Owen can still be England star, but may deny Chelsea the title, says Terry

Simon Johnson
12 Aug 2009

John Terry today insisted that Michael Owen's decision to join Manchester United will secure him a place at the World Cup next year but fears it could cost Chelsea the title.

Owen has not played for England since Fabio Capello took charge in December 2007 and was left out of the squad to face Holland tonight despite having impressed in pre-season.

The 29-year-old, who has scored 40 goals for his country, endured a miserable four-year spell at Newcastle but is determined to bounce back after joining United and reclaim his place in the national team.

Owen has already netted four times for Sir Alex Ferguson's side during the summer and feels he is getting back to his best.

Terry believes United will get the most out of the striker and help him fulfill his England dreams, but admits to being worried about the effect an in-form Owen will have on Chelsea's bid to win back the Premier League title.

He said: "I'm sure playing for Manchester United and training with those players day in, day out, will mean he is only going to score goals, which I must say is a bit of a nightmare for me as a Chelsea player because I want to win the League and get the trophy back off Manchester United.

"He only played 12 or 13 minutes against us in the Community Shield but he still showed glimpses of what he can do.

"We all know he can finish, we all know he works hard and the qualities he possesses. Can he play in the World Cup? 100 per cent, yes.

"I think the manager has said that there are places for anyone in the squad, not just Michael, if they are playing well or scoring goals.

"The manager is not going to be able to overlook things if he is playing well, he will have to pick you."

England go into their friendly match against the Dutch full of confidence, having won the opening seven games of their World Cup qualifying campaign.

Terry admits playing against the major nations had worried the players in previous seasons, but insists they are not afraid of anyone now.

He added: "We have all spoken about it in the past and every player would be lying if they said they didn't feel that bit of fear going into the big England games. Now that has been wiped away and that's because of our performances.

"It's nice when the fans are right behind you, but we have had to overcome that mental barrier, which we have done.

"There is no worry against the top sides or anything like that. We have played some good sides and beaten them.

"We have come to Holland confident, realizing it is a big game and it's important to get the most out of it."

Meanwhile, Capello has ruled out the possibility of Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia ever playing for England.

He said: "Almunia, for me, is Spanish."