Man Utd striker Owen insists: I should still be playing for England

Manchester United striker Michael Owen refuses to give up on his England career.

Injuries and a lack of first team opportunities have reduced Owen to a bit-part role at Old Trafford but, incredibly, he insists he can still score goals for England.

He told the Mirror: "I am proud of what I did for England and what I have done. Obviously Sir Bobby's records are in my sights. I am still here.

"As soon as Fabio Capello took over, that was it," he said. "I was on the bench for his first game in charge after having been an automatic starter for 10 years, and then after that I wasn't in the squad.

"The manager is the only man who will know the answer why.

"You have to accept it. If you get upset and angry to start with, if you will keep getting wound up. You have to let it go and that's that.

"I don't know why, that's something you have to ask the current manager.

"Once you make a decision then maybe you've made the decision. That's it, and even if I kept scoring I don't know what would have happened."