Owen "could be fit for Everton"

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Owen "could be fit for Everton"

 

Surprise news came from Sam Allardyce before the defeat to Manchester City that Michael Owen could be fit to face Everton next Sunday.

 

Surgery has gone as well as could be expected and with the initial damage being much less than first feared, a few days rest should see the striker back in training.

 

Decisions are still to be made on possible further surgery but it looks like the problems will be managed rather than operated on.

 

Allardyce said:

 

"The second operation on the weaker side of his stomach today (Saturday) has been very successful as we know from the girl in Munich."

 

"Only a few days in terms of recovery we’re talking now and then there’s the abductor (muscle) to think about with the tear."

 

"He is with the best in the world and that is why it’s only a few days’ recovery. With what we’ve heard from Germany it might be a shorter recovery than we thought."

 

"Taking that and the abductor into consideration, who knows? He may even be fit for Everton next week. There’s a possibility, the surgeon said."

 

"There was such little damage, hardly any at all, it wasn’t really a hernia, it was just a threatening of one and she has tidied that up now. We think the recovery will be days rather than weeks."

 

Surgeon Ulrike Muschaweck is no stranger to the nether regions of Newcastle footballers, having previously carried out hernia-type procedures on Steve Harper, Alan Shearer and Stephen Carr.

 

This followed confirmation that Owen had a 3cm tear in his abductor muscle.

 

He won't be like.

[MattM4 0]

He won't be like.

 

Just what I was thinking watching Sam speak about this before the game. Any claims that Owen will make a record time (or even normal time) recovery are pretty improbable.

[ewerk 26189]

He won't be like.

 

Just what I was thinking watching Sam speak about this before the game. Any claims that Owen will make a record time (or even normal time) recovery are pretty improbable.

 

Unless there happens to be an England game coming up if of course.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

From the man himself:

 

Michael Owen admits he does not expect to be fit for England's double-header of Euro 2008 qualifiers in October.

 

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has suggested the striker could be back for next weekend's clash with Everton after recovering from a stomach injury.

 

But Owen, 27, told the News of the World he remains more cautious.

 

He said: "Medical advice will decide how quickly I'll be back but I'd rather remain cautious than set unrealistic targets. I don't want to tempt fate."

 

Owen has undergone successful surgery in Germany for the problem which could have caused a hernia and is recovering from a torn abductor muscle in his groin.

 

It was in the same clinic of renowned German surgeon Ulrike Muschaweck, who has previously performed surgery on the likes of Alan Shearer, Steve Harper and Stephen Carr.

 

But he admits he is facing up to missing out on England's clashes with Estonia, on 13 October and Russia four days later.

 

"In in the back of my mind, before I had the surgery, I had focused on Newcastle's 22 October Premier League game against Tottenham - the first after the international break - for a possible return," Owen said.

 

"Anything before that, including England's two Euro qualifiers against Estonia and Russia, would be a bonus.

 

"I shall cling to the hope I can play for England but people must accept that Newcastle have to come first at the moment.

 

"They pay my wages and I have missed far too many games since joining them to put them at the back of the queue as far as priorities go.

 

"I know it is going to be the subject of national debate as to whether I will be fit to help England qualify for next year's European Championship finals but let's adopt a little bit of caution and see how the next 10 days unfold."

 

Owen, who spent most of last season on the sidelines after damaging knee ligaments in the World Cup, netted three times in September's qualifying wins over Israel and Russia.

 

But he limped out of Newcastle's 3-1 win over West Ham and was also substituted during the previous game, a 1-0 defeat at Derby.

 

England boss Steve McClaren is already without Emile Heskey, Owen's strike partner in the games against Israel and Russia, for the two matches.

 

The Wigan striker suffered a broken metatarsal on 15 September, but Wayne Rooney and Peter Crouch are available again after injury and suspension respectively.