Michael Owen is still an England contender claims Three Lions coach Ray Clemence. The Newcastle forward was left out of Fabio Capello's 23-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Owen, 28, has five goals for Newcastle this season

Speaking at an event organised by England team sponsors Nationwide Building Society, Clemence said: "Michael has great belief in his own ability and quite rightly.

"His record speaks for himself. He has got to continue to play and continue to score goals and I'm sure an opportunity will come his way again.

"He has proven he can score goals at the very top level, in World Cups and European Championships. So if he is playing to the best of his ability I'm sure Fabio will consider him.

"The four strikers who are there at the moment are all scoring goals and therefore they are there on merit."