Part 2 of
Michael's Interview
Michael Owen reveals more to Football.sports.com

You just can't keep England and Liverpool star Michael Owen out of the news. Every sentence he utters is reported and analysed in depth by a hungry media who hang on his every word. They were quick to turn on Owen when he appeared to be putting country before club after declaring himself fit and ready to go ahead of Kevin Keegan announcing his squad for the Euro 2000 play-offs with Scotland. Owen limped off with another hamstring injury against Southampton two weeks ago, fuelling speculation that he faced another long lay-off. England and Liverpool's Michael Owen(Allsport)

The young striker insisted it was not a repeat of the hamstring tear he suffered against Leeds last March that sidelined him for five months - quickly pointing out that it was the other leg - but he was then left out of Liverpool's Monday night match againstBradford.

Owen insists he was keen to reassure the public that he was available for selection for the Auld Enemy clash, but some critics found his remarks over zealous - suggesting he should put Liverpool before England. As expected, Owen was included in Keegan's England squad announced on Thursday, but he was quick to point out:

"The only thing on my mind now is our next game against Derby. "We have got ourselves into a nice position in the league and it would be great if we can get another win before I go away on international duty. "I have just scored my 50th goal for Liverpool and I have made my name with Liverpool - I have been at the club since I was around nine years old. "I am Liverpool through and through and I can't believe that I have to defend myself," said Owen who admits he finds it easier to deal with the Press now after the success of his Michael Owen Soccer Skills series which has just completed its run.

"Michael was a joy to work with and a natural in front of the camera, which is all the more remarkable considering it was his debut as a TV presenter," said series presenter Alan Hurndall of Chrysalis TV North.

That comes as no surprise to Sports.com who were delighted at his response to our questions. He was never less than honest and the second-half of his interview, which follows, proves how comfortable he feels with life on and off the pitch.

Q- What do you feel like when you've been dropped?
Michael - Every player wants to keep playing but there are so many games now that you can't expect to play in every single one of them. If you're dropped through lack of form you've got to work harder on the training ground. But there's a big difference between being dropped and being rested and sometimes you've got to accept that fact.

Q - Do you look forward to training or do you just want to play the next match as soon as possible?
Michael - I look forward to training but there's nothing like the real thing. But then again you can't have one without the other. It's important to put into practice what you've worked out on the training ground.

Q- Are today's generation of footballers fitter?
Michael - They have to be. It was different a few years ago when the game was slower and less physical. You've got to be mentally strong as well because there are so many players fighting to reach the top.

Q - So how do you prepare for a big match?
Michael - It's not too difficult. I don't drink and I go to bed early the night before a game to give myself a better chance of playing well. If you are going out every night you're going to eat and drink the wrong things. If you don't prepare properly you will fall by the wayside. I don't just get paid for playing, I earn my reward by filling in my time in the right way. It's important to know when to rest.

Q - What do you do outside of football to relax?
Michael - I watch a bit of television and listen to music, but I prefer to be doing something active. I play a bit of golf and snooker and at the moment I'm having my own house built and its got its own games room, so I don't think I will ever be bored.

Q - What's the best ground you've played at for atmosphere?
Michael - Wembley without a doubt. All the great players in the world have played there, so you can imagine how I felt when I played there for the first time when I made my debut for the England schoolboys. That was only capped by appearing there for the full England side.

Q - Did anybody inspire you as a child?
Michael - Like all boys I had my favourite players. Gary Lineker was probably my first hero. But my Dad was a great influence because he always used to come to my matches and I could always talk to him about what I was doing right and wrong. He never forced me into doing anything because I always wanted to be a footballer.

Q - If you could move to any other club who would you choose?
Michael - Difficult question. I've still got four years to play at Liverpool and hopefully during that period we will win the Championship or Cup and go on to do well in Europe. After that a move abroad might be best, possibly to Italy or Spain. But at the moment there's only one club for me and I would like to think I can stay at Anfield for the rest of my career.

