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.
And what concerns me most of all is that the controvertial comments didn't come from the FA, but from Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce!
Allardyce, probably after a few beers in The Stawberry, suggested it would be beneficial for the Toon if Owen stepped up his comeback from injury in England's friendly against Germany on August 22.
Allardyce: "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.
Let's Forget About Newcastle So Long As Owen Is Fit For England
"Michael would have been better off not training and playing six games in pre-season.
"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."