Newcastle striker Michael Owen has admitted he might have to
wait to make his comeback.
The 27-year-old had targetted Sunday's Premiership clash with
Chelsea for his return after undergoing the second of two bouts of
knee surgery last year.
Manager Glenn Roeder claimed today the England star was '50-50' for
the game despite picking up a minor groin strain in training but,
if he does not make it this weekend, Owen is confident he will be
ready by the time the Magpies head for Reading a week on
Monday.
Speaking from Newmarket races on Racing UK, he said: 'It has been
frustrating, but when you play at the highest level, you are open
to these big injuries as we play so often.
'The rehab has gone perfectly well. I played in a
behind-closed-doors game and everything has gone well.
'We play Chelsea on Sunday, but I am just feeling the effects of
doing so much work and I have got a bit of a tight groin at the
minute.
'I am looking at the game after that to be making my return.'
Despite Owen's pessimism, Roeder has not yet made his
decision.
He said: 'At this stage, I have not even discussed it with Michael
as to whether he will be back for us on Sunday.
'He is 50-50, but he will not return until in my opinion he is in
pristine condition - and he has had a slight groin strain which he
picked up in shooting practice at the end of last week.
'His groin is a bit sore, but that is what happens when players
have been out for a long time, they pick up niggles in other parts
of their body.
'At the moment, we are being very careful with Michael, as we would
with any other player.
'He certainly has not been ruled out of the Chelsea game, but if in
the end he is, then we will start looking to our next match at
Reading.'
Owen has spent the last 10 months on the sidelines after rupturing
his anterior cruciate ligament during England's World Cup finals
clash with Sweden last June.
Two operations in America left him facing a long haul back to
fitness with Newcastle insisting he would not be rushed back as
they fought for compensation for his loss.
Indeed, a veil of secrecy was thrown around the club's Darsley Park
training headquarters last Tuesday when he and follow long-term
absentee Shola Ameobi took part in a behind-closed-doors friendly
against Gretna.
Both men got 70 minutes under their belts and scored, sparking
speculation they would figure for the reserves in their trip to
Middlesbrough this Tuesday.
However, while Ameobi did play - and score - in a 5-1 win at the
Riverside Stadium - Owen was left behind with Roeder adamant there
had been no setback.
His groin problem would certainly explain that, but there is little
doubt that the former Real Madrid star is close to a senior
return.
However, with little to play for this season and Newcastle prepared
to go to the courts in their ongoing battle for compensation, just
what appetite there is to risk him before the end of the season
remains to be seen.
England boss Steve McClaren would be delighted to see the
£17million man back in harness with the vital Euro 2008 qualifier
against Estonia in June looming large.
Owen is currently fourth in the country's all-time list of
goalscorers with 36 in 80 senior appearances.
