Owen hits back at loyalty allegations

MICHAEL OWEN has hit back at allegations he is more interested in playing for England than Newcastle.

Owen has made a staggeringly quick return from a double hernia operation carried out by top German surgeon Ulrike Muschaweck, clearing him for Saturday’s European Championship qualifier against Estonia when most pundits, including England coach Steve McClaren, felt he would not be fit. The situation has only fuelled irritation among some Magpies followers about Owen’s priorities and loyalty, especially as Sam Allardyce has cautioned against the 27-year-old being too heavily involved in international combat over the next fortnight.

Visibly angry as he addressed the issue at England’s Watford base, Owen feels the facts do not back up the criticism.

“If I was only interested in playing for England, I would not have bust a gut to get myself fit and be available for Newcastle’s game with Everton last Sunday,” he argued.

“I cannot fathom any of the debate that is going on. The injury is no longer. I flew to Munich on Thursday, had the operation on Friday and came back on the Saturday. I was walking on Sunday, jogging on Monday and did everything — sprints, blasting balls — on Thursday. I trained with the team on Friday and Saturday and was available for Sunday.

“Yet, somewhere along the line, everyone seems to have gone the opposite way and started questioning the surgeon. I find it very strange that people question a specialist who has done thousands of operations before, who is saying you could be back in a matter of a few days. That is exactly what has happened.”

Owen, whose double against Russia last month saw him become only the fourth player to score 40 goals for England, feels his club loyalty has been questioned virtually since the day he launched his international career with the famous wonder-goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup.

“It has been stirred up for quite a while, right back to my Liverpool days. I scored for England in the World Cup at such an early age, at a time when Liverpool were coming fourth and fifth in the league,” he said.

“My room-mate was Jamie Carragher, who is a Liverpool fan. All his family are Liverpool and Everton fans as well, so they are right in the thick of things within the city.

“I remember him saying that because I made my name with England, I would always be associated with them, that the fans would think I was England’s player rather than Liverpool’s until I won something with Liverpool.

“When we won the (2001 cup) treble, I definitely felt a warmth towards the fans but unfortunately that label has stuck with me right the way through my career. I would play in any game — for Newcastle or England — and I thought pushing myself to get back on Sunday the way I did would have dispelled any thoughts that I was just trying to get myself right for England.”