Blues date comes to soon for Owen return
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Newcastle striker Michael Owen has admitted he might have to wait to make his comeback.
The 27-year-old had targetted Sunday's Premiership clash with Chelsea for his return after undergoing the second of two bouts of knee surgery last year.
Manager Glenn Roeder claimed today the England star was '50-50' for the game despite picking up a minor groin strain in training but, if he does not make it this weekend, Owen is confident he will be ready by the time the Magpies head for Reading a week on Monday.
Speaking from Newmarket races on Racing UK, he said: 'It has been frustrating, but when you play at the highest level, you are open to these big injuries as we play so often.
'The rehab has gone perfectly well. I played in a behind-closed-doors game and everything has gone well.
'We play Chelsea on Sunday, but I am just feeling the effects of doing so much work and I have got a bit of a tight groin at the minute.
'I am looking at the game after that to be making my return.'
Despite Owen's pessimism, Roeder has not yet made his decision.
He said: 'At this stage, I have not even discussed it with Michael as to whether he will be back for us on Sunday.
'He is 50-50, but he will not return until in my opinion he is in pristine condition - and he has had a slight groin strain which he picked up in shooting practice at the end of last week.
'His groin is a bit sore, but that is what happens when players have been out for a long time, they pick up niggles in other parts of their body.
'At the moment, we are being very careful with Michael, as we would with any other player.
'He certainly has not been ruled out of the Chelsea game, but if in the end he is, then we will start looking to our next match at Reading.'
Owen has spent the last 10 months on the sidelines after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during England's World Cup finals clash with Sweden last June.
Two operations in America left him facing a long haul back to fitness with Newcastle insisting he would not be rushed back as they fought for compensation for his loss.
Indeed, a veil of secrecy was thrown around the club's Darsley Park training headquarters last Tuesday when he and follow long-term absentee Shola Ameobi took part in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Gretna.
Both men got 70 minutes under their belts and scored, sparking speculation they would figure for the reserves in their trip to Middlesbrough this Tuesday.
However, while Ameobi did play - and score - in a 5-1 win at the Riverside Stadium - Owen was left behind with Roeder adamant there had been no setback.
His groin problem would certainly explain that, but there is little doubt that the former Real Madrid star is close to a senior return.
However, with little to play for this season and Newcastle prepared to go to the courts in their ongoing battle for compensation, just what appetite there is to risk him before the end of the season remains to be seen.
England boss Steve McClaren would be delighted to see the £17million man back in harness with the vital Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia in June looming large.
Owen is currently fourth in the country's all-time list of goalscorers with 36 in 80 senior appearances. -
huh, where is the 1 reply i see in this thread?
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wah the forum screwed up, now i become the 1st reply.
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Somebody's post got deleted?
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simple, maybe the mod, delete, botter replyOriginally posted by stellazio:huh, where is the 1 reply i see in this thread?