Source: SKY_Sports
Owen dispels injury myth
Manchester United striker Michael Owen has admitted he gets annoyed when he is labelled injury-prone.
Many have been critical of Owen's four-year stay at Newcastle with the England man making just 58 Premier League starts in that time.
The 2006/07 season was virtually a write-off after he ruptured his anterior cruciate knee ligament while playing for England in the 2006 World Cup.
Owen admits he picks up the odd knock just like any another footballer, but insists he is not injury prone after featuring regularly in recent seasons.
"There's no doubt I've had injuries in my career. You say that I've been injury-plagued in the last two years, but there are no facts whatsoever in that," he told Sky Sports News.
"I've played I think 33 and 32 games each in the past two years. We weren't in Europe and we didn't have any long cup runs and there are only 38 games in a league season. So that's not a bad record.
"The two years previous to that, yeah I was injured, but it was nothing to do with being injury prone. If someone jumps on your foot and your metatarsal breaks then there's long list of top players that have broken their metatarsal.
"Then I was foolish. I tried to rush back and to get back for the World Cup. My leg had just come out of plaster and everything else and I didn't have the muscle support for my joint and obviously my knee went.
"I'm 29 and I've played over 500 games for club and country and that says it all. That's the thing that gets up my nose as I don't believe I'm injury prone."
Owen sealed his free transfer move from Newcastle last week and the striker insists he did not hold transfer talks with any club prior to the expiration of his St James' Park deal.
Stoke and Hull City were linked with a move for the 29-year-old, although Owen says there were plenty of other clubs sniffing around prior to Sir Alex Ferguson's approach.
"I never spoke to anybody before I was out of contract at Newcastle," he continued. "I can assure you that there were a few more clubs in than the press would have you suggest.
"There were a few good clubs, but obviously when Manchester United came in then every other talk was put on hold and the deal was wrapped virtually straight away."
