Owen determined to prove he is not yesterday's man.

(From Guardian Unlimited)

While the debate about his international future rages on, Michael Owen has spent the past 10 days quietly putting in some intensive training on Tyneside.

With Geordie attention increasingly centred on the identity of Newcastle United's next manager -- Wigan's Steve Bruce is top of the club's owner Mike Ashley's shortlist with the current incumbent Joe Kinnear poised to succeed Dennis Wise as director of football next season -- Owen has slipped in and out of the team's weekday practice base almost unnoticed.

As Kinnear admitted he may not be fit enough to resume his duties this season after undergoing major heart surgery …