Michael Owen’s World Cup Dream is Over
By admin - November 10th, 2009

Michael Owen has missed his bus to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The English manager, Fabio Capello has refused to recall the Manchester United striker for the England squad to play in Brazil next Saturday. (Source: The DailyMail)

According to the Daily Mail, the England manager, who would be at Stamford Bridge for the face-off between Premier League champions United and current leaders Chelsea, will not call on Owen in the World Cup squad.


Capello does not consider Owen’s recent form for United to be sufficient to merit a recall.

The English Manager feels that Owen’s performance is not good enough to merit an entry in the World Cup squad.

Capello does not consider Owen’s recent form for United, in which he has started three games of the past six and scored two goals, to be sufficient to merit a recall. Capello is reportedly favoring Jermain Defoe as a standby to Wayne Rooney.

On being questioned about excluding Owen who has scored 40 goals for England in 89 appearances, was now fit, scoring goals and playing for United, the England manager sad, “ ‘He has played one game,” referring to his midweek start against CSKA Moscow, in which he scored. ‘I will be at Chelsea to check him – if he plays,” Capello added.

Former European Footballer of the Year Owen, once an iconic member of the team and scorer of one of the most memorable World Cup goals at France 98 when just an 18-year-old, has played only once for England during Capello’s reign as manager, against France in March 2008.

With just one friendly match left before Capello finalizes his squad for South Africa next summer, Owen’s only chance would be if there were an abnormal number of injuries in the team.  Even though Carlton Cole is out with a hamstring injury it will be of no help to Owen, as Capello is expected to retain Rooney, Defoe, Heskey and Crouch, with Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor  as reserves for the place of a fifth striker.

Here’s the expected English squad – Goalkeepers: James, Green, and Foster. Defenders: Johnson, Brown, Terry, Ferdinand, Lescott, Upson, Cahill, A Cole, Bridge. Midfielders: Barry, Beckham, Carrick, Lampard, Milner, Gerrard, Wright- Phillips. Forwards: Rooney, Heskey, Defoe, Crouch, Agbonlahor.

Tags: ,
Posted in News

2 Responses to “Michael Owen’s World Cup Dream is Over”

  1. Ricardo says:
    November 11, 2009 at 1:02 pm

    Fabio is crazy for not calling owen. The only foward that can be compared with owen is rooney.

  2. Gold Boy says:
    March 31, 2010 at 12:18 pm

    I seriously can’t believe it. I pray Wayne is better for the world cup!

Leave a Reply

Footer
Menu
Follow Us
Recent Post
©Copyright 2010 iFotbol Blog | - About Us - Contact Us