Q - Have you ever played football with the opposite sex?
Michael - I don't think I've ever played football with girls but I wouldn't mind. I think it's great that a lot of women are starting to play football now as well as playing in some male teams.

Q - How do you handle having the Press on your back all of the time?
Michael - I think I've been quite fortunate so far. I've not had the Press saying 'he should be doing this and not doing that'. Some players really get it in the neck and obviously no-one likes to be criticised. The press can destroy you, so I suppose the best way to get them to leave you alone is to keep playing well. If you are doing your stuff on the pitch they can only praise you. The best way for me to answer any critics is by scoring goals.

Q - Do you still keep in touch with friends outside of football?
Michael - Yes, I keep in touch with the friends I grew up with at home. And obviously I've got a lot of friends at the club as well and I see them virtually every day.

Q- Did you enjoy a normal teenage life?
Michael - I don't really know what a normal teenage life is. To me I've had a normal teenage life because I always wanted to be a footballer. Some youngsters like going out to nightclubs and you could class that as normal, but I'm happy with my teenage years.

Q - Have you ever ridden a motorbike or anything similar?
Michael - No, most footballers have contracts which don't allow you to do things like riding motorbikes or go skiing because certain activities are dangerous for your knees and legs. And, after all, they are your most valuable assets.

Q - What's the worst injury you've experienced?
Michael - The hamstring injury I suffered when playing against Leeds. I suddenly just felt something ping in the back of my leg and it shot me into the air and I fell over. It just felt like I had been shot. At first it wasn't too painful, later on that night it was sore and the next morning I went to one of the top specialists in the country who confirmed our worse fears that it was a hamstring tear.

Q - Was Liverpool always your first choice?
Michael - I went and had a look around at Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and a couple of teams in Scotland as well before making up my mind. You should never rush into signing for anyone. It's important to weigh up your options and I know I made the right choice.

Q - Can you speak any other languages?
Michael - I learnt French at school and I can speak a bit of it, but I'd struggle if anyone started speaking to me in French. But at Liverpool now we've got to know a few words in various languages because of all our foreign players.

Q - Who do you think form the best striking partnership in the Premiership?
Michael - Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke take some beating. Anelka and Berkamp were successful last season and I scored a lot of goals with Robbie Fowler. Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink linked up well at Leeds with Alan Smith and I think Smith will become an outstanding striker over the next few years. But at the moment Cole and Yorke are still the best double act.

Q - How many times have you seen your World Cup goal against Argentina?
Michael - Quite a few times now. That goal seems to come up quite a lot on various programmes. But I never get tired of watching it.

Q - At half-time has the manager ever pulled you to one side and bawled you out?
Michael - Our manager doesn't really shout at individual players. He'll talk to you and tell what you should have done and what you shouldn't, but he doesn't ever come in and pick on one person. It's a team game, so if anyone does anything wrong everyone suffers and when someone scores a goal or does something great the whole team benefits. Nobody should point the finger at one specific person.

Q - Were any of your relations famous footballers?
Michael - My Dad, although I don't know if he was that famous. But he says he was around Chester. He used to play for Chester, Rochdale and Cambridge and started off at Everton.

Q - Have you ever been sent off?
Michael - I was sent off against Manchester United in the Premier League and I've been sent off for England Under-18s, so I've been sent off twice which isn't a nice experience. I don't think many people go out onto the pitch trying to hurt anyone but it's a physical game and sometimes you can mistime tackles as some defenders do against me.

Q - What's the best game you've ever played in?
Michael - The England v Argentina game in France 98 for obvious reasons. After that goal I kept playing the whole thing through my mind thinking 'What was that goal like? What have I just done?' I think people forget that I scored in the penalty shoot-out.

Q - So that must have been the best goal you've every scored?
Michael - No, surprisingly it wasn't. My best ever goal was the one I scored against Scotland Schools at Newcastle. I wouldn't swap that goal against Argentina for anything but the schools goal was still my best. I was given the ball on halfway and told to just run at them. I went past about three defenders and cracked it into the top corner. It was a great feeling, the TV cameras were there and I was treated like a star for the first time.

HOME