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Weekend Football
12 October 2007
by Jerrad Peters

SVEN-Goran Eriksson is desperate to save Michael Owen from his Newcastle nightmare. The 27-year-old England striker was an automatic selection while the Swede was in charge of the national team; and Eriksson believes that a move to Eastlands would rejuvinate Owen's career. Since departing Real Madrid for Tyneside in 2005, Owen has appeared in just twenty Premier League matches for Newcastle. His lingering fitness issues, which have included a hernia and fractured metatarsal, and persisting inavailability have resulted in a rift with Magpies manager Sam Allardyce. Big Sam, and a growing majority of Newcastle fans, claim that Owen's fitness timeline has been customized to fit the international schedule. In other words, the former Liverpool icon is being accused of prioritizing his country ahead of his club. The row was never more evident than in last weekend's 3-2 win over Everton at St. James' Park. After being assigned a place on the bench by Allardyce, Owen replaced Obefemi Martins in the 74th-minute and scored the last-gasp match-winner, despite being booed as he took the field. Upon scoring, he taunted the home supporters by cupping his hand to his ear. Eriksson, currently going about a renaissance at Manchester City, is searching high and low for a high-profile striker and could land Owen by paying the balance of his 15M-pound escape clause. Allardyce, meanwhile, is not without a contingency plan. If Owen bolts, the former Trotters boss is poised to land Nicolas Anelka.

Eriksson is also believed to be plotting a January swoop for Jens Lehmann. Germany's number-one goalkeeper, currently out of favor at Arsenal, has been warned by national team manager Joachim Loew that he must achieve first-team football in order to be picked ahead of Oliver Kahn and Michael Rensing in upcoming fixtures. In Kaspar Schmeichel, Eriksson already has a blue-chip prospect at the position. But Lehmann's acquisition would provide a decent insurance policy while mentoring the youngster.

John Terry is a doubt ahead of England's crucial EURO 2008 qualifier against Russia in Moscow. Already slated to be rested when Estonia visit Wembley on Saturday, a knee strain suffered while training is threatening to derail the captain's return on Wednesday at Luzhniki Stadium. The 26-year-old underwent a cautionary scan on Thursday and did not train with his teammates on Friday morning. Terry had already expected to miss the Estonia clash. He is sitting on a yellow-card and any further booking would have resulted in his suspension for Wednesday's match. Ashley Cole, Joe Cole, and Rio Ferdinand are England's other players with yellow-cards. Reading left-back Nicky Shorey is scheduled to start ahead of Ashley Cole against Estonia.

Garry Speed has relinquished his coaching role at Bolton Wanderers. The 38-year-old Welsh midfielder had been used as a player-coach at Reebok Stadium before a spectacular falling-out with manager Sammy Lee. Speed and Trotters captain Kevin Nolan were dropped from Lee's 16-man squad ahead of last Sunday's match at home to Chelsea. Speed, subsequently, quit his coaching role; although Bolton's website claimed that the club had relieved him of his duties. With the club firmly entrenched in the relegation places, it seems only a matter of time before the squad's biggest stars are sold. Nolan will likely lead the exit; and Nicolas Anelka is being targeted by a handful of teams as well. Lee looks to be on a short leash as well. Despite the public support being offered by chairman Phil Gartside, the club became accustomed to top-half finishes under Sam Allardyce; and anything less will surely result in Lee's departure.

Queens Park Rangers are preparing an audatious bid for Alessandro Del Piero. The long-time Juventus and Italy icon is without contract at season's end and appears likely to leave Turin for another club in the summertime. New York Red Bull have also expressed an interest. However, new QPR owner Flavio Briatore is desperate for top-flight football and sees Del Piero as the horse to ride into the Premier League. Franco Ceravelo, a former Juventus scout, is currently on QPR manager Francesco Guidolin's staff and could be instrumental in securing the legendary 33-year-old.