Owen Will Not Be Rushed Back Into Action

By Matt Jones
January 2 2006

Magpies' boss Graeme Souness has promised not to risk Michael Owen's long-term fitness by rushing the striker back from injury. Owen suffered a broken foot during Newcastle's 2-0 defeat away at Spurs on New Year's Eve and will be out of action for around 10 weeks.

Owen's absence will of course be a massive blow for the squad, with Newcastle picking up more points when he is playing than when he isn't, but manager Graeme Souness insists that he will not be playing Owen against until he has fully recovered.

Whether or not Souness is around in 10 weeks time is another issue, however the Scot said: "Without taking anything away from any other player, Michael would be the last one you would want to lose.

"You can maybe be on the back foot but he will snatch a goal and that throws a different light onto a game.

"We have got to get it right first time.

"With Scott Parker, he was out for most of a season [at Chelsea] and ended up having to have it pinned. We will have to wait and see what the surgeon says."