Ignore Owen at Your Peril; Sven Must Pick Striker Regardless of Formation

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Byline: MATT LAWTON

AFTER spending a year in what he could have described as blissful ignorance, Michael Owen says he is glad to be back in English football for reasons that might surprise many of his international colleagues.

In Spain, he suggested here yesterday, he was starved of the things he considers unique to England - the media hype, the hysteria, the appetite for the game and the glare of the spotlight.

Owen never quite experienced that during his time with Real Madrid because of the obvious problems with the language, never knew exactly what was being written, precisely what was being said.

'English football is great,' said the new Newcastle striker. 'You go out on to the pitch and every eye is on you. And …