McClaren rues Owen injury

Steve McClaren admitted that the loss of Michael Owen for Wednesday’s potentially decisive Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia is a blow, but the Head Coach has insisted that England will qualify ‘for the fans’.

Over 4,000 loyal followers headed to Vienna to see Peter Crouch’s first-half header prove enough to beat Austria 1-0, and McClaren insisted that no-one in the England camp has given up hope of returning to Austria and Switzerland for next summer’s tournament.

Owen suffered a thigh strain after half an hour and, alongside fellow injury victim Wayne Rooney, is out of the tie against the group leaders, but McClaren believes the loss of the Newcastle striker can be overcome.

"It’s a massive blow but injury is just part of football," insisted McClaren.

"We believe we can win on Wednesday without our two centre-forwards, and there is enough in that dressing room, enough spirit, that we can do it.

"We want to do it for the fans as much as anybody - 4,000 came to Austria for a friendly, and we have to do it for them on Wednesday."

And McClaren, who knows he needs Israel to do England a favour by holding Russia to at least a draw in Tel Aviv, insists that the squad remains upbeat with a number of positives coming out of the clash in the Ernst Happel Stadium.

"There are games to go and we still have hope," said the Head Coach.

"They are difficult games for Russia and Croatia. Results have gone our way before and they can do again."

He continued: "There were a number of plusses to come out of tonight. Scott Carson kept a clean sheet on his debut, while Joleon Lescott and Sol Campbell were superb in central defence.

"Frank Lampard came back to the side and was Man of the Match – and deservedly so.

"We now go into Wednesday knowing that we can do the job if needs be."