Surgery Will Be Owen's Decision - NOT Big Sam's!

Last updated : 25 September 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

Owen consulted a specialist last night over his groin injury, with corrective surgery looking very likely.

The 27-year-old has had two scans on the niggling problem over the past week and fears that an operation will be required on a suspected double hernia.

Owen has been substituted on 50 minutes in each of Newcastle's past two Premier League matches, and it has become clear that a serious course of action is needed.

Sam Allardyce has already confirmed that, should Owen require surgery, it will not be delayed to accommodate England. In fact he is seriously thinking of sending Owen for the treatment DURING the international break.

The match against Estonia takes place at Wembley in 18 days - England play in Moscow four days later - and, although players have been known to return to action within a fortnight of a hernia operation, his selection would constitute a risk.

But is Owen prepared to take that risk? Because, he will be the man who decides when it happens.

If Owen does elect to have surgery, he is likely to travel to Munich to seek treatment from Dr Ulrike Muschaweck, whose revolutionary "Minimal Repair" technique has been used to care for professional athletes across Europe, including Alan Shearer and Stephen Carr.