Owen Blames Mumps for Slow Pre-season Progress

Michael Owen yesterday blamed mumps for slowing his pre-season progress. The Newcastle United striker explained that he had been diagnosed with the illness in late May and was consequently ruled out of England's friendlies with the United States and Trinidad & Tobago. Moreover he said its after-effects had left him unable to exert himself fully in pre-season training and that was why he was not involved in the friendly at Hartlepool last Saturday and would not be on the bus to Doncaster with the team tomorrow.

Puzzlingly, Newcastle's manager, Kevin Keegan, had claimed Owen did not feature at Hartlepool because of "a sore calf" and suggested his absence was largely a precautionary measure. Similar confusion occurred back in May when it was announced that a "mystery virus" was keeping the striker from international involvement. An off-the-record source elaborated on this by stating that Owen had suffered an adverse reaction to a polio inoculation which manifested itself in the form of an infectious virus.

"When I pulled out of the England squad in May everybody thought I had a virus," Owen said yesterday. "But it turned out I had mumps and they would not let me go in case I infected any of the other players. While I would not say I was in a bad way, it was not very pleasant. It did affect me for a while - I was quite ill and I was not allowed to do anything for four weeks.

"When I came back our doctor worked out a program for me slightly different from the rest of the players'. Instead of going in at the deep end with the rest of the lads we have just been making slow progress. That's why you did not see me at Hartlepool on Saturday and why I will not be out there at Doncaster on Saturday."

Owen, whose negotiations over an extension to his contract - which runs out next June - appear to be proceeding as slowly as his pre-season, hopes to figure in at least one game next weekend when Keegan's side travel to Mallorca for a mini-tournament. "I should definitely be ready for our first home friendly against PSV Eindhoven on August 6," he added.

Reports in Spain yesterday said José Antonio Reyes, the former Arsenal forward, had rejected a move from Atlético Madrid to Newcastle after being disappointed with the personal terms on offer. He is now in advanced negotiations with Monaco, who have agreed a £5.5m fee. Meanwhile, Keegan has stressed that he will not be selling his Ireland goalkeeper, Shay Given. "Why get rid of a top player?" the manager asked.