Micky Owen Out of England Friendlies

Michael Owen (pictured doing some ever so subtle advertising work) can not catch a break. First the poor guy was out of form and so - quite rightly - left on the bench for Fabio Capello’s first two games. But he found some serious form recently for Newcastle and could have expected to play against either USA or Trinidad (or Tobago) in the upcoming friendlies.

But this is Michael Owen we’re talking about. So just as everything was looking good, he’s come down with a virus and had to pull out of the England squad.

If this were certain other players I’d question said virus. But Owen’s a lot like David Beckham in that if there’s an England game, he’s there. No matter what. So I genuinely feel bad for the lad.

But there is an upside to all this (for the England team, not for Micky Owen himself). No Micky means more room for the likes of Gabi Agbonlahor, Theo Walcott and Ashley Young to get on the pitch.

Nice as it would be to see an in form Owen back in an England shirt, this post Euro 2008 failure, pre-World Cup 2010 qualifying it’s more important to concentrate on the future, and that means getting Agbonlahor, Walcott and Young some playing time.