Country

A YOUNG Michael Owen is sitting at the back of the classroom; he is staring longingly outside towards the chalk lines that mark the dimensions of his beloved football pitch. His eyes focus on the back of the net as he imagines slotting the ball into the right hand corner – cheers perpetrating every void in the stadium. Can you seriously suggest that this talented child is dreaming of scoring for Newcastle in a bid to help them reach their pre-destined mid-table obscurity? No, I didn’t think so.

The childhood dream of many a young boy is scoring for their country in some eternally important context and Owen has succeeded in this aspiration to an exceptionally accurate degree. He is living the dream of all those who do not make it. Prior to the England qualifiers there has been, yet again, speculation as to where Owen’s allegiances lie. He has been visibly disheartened by these ubiquitous questions, reassuring Newcastle fans that he is loyal to the club.

However, his determinedly quick comeback from a double-hernia operation aroused suspicion and it is while defending his actions that he revealed his impetus for playing for Newcastle. Owen was clear: ‘If I don’t play for Newcastle, I don’t play for England’. His forays for his club are just a stepping-stone to ensure selection for country, and rightly so.

Owen is clearly proud to perform for England. The best footballers are those who have a desire to play whenever humanly possible. Owen’s partiality for England should not be scoffed at: the best players want to play on the world stage, not at St. James Park. Owen cannot achieve dream-fulfilling success at Newcastle but for England he still has the chance to make history and the opportunity to snatch away Bobby Charlton’s infamous scoring record by reaching that 50-goal target.