World Cup - Capello: Owen is my 'tormentor'

Eurosport - Mon, 26 Oct 14:40:00 2009

England coach Fabio Capello has admitted he is tormented by the spectre of Manchester United striker Michael Owen.

FOOTBALL England manager Fabio Capello - 0

Capello has guided England to the World Cup finals without having to call on a player who has scored more goals for his country than any other active player.

Speaking at a sports seminar in Italy, Capello suggested the forward is a thorn in his side in the same way Antonio Cassano is for Italy boss Marcello Lippi.

Lippi has been heavily criticised for overlooking Sampdoria playmaker Cassano and Capello has sympathy for his fellow international manager.

"With Lippi it is Cassano - I have (Michael) Owen, I also have a tormentor," Capello said.

"Everyone has one."

Owen is fourth in the all-time England scoring charts, but his lack of fitness and form while at Newcastle saw him continually overlooked by Capello.

He made the move to Manchester United in the summer, knowing a decent season for the Red Devils could propel him to South Africa.

Capello also incurred the wrath of fellow Italians by saying that hardcore 'ultra' fans were ruining Serie A.

"The ultras do what they want. In the stadium they insult everyone," Capello said, adding that stadiums in Spain and England were more family friendly.

Italian Olympic Committee chief Gianni Petrucci was one of a number of Italian sports officials to hit back, saying: "It is absolutely not true. It is easy to talk from up high."

Eurosport

Comment 97 - 116 of 116

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  1. #116 does it matter who gets the call engurland will be­ on the first plane home.....FORZA AZZURRI

    From the azzurri, on Wed 28 Oct 2:50PM

  2. Darren Bent needs to get the call. He is the 2nd best­ English striker. Owen should at least be on the squad.

    From jbran74, on Wed 28 Oct 1:56PM

  3. the azzurri, its quite simple really, he`s fed up of ­ pretty boy puffs and their constand diving and overated­ teams, oh and one other thing @#$% aint got a o on­ the end, learn English ya nonce!!!!

    From ArcAngel Mike, on Wed 28 Oct 12:59AM

  4. Capello is showing how @#$% is really is if he­ continues ti ignore the leading England scorer - we­ just don't have anyone better , Heskey , crouch ,­ dafoe and Bent are all average and won't score big­ goals in the big games!

    Pick him Capello or you'll­ be history after the South Africa!

    From sackthemall, on Tue 27 Oct 11:18PM

  5. who ever Mr.Capello will invite in to Englang squard­ will never proceed to next stage of the forth coming­ wold cup in SA. Ghana wil be more treat to England so­ becarefull not to meet Ghana in stage group.

    From BASAWUTEY, on Tue 27 Oct 8:36PM

  6. bring it on

    From killerdog63ggmu, on Tue 27 Oct 7:13PM

  7. Owen's movement and overall play has been very good­ at Man United,his problem is that he has not been as­ lethal as of old.On saying this he got a chance in the­ dying seconds of the manchester derby a massive game­ and: he buried it! Heskey never scores,i do not get the­ striker who does not score. If Owen plays regularly for­ United he should go, bechs and him as impact players in­ a massive game could just make the difference!

    From TERRY K, on Tue 27 Oct 6:47PM

  8. Form temporary; class is permanent. Owen can still be­ dangerous.
    However, Capello will need to be a Wizard­ (near) Oz in 2010. He will need to have heart, courage­ and brains in the squad. All that tied together with­ experience. The only opposition with any real proven­ class and distinction Capello's England have faced­ is Spain. And what happened? The performance against­ Ukraine was poor and the point made reinforced.­ However, my concern would be more about the defensive­ side of things.

    From Neil, on Tue 27 Oct 6:29PM

  9. I say everyone shut up and let Capello pick the players­ that he thinks are the best of the best to play for­ our england side to play in the world cup as he­ ain't done a bad job upto yet

    From shaun w, on Tue 27 Oct 3:18PM

  10. Heskey rather then Owen...only a drunk with a blinding­ hangover on a Sunday morning would contemplate such a­ move. No room for Beckham? Who for gods sake will he­ have to bring on to stop the panic and bring some hope­ and composure back to the side!

    From Ray C, on Tue 27 Oct 1:27PM

  11. Owen and Beckham are still a very good player,for­ capello to pick them means they are still relevant in­ the team so we should cool down and see what is going­ to happen.

    From oyedeji, on Tue 27 Oct 11:44AM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Capello wants to make an all-time legend out of­ ordinary Michael Owen. It is simply a media hype,­ typical of Italian-born coaches.

    From pogar, on Tue 27 Oct 9:30AM

  13. after a long season with manu owen will probably get­ injured at some point between april and june. Id put­ 50pound on that if a booky offered it. ;-)) a tormentor­ indeed coz he is very injury prone!

    From wuester, on Tue 27 Oct 9:17AM

  14. well said szabo

    From ncbatty, on Tue 27 Oct 8:49AM

  15. that is a good decision about Owen to go for the world­ cup in south Africa 2010. u will see Owen scoring goals­ for the England in south AFRICA.

    From Total, on Tue 27 Oct 8:39AM

  16. asefras you are nuts. England out in the group stage?­ No way pal. Let`s be serious Michael Owen is way better­ even if he plays with only one leg than heskey, c.­ cole, defoe, crouch for sure. Gerrard or Lampard can`t­ bend in a great corner. Yeah, Lennon is younger and­ faster than Becks but when it comes to played in balls­ he is really zero. Go England. heskey, c. cole,­ agbonlahor OUT

    From Szabo, on Tue 27 Oct 8:14AM

  17. Shut your mouths up! you bunch of ungrateful and­ forgetful English fans;; I recal vividly when the likes­ of Micheal Owen and D Beckham were like gods to all of­ you, you guys cant stop singing thier praises.now that­ you have qualified for the mundail, your calling them­ weak and spent forces. forgeting that you can buy­ expirience! come to SA with your loud mouths lets see­ how far you will go;;;;LET GAMES BEGIN.

    From FRANK, on Tue 27 Oct 8:06AM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Owen should not even be mentioned for the english team­ when there are the likes of Rooney, Defoe, Carlton­ Cole, Darren Bent, even peter crouch (but surely not­ Emile Heskey, Owen is better than Emile Heskey).

    From yassine, on Tue 27 Oct 7:06AM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Good job, Fabio. You will do fine, if you ignore calls­ to include the likes of Owen and Beckam. To play and­ win the big teams, you need better players. Ironically,­ those who call for these weak players to be included­ will be the first to shout you down if England is­ knocked out in the group stage

    From asefras, on Tue 27 Oct 6:38AM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Yawn...zzzzzzzz

    From penangan.milah, on Tue 27 Oct 3:35AM
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