Cool Owen brushes off the pressure
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-05-25 09:10
LONDON, May 24 - As England wait nervously for the verdict on Wayne
Rooney's broken foot, Michael Owen says he is ready to bear the striking burden
at the World Cup.
 Owen has played only once since suffering a similar injury on December
31 and he can expect even more responsibility if Rooney misses all or part of
the tournament starting on June 9.
The 20-year-old Manchester United forward will have a scan on Thursday to
assess progress since he was injured against Chelsea on April 29.
"I've always been ready," said Owen, scorer of 35 goals in 75 England
appearances. "It's a responsibility you don't think about.
"I go into games quite cool in my head and it doesn't matter whether I'm in
training or in a World Cup final -- I know I'll do the same thing. No situation
would affect how I play.
"I'm looking forward to the World Cup. It's a massive tournament and I'm sure
that I and the team are going to do ourselves justice."
Owen will get a chance to prove his sharpness on Thursday in England's 'B'
international against Belarus in Reading.
"It's beneficial but if the World Cup was tomorrow I'd still feel I could
play and you wouldn't notice I've been out for a while," he said.
"I don't think in training that I've lost a bit of my touch or anything else.
I know where the goal is and I've been scoring a few and playing well.
NO TRIAL
"It's a nice game and an important one for a lot of players. I'm not seeing
it as a test or a trial or anything like that."
Owen will start alongside Rooney's lanky understudy, Peter Crouch, and the
pair are likely to be reunited in England's friendlies on May 30 against Hungary
and June 3 against Jamaica.
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