Owen on a mission

NEW BOY ... Michael Owen shows off his skills at Stoke training yesterday

MICHAEL OWEN knows many people wish him nothing but success at Stoke — others want him to sink without trace.

At this stage of his star-studded career the former England hitman has nothing to prove.

But after making just one league appearance last season, as a Manchester United substitute, Owen says he is a man on a mission to:

Prove he is fit enough for the Premier League.

Prove he can still score top-flight goals.

Prove Stoke gaffer Tony Pulis was right to buy a 32-year-old.

Owen admits every minute of his three years at Old Trafford was spent on trial, such was the burden of expectation.

He revealed: “Every time you play for Man United, it’s a big pressure — you know the whole world is watching, waiting, anticipating.

“If you don’t play well, or don’t score, you might not get another look in for a month or two and people can suddenly have a downer on you.

“That motivates you and makes you want to send out a message that you still know where the net is.

“It’s the same here. It’s inevitable some people hope you fail.

“Some people like certain people more than others.

“I know there will be a lot of people hoping for me to do well here. And you’ll get doom-mongers. That’s life, isn’t it?”

Owen once scored a hat-trick against Wolfsburg, only to be dropped for United’s next game.

He said: “You’ve got to remember I was playing with some of the best players in the world. If I was 18 I’d have been playing every week. But I’d be foolish to think at 30 I was ahead of Wayne Rooney, Chicharito or Danny Welbeck.

“Robin van Persie has joined now so maybe my time there came to a natural end. I don’t take it as a slant on me.

“There’s nothing in my Stoke contract to say I’m starting every game. I have no divine right to play. But if I score a hat-trick here I’d expect to play in the next game!

“I’ve scored goals wherever I’ve been and as long as I can stay fit I’m sure I can do that at Stoke.”
Pulis put his shirt on Owen becoming a Stoke player way back in May. He confessed: “I kept the No 10 shirt open for him and loads of people wanted it.”

Owen is likely to feature as a sub against Manchester City tomorrow — three years after he came off the bench to slay them six minutes into injury time as United won 4-3.