Friday, June 16, 2006
World Cup- The tension Builds
Pine riding okay by out-of-sorts Owen
England striker Michael Owen accepts he could be left out of the starting line-up for the final World Cup group game against Sweden.
Michael Owen is replaced by the fit again Wayne Rooney
Owen was substituted early in the second half after disappointing performances in both England's opening Group B victories over Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago.
With Peter Crouch on the scoresheet against Paraguay and Wayne Rooney fit and available again, Owen - short of his best after recovering from a broken metatarsal - could miss out.
Owen told BBC Radio Five Live: 'I'm not worried. If I'm sat on the bench, I'm sat on the bench. I've been on the bench in my career before.
'If the manager thinks that is the right thing, then he'll obviously do it. That's football.
'We've got 23 players and if I'm on the bench then so be it.'
The 26-year-old missed a good chance in the first half of the Trinidad game in Nuremberg yesterday before making way for Rooney after 58 minutes.
England won with late goals from Crouch and Steven Gerrard.
England striker Michael Owen accepts he could be left out of the starting line-up for the final World Cup group game against Sweden.
Michael Owen is replaced by the fit again Wayne Rooney
Owen was substituted early in the second half after disappointing performances in both England's opening Group B victories over Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago.
With Peter Crouch on the scoresheet against Paraguay and Wayne Rooney fit and available again, Owen - short of his best after recovering from a broken metatarsal - could miss out.
Owen told BBC Radio Five Live: 'I'm not worried. If I'm sat on the bench, I'm sat on the bench. I've been on the bench in my career before.
'If the manager thinks that is the right thing, then he'll obviously do it. That's football.
'We've got 23 players and if I'm on the bench then so be it.'
The 26-year-old missed a good chance in the first half of the Trinidad game in Nuremberg yesterday before making way for Rooney after 58 minutes.
England won with late goals from Crouch and Steven Gerrard.
Jude
