Owen out as England’s headaches mount

ENGLAND have been set the daunting challenge of proving that the crocked Michael Owen is replaceable for tomorrow’s vital Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's worst fears were confirmed when, just before the squad departed for Istanbul, Owen was ruled out with the leg injury sustained against Arsenal at Anfield on Saturday.

Eriksson was already bracing himself for the worst-case scenario by calling up Aston Villa's Darius Vassell the nearest England have to an Owen clone in terms of sheer pace after consulting with the player and the England medical staff on Tuesday.

But making contingency plans and being able to find a requisite formula to combat the loss of Owen are different matters.

The statistics indicate it will be a gargantuan task. When Owen plays, England seldom lose. When he is absent, they rarely win.

Since Alan Shearer called time on his international career in the summer of 2000, England have failed to win any match where Owen has not been available. Five internationals have produced the unimpressive tally of four defeats and a solitary draw.

Owen has contributed 13 goals in 18 competitive games under Eriksson and his strike against Liechtenstein last month took him to joint 11th in the all-time England goal-scoring charts and level on 24 with Sir Geoff Hurst.

Football Association head of media Adrian Bevington said: "After receiving treatment from our medical staff, and in consultation with the Liverpool medical staff over the past three days, it was felt, despite making excellent progress, Michael would not be fit for Saturday's game."

The worry for Eriksson is who can conjure up the necessary goal-power now that Owen is laid up and the signs are not encouraging.

Emile Heskey looks certain to play as the remaining experienced striker but, for all his unselfish work which earns him constant praise from his team-mates, he has hit the target only five times in 36 internationals.

In his defence, Heskey has sometimes been played out of position on the left of midfield but he has never been an out-and-out goalscorer, even stretching back to his Leicester City days.

Vassell is the obvious replacement to replace Owen if Eriksson wants to play a similar type of player and he impressed against Turkey at Sunderland's Stadium Of Light when he scored the opening goal after coming on for the injured Owen.

But the Aston Villa player is short of match fitness and, by his own admission, he has not been at his best this season.

It was only last Sunday that Vassell completed 90 minutes for the first time in nearly two months after a minor groin operation.

Wayne Rooney looks certainnailed-on to be Heskey's partner up front despite being so effective in the 'hole' role, in the second half in Macedonia, and from the start against Liechtenstein at Old Trafford when he became England's youngest goal-scorer.

In the meantime, the biggest problem now facing the Football Association is not repairing the relationship with England's militant players but keeping hold of an increasingly disillusioned head coach.

Throughout the week Sven-Goran Eriksson has made little attempt to disguise his utter annoyance with the FA over their handling of the Rio Ferdinand situation.

Eriksson will certainly stay until the Euro 2004 finals are over but no-one should stake any money that he will still be in charge in a year's time unless they can get some very generous odds indeed.

England's game in Turkey on Saturday may be taking place without the threat of flying pickets but much damage has been done.

The players will not forget this, and may withdraw goodwill when dealing with sponsorship issues.

The greatest change may come in the post of head coach. There can be little doubt that Eriksson only has to say the word and he will be installed as Roman Abramovich's chosen one at Chelsea.