Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has paid tribute to Michael Owen after the striker announced he would retire at the end of the season.

Pulis has no doubt that Owen's career as a whole - which saw him play for Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle before United and Stoke, and score 40 goals in 89 full international caps - has been "fantastic".

And he is wishing the frontman well in whatever he chooses to do next.

"I was fortunate enough to be at St Etienne when England played Argentina and Michael scored that great goal (in the 1998 World Cup)," Pulis said.

"From there to here, he has had a fantastic career. What he has to do now is put that behind him and decide what he is going to do in the future, and make sure he gives everything to that and is really positive going into it.

"He'll find it difficult not playing, without a question of a doubt - every footballer that has to hang his boots up will get that passion to want to go and play again.

"But Michael has to decide what he wants to do and then I'm sure he will give it his best, and that will be good enough, whatever career he goes into - whether it is coaching, management, if he wants to be an agent, a horse owner, whatever."

Asked if he might try to dissuade Owen from becoming a manager, Pulis joked: "I think he is too sensible to do that!"