Opinion is divided. We all know Owen has not been at his best for sometime, mainly to do with his form and fitness. Though his cause is not particularly helped by his club’s position either. Or that his contract is up in the summer and he is yet to give any indication where his future lies. Yes, he has lost perhaps his biggest threat; his pace. But he is a goal-scorer. A natural goal-scorer. Surely he’s worth having in the squad?

Well, Fabio has made it all-to clear. He will not pick players who are not playing regularly for their club (though Ben Foster seems exempt from that, Ledley King is also given favourable treatment even though he is almost as injury prone as Owen, and Darren Bent, well he’s third choice at Spurs and is hardly a regular…but that’s by-the-by, obviously…) Therefore, Owen would seem to fit in that criteria. The Italian has also said he will not pick players because of history. Ditto.

Capello said: “Owen played only 20 minutes in his last game. You have to choose the players who’ve played a lot of games. It’s impossible to choose one player that played only 20 minutes. “ Ok, fair point. Though again, explain Ben Foster’s appearance ahead of the ever present Rob Green, on Saturday, and Darren Bent’s (albeit brief) call up?

Fabio continues;

“Why didn’t he play longer in the last game? Because he was dropped. So I have to choose the players in good form. I choose the best players to play against Ukraine, not against history. “ Ur, has any one told him we do not use the term ‘dropped’ in England now. Isn’t it always ‘rested’ nowadays?!

He may have left the door ever so slightly ajar though, adding,

“If Michael plays three or four games in the future, he’ll be with us.”

However, the suggestion that Owen might return to the international fold once he puts together a run of games for Newcastle does not really wash, as the striker has actually done it before and still not been selected. When Capello selected his squad last October for the World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Belarus, Owen had started the previous six Newcastle matches and scored in three of them. Though, that wasn’t good enough for Capello.

Now other players have stepped forward in support of Owen. Lampard, who to be frank (pun intended) should just concentrate on ensuring he gets picked, let alone anyone else. Anyway, the Chelsea midfielder says;

“Michael Owen is one of the best strikers ever to play for England and I am sure if he is fit and playing well, he will be in the team. His goalscoring record is unbelievable, but he has been injured for a long time and Fabio does not feel he is ready to play.”

Well thanks for that Frank, you Capello’s right hand man now or what?!

It would seem Owen’s future as an England player is as bleak as his club’s position in the league right now. I hope for his sake that come the summer, he finds the right club, and shows us he still is a good player, and has something to offer as an England international. A dedicated professional; an excellent role model, he deserves to have a little more success before he eventually hangs his boots up (for the stables…)