. Suppose Sam needs to get him into his own regime to build up his strength. Once he has done that (I dunno, 6 months?) will be interesting to see how he does.

 

I've no doubt he'll fuck off once his injuries are behind him

[wykikitoon 21029]

Its a massive IF now with Owen. I doubt he will ever be fit again and doubt he will ever produce the form he did with Liverpool.

[marci 0]

Since Owen couldn't walk for a year, he will unfortunately get a lot of strains in muscles in his upper body. It will take a lot of time before his muscles will be strong enough .. if ever.

[NobbySol 7]

Maybe he will get injured again on england duty and we will be given 10million odd lol... i live in hope, if not hope he stays fit

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Since Owen couldn't walk for a year, he will unfortunately get a lot of strains in muscles in his upper body. It will take a lot of time before his muscles will be strong enough .. if ever.

 

Shearer has said that many times hismelf after a big serious injury you come back and pick up a few minor ones here and there. Under Big Sam Owen will get hismelf sorted, and apart from doing this thigh injury everyone (including Owen) has been saying how fit he'd got himself, he'd bulked up his mucle a bit and had worked on things to sort his hamstring problems as well.

 

As for the England match, usually i wouldn't want him anywhere near the England game, but in this case i agree with Big Sam. Owen needs games as quickly as possible to get any sort of match fitness and sharpness after so long out the game, and if he can use England to get fit for us, so much the better.

[marci 0]

Since Owen couldn't walk for a year, he will unfortunately get a lot of strains in muscles in his upper body. It will take a lot of time before his muscles will be strong enough .. if ever.

 

Shearer has said that many times hismelf after a big serious injury you come back and pick up a few minor ones here and there. Under Big Sam Owen will get hismelf sorted, and apart from doing this thigh injury everyone (including Owen) has been saying how fit he'd got himself, he'd bulked up his mucle a bit and had worked on things to sort his hamstring problems as well.

 

As for the England match, usually i wouldn't want him anywhere near the England game, but in this case i agree with Big Sam. Owen needs games as quickly as possible to get any sort of match fitness and sharpness after so long out the game, and if he can use England to get fit for us, so much the better.

Let's hope it will be only a few, fingers crossed

Edited August 6, 2007 by marci

[Tom 14021]

Since Owen couldn't walk for a year, he will unfortunately get a lot of strains in muscles in his upper body. It will take a lot of time before his muscles will be strong enough .. if ever.

 

Shearer has said that many times hismelf after a big serious injury you come back and pick up a few minor ones here and there. Under Big Sam Owen will get hismelf sorted, and apart from doing this thigh injury everyone (including Owen) has been saying how fit he'd got himself, he'd bulked up his mucle a bit and had worked on things to sort his hamstring problems as well.

 

As for the England match, usually i wouldn't want him anywhere near the England game, but in this case i agree with Big Sam. Owen needs games as quickly as possible to get any sort of match fitness and sharpness after so long out the game, and if he can use England to get fit for us, so much the better.

 

Oh the irorning!

[tinofbeans 91]

hardly shocking news...