Roeder Happy For Owen To Play For England

Last Updated : 01-May-2007 by
The ex-Real Madrid striker looked fit, enthusiastic and extremely quick off the mark. Just what the Toon Army wanted.

Obviously too late in the season to make any kind of impact for Newcastle, but England will no doubt be calling for Owen to help their cause. Something that certainly has many Newcastle supporters concerned, but not Glenn Roeder.

The Newcastle boss says he would be happy for a fit Michael Owen to make his England comeback this summer - but stressed his first priority is to the Magpies.

Roeder: "Michael did not go to last summer's World Cup fit. He played 29 minutes at Birmingham last year. His metatarsal was sore, he was in pain, he went off and joined the England squad and the coach must have thought he was fit but he should never have gone to the World Cup.

"I'm not worried about a fully-fit Michael Owen playing for anybody, as long as people realise he's a Newcastle player first.

"I can't look into the future but he'll now play two more games before the end of the season. He won't be 100% match fit after three games having been out so long but by the end of our last match against Watford he will be that bit fitter.

"Michael Owen will tell you Newcastle comes first because it does. We're all pretty fed up at the club with people saying it's England and then Newcastle.
It's the other way round - Newcastle comes first and then England. Anyone who thinks differently is completely out of order.

"We know he's a world-class striker but he's a Newcastle player first. I'm sure he'll be fine for Saturday and will finish the season with three Premiership games under his belt. Thereafter we'll have to go and see what happens."