Owen 'I Get Paid To Score'

Last updated : 30 August 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

Owen: "I hope the England manager was pleased, but my initial concerns are Newcastle and playing for Newcastle because if I don't play for Newcastle, I don't play for England.

"Newcastle is very important to me. Hopefully I can play some part on Saturday as well and do well, and if I do that, hopefully I will get the call from England.

"But it is in that order. It is club first and you have got to do well for your club or you are not picked for your country.

"Playing and scoring are the two things I get paid to do and when you have done both of them, you go home happy with your night's work.

"I wouldn't say the feeling of coming off after playing and scoring and winning was one of relief.

"I know I'm fine, I know I'm fit, I know I'm strong and I know if I am all those things, then they add up to Michael Owen scoring goals because that's what I have always done.

"I am not relieved in any way, I'm just happy I can go home like every other player and look forward to training and look forward to the game on Saturday, because I haven't been able to do that for quite a while.

"I felt fine. Reading was my game back after knee surgery last season. I played those three games and I played three games for England in the summer and worked right the way through the summer.

"I joined back with the rest of the lads and I was probably fitter then the rest of them at that point because I'd worked right the way through."