No Cup worries for Owen

Striker Michael Owen says that his latest operation on a broken foot should not prevent him returning to full match fitness in plenty of time for the World Cup. Owen had his toe pinned after breaking it playing for Newcastle United on December 31 and underwent further surgery on Friday to have the pins replaced and tightened. However, he told The Times on Monday that he was confident that he would be 100 percent fit for England8217;s World Cup campaign in Germany. 8220;I have to admit that I was a bit down when the surgeon rang last week to say that he was advising me to go back into hospital,8221; Owen said. 8220;But there are still 11 weeks until the World Cup starts. I should be back in four. That leaves plenty of time to get my full fitness and, as for scoring goals, I have been doing that all my life and I will have all the same instincts when I am 50.8221;

FOOTY FACTOID: German police are planning to calm nerves among fans at this year8217;s World Cup by using officers specially trained in pub-speak to communicate through megaphones. The authorities in Frankfurt are piloting a scheme where officers explain to fans over a loudspeaker what the police are doing, putting them at ease using colloquial language and humour, albeit mostly in German.