TNT Sports
Owen: I'll ignore Big Sam
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Published 09/10/2007 at 12:41 GMT+1
Michael Owen has said he will ignore the concerns of Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce and play for England in both Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia.
Eurosport
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Owen has just come back after groin surgery and Allardyce said the striker would struggle to play twice in four days.
But the 27-year-old insisted: "I'll listen to the surgeon and nobody else because she knows what she is talking about."
"I don't see why I can't play - the surgeon tells me nothing can go wrong.
"I know the manager here says I did it [the groin injury] in the last international match but I was playing in pain even before then."
Owen has played as many internationals as Premier League games since December 2005 due to a succession of major injuries, and Allardyce is desperate to protect his player.
"I don't know if it two games in such a short space of time is right. It's not my decision but I will speak to England boss Steve McClaren."
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