Have your say - Owen, Owen, Gone?

Owen, Owen, Gone?


After coming off the bench to settle an epic Manchester derby and send the red half of the city into raptures (and give the nouveau-riche half the blues), things were finally looking up for Michael Owen.
Football is a notoriously fickle beast and, having been written off by millions, the diminutive striker needed just two instinctive touches to prompt talk of an England recall.
Goals talk. Suddenly it was World Cup 98 all over again and in pubs and living rooms up and down country a familiar debate was reignited.
"He's a class striker and always has been," said the pro-Owen camp. "There isn’t another player in the Premier League would have scored under that kind of pressure, late on. If I was Fabio Capello, I'd definitely take him to South Africa."
"You can't pick somebody based on one goal," argued the anti-Owen lobby. "He’s lost a yard of pace and can’t get a regular place in the United side. So how can he be good enough for England? And beside, he's ALWAYS injured."
In an interview with The Times, Owen – a master of cliché-ridden football-speak – for once came out all guns blazing.
"I am not slower now than I was seven, eight years ago, no chance," Owen said.
"With the hamstring problems early in my career, they knocked a yard off my pace straight away, but since then I have been the same player and if anything I have improved.
"People think I'm past my 30s, I'm in my 40s, the way they talk about me. I'm only 29. I'm not past it. It's not an easy squad to get into with the results the team are getting at the minute. But I'm as passionate as ever about extending my time with England."
What happened next had a distinctly familiar feel. Owen succumbed to a groin injury and now faces at least three weeks on the sidelines.
Does the latest in a long line of injury problems serve to remind us that Owen’s days as a potential first-choice striker for England are long gone? Is the occasional cameo for Manchester United all that’s left to come?
Or do you think Owen will bounce back from this to force his way into the United side and earn a recall to England colours?
Over to you…

Krishna Raj Giri, Nepal (02 Oct 2009, 13:58)Micheal Owen is the one of the world's best strikers and a good football player. To be injured is normal - no pain no gain. He will recover soon and he will catch his old form and I am sure one day the English national coach will be compeledl to call him back to national side Krishna giri

BODY, USA (02 Oct 2009, 02:27)Dear Owen: Every player alway face injuries... Three weeks is not so long for waiting.. Owen is great player in my heart..

Teddyvel Sobrayen, Mauritius (01 Oct 2009, 19:03)People used to say that great teams never die. I would like to add that great players also never die. Owen's goal against City shows that his capacity and his talent is still there. Being out for three weeks is not the end of the world, Owen has been out for months in the past and has bounced back. He will certainly bounce back again and he still have time to enjoy glory in the future as he is in the right team. Giggs obtained the PFA player of the year at 35 and Owen still have a long way to reach this age.