Sven says that, if fit, Michael Owen is very important to his team.
By Matt Butler. Tuesday, 06 September 2005.
England Head Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has stressed the importance of having Michael Owen fit ahead of tomorrow's World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland.
Owen is available for selection after serving his one-match suspension in last week's qualifier against Wales, but Sven refused to divulge whether he would start.
The Newcastle striker has not played a competitive match since last season - but Sven believes if he is fit, England are a better team.
He said: "I cannot confirm whether M
ichael will start or not - I prefer to leave that until tomorrow. But if he is fit he is very important to the team.
"If he is 100 per cent fit there is no question he will play. If he performs like he has done in the four years I have been in this job, then there is a space for him in the team.
"It is always a difficult decision to take players out, especially when we won the last game, but that is part of my job as Head Coach."
Sven added that while he was happy with the three points against Wales, there is still room for improvement for the next game against Lawrie Sanchez's men.
"I was happy about the result but I was not 100 per cent happy with the way we played," he said. "We have the capacity to play excellent football on a day when everything works.
"There is no way that Northern Ireland is a three-point banker. I expect a very difficult game against them - it is like a derby.
"It would be a dream for any Northern Ireland player to beat England. If you asked any of them who they would most like to beat in our group and they would say us - that is understandable."