Owen calls for English appointment - 17 Mar 2006
Michael Owen believes that Sven Goran Eriksson's successor as coach of the national team should be English, if at all possible.
Speculation is rife with regards to who will take over as coach of England once Eriksson steps down from the role at the World Cup's conclusion and now Owen has had his say.
If the Newcastle man's views are shared by The Football Association then the likes of Alan Curbishley, Stuart Pearce and Sam Allardyce would be in pole position and it would appear that this could indeed be the case.
While Owen has been a mainstay of Eriksson's side since the Swede's appointment five years ago, the prolific hit-man - current sidelined through injury - insists appointing an English successor is the way forward.
''I think everyone would say they want an English manager,'' Owen told Icon magazine.
''I'm no different. As long as he's the best man for the job.
''But the main criteria is obviously 'is he good enough?' If that's the case then I would side with an English manager.''
Owen concedes the Eriksson's decision to step down after the World Cup came as no surprise to England's players, who suspected his time at the helm would draw to an end after Germany.
''At the back of our minds, we would have all thought that the manager would be leaving anyway,'' he concluded.
''If we win the World Cup he would have said 'Thanks very much, I've done what I wanted to do' and gone.
''Equally, if we hadn't done well I'm sure The FA would have appointed someone else anyway as he's had five years.''
Michael Owen believes that Sven Goran Eriksson's successor as coach of the national team should be English, if at all possible.
Speculation is rife with regards to who will take over as coach of England once Eriksson steps down from the role at the World Cup's conclusion and now Owen has had his say.
If the Newcastle man's views are shared by The Football Association then the likes of Alan Curbishley, Stuart Pearce and Sam Allardyce would be in pole position and it would appear that this could indeed be the case.
While Owen has been a mainstay of Eriksson's side since the Swede's appointment five years ago, the prolific hit-man - current sidelined through injury - insists appointing an English successor is the way forward.
''I think everyone would say they want an English manager,'' Owen told Icon magazine.
''I'm no different. As long as he's the best man for the job.
''But the main criteria is obviously 'is he good enough?' If that's the case then I would side with an English manager.''
Owen concedes the Eriksson's decision to step down after the World Cup came as no surprise to England's players, who suspected his time at the helm would draw to an end after Germany.
''At the back of our minds, we would have all thought that the manager would be leaving anyway,'' he concluded.
''If we win the World Cup he would have said 'Thanks very much, I've done what I wanted to do' and gone.
''Equally, if we hadn't done well I'm sure The FA would have appointed someone else anyway as he's had five years.''
