Owen: I'm feeling fine
Owen: I'm feeling fine
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Wednesday, 10, May 2006 09:26
England striker Michael Owen has dismissed concerns that he has not yet made a full recovery from a foot injury suffered last December.
The Newcastle forward broke his fifth metatarsal in a collision with Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson on New Year's Eve and has since played just 30 minutes of competitive football.
Owen has very little time to prove his own match-fitness, with first-choice strike partner Wayne Rooney also in a desperate race to be fit for the finals after breaking the fourth metatarsal in his right foot last month.
But speaking to Sky Sports News before a tribute dinner in honour of Newcastle team-mate Alan Shearer, Owen had positive words for England fans.
He said: "I'm feeling fine. I've been out for quite a while but I've been training in amongst all that. I've had my problems over the last couple of months.
"I broke my (metatarsal) last year so it's not been such a 'get fit quick' campaign with me (as with Rooney).
"Mine has been healed and ready to go for some time now, I'm just getting over the 'in-betweeny' bits where you get a bit of discomfort after games."
Owen's fitness now seems more crucial than ever, after untried 17-year-old striker Theo Walcott was brought into Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad as one of just four forwards.
Arsenal forward Walcott has never played in the Premiership, but he would be likely to partner Peter Crouch up front if Owen and Rooney are injured.
Tottenham's Jermaine Defoe, Charlton's Darren Bent and Crystal Palace's Andy Johnson were the highest-profile absentees from Eriksson's attack.