Why Michael Owen is Mr Angry

Michael Owen was that angry yesterday. Angry with those who accuse him of putting England before Newcastle United; angry with anyone who dared doubt the expert medical opinion of the German surgeon who said he would be able to make a rapid return from a double hernia operation; angry with anyone who even thinks there should be a debate — as if he should in some way have to apologise for wanting to play for his country in the first place.

Outraged: Owen has made it clear he is not putting England before Newcastle

"That's why I'm in such an aggressive mood this morning," he said.

There is, of course, history here. And for anyone associated with Newcastle, bitter experience.

Owen, the evidence would suggest, was not fit when he represented England in the last World Cup and he suffered a serious knee injury as a consequence.

After all, he had only just returned from a long absence with a broken foot and, as he admitted himself yesterday, players just coming back from bad injuries are more prone to further problems.

A year later and there was yet more cause for alarm. The knee injury had forced him to miss almost all of last season but when the opportunity presented itself to play Brazil at Wembley in June then travel with England to Estonia, Owen was there.

Now, it seems, there is concern that he might be making the same mistake again. That so soon after having his operation and only 15 minutes of action for Newcastle, he is declaring himself available for England's home clash with Estonia this weekend and the game that follows in Russia next Wednesday.

Suggest as much to Owen, though, and prepare for a withering riposte.

"I can't fathom any of it out really," he said. "Sky TV even went to the lengths of going out to Germany to interview the lady who operated on me.

"She told them exactly what had happened, but somewhere along the line people have gone the opposite way and started questioning the surgeon. It is strange that people ask questions when you have a specialist who has done thousands and thousands of ops. She said I could be back in a matter of a few days and that's exactly what happened. But I still get questions."

Ask Owen to explain and it is all perfectly simple. The operation was a success. He trained within a few days. He played for Newcastle last Sunday, albeit after coming off the bench, and now he is with the England squad. End, as Owen says, of what should be regarded as a very positive story.

"The injury is no longer," he said. "I flew over on the Thursday, had the operation on Friday, went home on Saturday morning, was walking on Sunday and jogging on Monday.

"I did everything the following Thursday. Sprints, blasting balls. And on Friday and Saturday I trained with the team before playing on Sunday. The manager could have started me, but he put me on the bench. That was a decision I respected. But I came on and played quarter-of-an hour. I'm fit."

He denies having any kind of rift with his manager Sam Allardyce. Just as he denies there is an on-going dispute between his club and the Football Association after the row that erupted between them over compensation for Owen's injury during the World Cup.

"We have a new manager as well as a new chairman, so I don't think this has anything to do with that," he said. "But I have no problems with the manager. Eight days after the operation he put me in the squad. I think that says it all and I'm just disappointed with the way things have snowballed. There are cameras up at Newcastle asking the fans if I should be playing and it causes the kind of stir that should not even be an issue.

"Why am I different from, say, Shaun Wright-Phillips? He had a hamstring injury, has not played for Chelsea for a couple of games but is now fit for England. I thought people would say how fantastic it was that I managed to get back so quickly. But they've turned it into a negative, saying: 'You've only done it for England'. You just can't win."

Owen would suggest that has always been his problem, from the moment he burst on to the international scene with that extraordinary goal against Argentina during the 1998 World Cup.

"It has been with me since I was at Liverpool," said Owen with refreshing honesty. "I remember something Jamie Carragher said to me. It was at a time when I was getting a lot of attention for scoring a goal for England in the World Cup and Liverpool were coming fourth or fifth in the league.

"Jamie was my room-mate and he's obviously from a family of Liverpool and Everton fans and he said: 'It's because you made your name with England. People associate you with England and until you win something with Liverpool, they will think you are England's player as opposed to Liverpool's'.

"That label has probably stuck with me throughout my career and that's unfortunate. Until we won the cup treble at Liverpool I felt that there. Only after that did I definitely feel a warmth from the fans. The fact is, everyone knows I will bust a gut to play in any game. For Newcastle or for England. Surely if I've pushed myself to play in record time for Newcastle, that should dispel any doubts that I was just getting myself right for England."

A point well made by someone who considers himself club and country rather than club v country.