Where did it all go wrong for England's Michael Owen?

Wide-eyed, arms stretched aloft celebrating his hat-trick against Germany seven years ago... it is the iconic image of Michael Owen's career so far.

There was a disbelieving expression of joy on his face in that famous 5-1 win in Munich.

Seven years and two months on, that expression has been replaced by a frown as he sits on Newcastle's bench and contemplates his international exile.

He has effectively been relegated to, at best, England's eighth-choice striker - behind the likes of Darren Bent, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch.

Where has it all gone wrong for Michael James Owen?

From 18-year-old World Cup prodigy to 28-year-old forgotten man under Fabio Capello? Owen - the fourth highest all-time England scorer - will be toiling on the training ground at Newcastle's HQ this week as his England team-mates once again travel to Germany.

Instead of Berlin, and a chance to relaunch his career, it is more rehab in Benton ahead of the thankless task of an away game at Chelsea at the weekend.

Can it really be possible that Owen is no longer one of the nation's top seven strikers? Even with Wayne Rooney and Emile Heskey out, he is not worthy of a call-up?

Why is it that Owen's bosses for club and country refuse to believe in his goalscoring talents? Injuries. Fitness concerns. Form. Not fitting in with Capello's tactical formula. Playing for a basket case of a club. Take your pick.

But Owen has answered everyone with the commodity no other England striker has delivered over such a sustained period - goals.

Since his magnificent performance in Munich, Owen has suffered injuries ranging from knee ligament damage to a broken foot, thigh strains, hamstring problems, a double hernia and even last summer a painful dose of mumps. Yet his goal record remains phenomenal.

Since his hat-trick in Munich on September 1, 2001, he has made 287 appearances for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and England, including dozens as a substitute, and has still found the net 135 times.

He has taken his England tally from 13 after Munich to 40, the last two instrumental in the demolition of Russia last season. But that counts for nothing with Capello.

Last season, despite the injury niggles, he made 40 appearances and netted 16 times. And even in a disjointed current campaign for Newcastle he has already got six. It will take time on the pitch to alleviate the injury doubts, but Capello's tactical concerns were surely answered last season.

Under the stewardship of Kevin Keegan, Owen found a new lease of life, and more goals, playing in a deeper role at St James' Park.

Involved in linking play, and contributing immensely to Newcastle's overall game, Owen added a new dimension to his game that Capello was demanding.

Ex-Newcastle No.2 Terry McDermott worked with Owen under Keegan, unearthing the successful deep-lying strike role and making him club skipper.

He is convinced Capello is missing a trick by leaving Owen out, but reckons it is inconceivable that Owen will not get recalled in time to help England qualify for the World Cup finals in South Africa in 2010.

McDermott said: "Michael Owen is the best goalscorer in English football - 100 per cent. Of course he is worth his place in the squad. Can someone tell me who is better than him and who has a better record?

"No one can tell me that there are four better strikers in this country. It is only a matter of time before he gets back in the first team and is one of the first names on the list. He has proved he is sharp by scoring for Newcastle on Saturday."

Yet he is still out in the cold. One thing is for sure, with seven months of his Newcastle contract left, there will be no shortage of takers if he decides to move on.

Owen on a free transfer could prove irresistible even for a top four club - where the increased exposure in Europe would help his cause. Manchester City and Aston Villa would also scrap it out.

Former Newcastle star Rob Lee is convinced Owen has not lost his touch. He said: "Michael will always score and there are not many better at playing the fox in the box- one chance, one goal.

"Other strikers need three or four chances and until recently Michael was still netting off scraps. The worrying thing at club level is that his personal terms will be an issue in a pay structure whereby appreciation of his quality is not 100 per cent."

Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear insists Owen is "priceless" to England and Newcastle, despite not using him until the last 22 minutes of their weekend game against Wigan.

He said: "I feel for him because of the situation he finds himself both for club and country.

"But he answered all this by scoring for us. For what it's worth, in my opinion he should be in the England squad. That's my honest opinion.

"He is a precious commodity. We are not trying to rein him in. But he has got to go slowly, slowly. He is one of the best players in the world and I am going carefully, carefully with him."

Owen does not want slowly, slowly. He wants a crack at the top level again.

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