The things I dont get are, that firstly the last two performances were a vast improvement. Owen wants a ticket away from playing in the same team as you Joey and looks like there is stress between him and fat sam!!

The third and final thing is that you dont want to play international football as I dont think they allow day release for that, or leaving the country, right?  

Sam Allardyce is discovering that life as the manager of Newcastle United is rarely straightforward. With Michael Owen's every gesture and phrase being dissected for signs of chinks in the Owen-Allardyce relationship – not difficult when Owen is quite so blunt – yesterday then brought comments from Joey Barton which could easily be interpreted as a nip back at Owen. "People get carried away about playing for their country," Barton said.

Barton, whose one cap came in February against Spain, spoke after playing 65 minutes for Newcastle reserves on Monday. Coming a day after Owen made his Newcastle comeback then said he would listen to his surgeon rather than Allardyce as to whether he can play for England on Saturday, Barton must have known the context of what he was saying.

"I haven't been bought to play for England, I am here to play for Newcastle United," Barton said. "It is always nice to be selected, and it is always a privilege and an honour. But the thing I have to do first and foremost is to play good football for Newcastle.

"If England comes then so be it, but I have played for them once now and that'll do for me. I am more interested in winning domestic honours. This is my bread and butter. Hand on heart, I would much rather be successful for Newcastle than for England."

Newcastle United striker Michael Owen has said that team-mate Joey Barton would not have put the club before country had he been called up for England.

Amidst all the fuss surrounding Owen’s imminent Three Lions outings in the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia, The Magpies’ summer signing from Manchester City, Barton claimed that he gives priority to the club.

But Owen, who says the debate over his alleged more interest in the country is totally unwarranted, hit back, saying: "Obviously Joey has to get back in the Newcastle team and perform well.

"I am sure if he gets called up for England, he won't be saying that."

Owen explained that had he only been interested in getting himself fit for Steve McClaren’s side, he would not have returned just eight days after having undergone a double hernia operation in Germany to play for the Toon against Everton at the weekend.

The 27-year-old striker said: "If I was only interested in playing for England, I would not have bust a gut to get myself fit and be available for Newcastle's game with Everton last Sunday.

"I cannot fathom any of the debate that is going on.

"The injury is no longer. I flew to Munich on Thursday, had the operation on Friday and came back on the Saturday.

"I was walking on Sunday, jogging on Monday and did everything; sprints, blasting balls on Thursday. I trained with the team on Friday and Saturday and was available for Sunday.

"The specialist (Ulrike Muschaweck) who carried out the operation in Munich has said exactly what happened and how long my recovery time would be.

"Yet, somewhere along the line, everyone seems to have gone the opposite way and started questioning the surgeon.

"I find it very strange that people question a specialist who has done thousands of operations before, who is saying you could be back in a matter of a few days. That is exactly what has happened."