'I used to go into games believing the opposition was scared of me. That belief evaporated when I played under Keegan' - Michael Owen in his autobiography - Sport

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"For me, the warning signs were all there on the training pitch.

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Owen did not enjoy playing for Keegan at Euro 2000

"I assume the manager had conveyed to his staff what he thought of me, and plainly it wasn't complimentary.

"I felt I was being singled out, not just by the manager but the whole coaching staff."

A 3-2 defeat to Romania put England out of Euro 2000. Owen missed the ball completely after 15 seconds.

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Michael Owen during England v Romania in 2000

He wrote:

"A terrible thought filled my head: 'That's exactly what he wants me to do, because it confirms what he's been saying all week'.

"Guess what? When I caught sight of the manager he was throwing up his arms, shaking his head and gesticulating at the coaches as if to say: 'Did you see that?'.

"That, I can assure you, is one of the worst feelings in the world.

"I used to go into games believing that the opposition was scared of me and that nothing could get in my way.

"That feeling, that belief, evaporated at times when I played under Keegan. "I don't think Keegan had any sort of personal agenda against me, I just think that as England manager at a major tournament he felt under enormous pressure and he needed something or someone to blame.

"I was an easy target. I wasn't on top of my game."

Extracts from "Off the Record"