WORLD EXCLUSIVE IT'S THE NEWS WE HAVE ALL PRAYED FOR
Interview By Neil Silver

MICHAEL OWEN returns from his injury hell, vowing: "I'm not just back - I'm back stronger and better than ever." Owen's nightmare will end when he steps out for Newcastle at Reading's Madejski Stadium on Monday week. And he promises to show Toon fans and all of England what they have been missing since his World Cup ended in agony last summer.

Owen, 27, said: "I have had 10 months out and had to grit my teeth and work long hours to get back. "Lots of people can come back from a cruciate injury, but not many people come back BETTER from a cruciate injury. I don't THINK it has been a blessing in disguise ... I KNOW it has.

"I am positive this break has happened for a reason and it will prolong my career and allow me to play into my mid-30s rather than my early 30s." Owen had set his heart on returning to face Chelsea this afternoon, but a minor groin injury meant Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder was not prepared to risk him. So the comeback has been delayed and Reading will be his first competitive appearance since being carried off only four minutes into England's match against Sweden in Cologne last June.

After a season working one-to-one with consultant physiotherapist John Green, Owen is more like the Bionic Man. He said: "I had two operations on my knee, so I spent a few-months in a brace. I'd broken my foot prior to that, so I had four major operations in a year. "Add all that together and I'd been sitting on my backside for too long, so it wasn't just my leg which needed rehabilitation, it was my whole body. "I had hamstring problems in my early days, so they needed building up, too. I was having medical care at the club but then, suddenly, we had about 18 first-team players injured. "The priority had to be with players who were as close to playing as possible, not with someone who was several months away from playing. "Everyone agreed I needed one-on-one attention to make sure my recovery was right so Glenn introduced me to John, who had got Kieron Dyer back in great shape. "We hit it off straight away and it went from there. John has made it enjoyable and, thanks to him, I shall come back stronger. "His particular area of expertise is what is called high-level functional rehabilitation. Your waist and abdominal area is very important. "I'm not talking about having a six-pack, it's the collective contraction of the torso and hips - as your upper body strength is important for holding people off on the pitch. "It's a bit like when a sprinter comes out of the blocks, the power is generated when the upper and lower body work together. "We did a lot of work on that in the gym to develop that connection and I now feel as if I have got that extra strength in my upper body."

As that other Toon icon Paul Gascoigne will tell you, a cruciate ligament injury can be destroying both physically and mentally, but such is the strength of character of Owen, he has turned the experience into a bright new dawn. He added: "I know for a fact that when I was 17 or 18 there wasn't anybody quicker than me in the league. "In my heart of hearts I know I'm not as quick as I was then, but I'm quicker than I have been for the last two of three years and I can do more. "OK, so I am not built like Alan Shearer - I am small and quick, but you get what you are given in life and I have been given this body and I have to make the most of it. "People will find it difficult to knock me off the ball, they can't shoulder-barge me too easily because I am low and nippy. "Having speed and agility is good, but strength is important, too."

Green - physiotherapy's Mr Fix-it, who will come to England's aid next by working with West Ham striker Dean Ashton - says Owen's new build reminds him of Diego Maradona in his prime. And sitting just a couple of feet across the table from Owen, you can sense his burning desire to play again. He said: "I have been dreaming about running on to the pitch for the first time and getting an ovation from the Newcastle fans, then that feeling of scoring my first goal.
"I am looking forward to the whole experience - it is going to be an exciting time."