Off contract Newcastle United striker Michael Owen admits it's been tough reading the criticism he's received over the last six months.

"There is a lot said and written about me in last few weeks and not many nice things, but that is life!" he said.

"I have got skin thicker than 99.9 per cent of the population. I get used to it - people write you off but when I scored a goal in the World Cup at 18, people were writing me off six months later. Then I was scoring a hat-trick in Germany and winning trophies with Liverpool and then they write you off again.

"Somebody will always criticise you no matter what, so if you let that affect you, I wouldn't be where I am today.

"Yes I prefer people to say nice things about me as it is not as if I have murdered someone, but you get more criticism as a footballer and you have to be thick skinned."