Source: Daily_Mail
Owen is history! Capello shuts door on Newcastle star despite striker crisis
Michael Owen's international career appears to be over after Fabio Capello responded to a striker crisis by refusing to call him up and dismissing him as 'history'.
England's preparation for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine has been severely disrupted by the loss of Emile Heskey and Carlton Cole to injuries suffered during Saturday's 4-0 victory over Slovakia and there is a further concern over the fitness of Peter Crouch.
But Capello turned only to Tottenham's Darren Bent as a replacement, ignoring the clamour for England's leading active goalscorer to be recalled after a year in the wilderness.
Asked if Owen's record of 40 goals in 89 international appearances was something he could ignore, the Italian said: 'I have to choose the players to play against Ukraine, not against history.'
Owen, 29, has not played for England since expressing his frustration with the Italian after that difficult friendly against France last year. Asked to explain what Capello was trying to achieve tactically, Owen shrugged his shoulders and said 'you'll have to ask him'.
On Saturday, Capello insisted Owen would be welcomed back if he could get a run of games at Newcastle. 'You have to choose the players who've played a lot of games,' he said. 'It's impossible to choose one player who has played only 20 minutes.'
Yesterday Heskey returned to Aston Villa with a hamstring injury suffered against Slovakia, while Cole was sent home immediately after the game because of a groin problem.
Crouch, who claimed Slovakia's Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel deliberately kicked him to inflict a dead leg, worked on his hip injury in the pool and hopes to be fit for Wednesday, as does Rio Ferdinand after missing Saturday because of a back and groin problem.
