Injury frustration for Sam

6:05am Saturday 4th August 2007

MICHAEL OWEN'S latest injury set-back is continuing to cause problems and frustrated manager Sam Allardyce last night admitted the £16m striker will not start the new season.

There had been hopes Owen would figure in the Magpies' final pre-season friendly against Sampdoria tomorrow. That, however, is no longer the case.

And with Newcastle due to start the new Premiership season at Bolton a week today, Allardyce has conceded defeat in his attempts to ensure Owen is fit to start the campaign.

Having recovered from the serious knee problem that curtailed him for the vast majority of last season, Owen was hoping to make amends from the first whistle this time around.

However, the thigh problem sustained during pre-season means his wish will not be granted and that is a decision Allardyce has been forced to accept.

"The tear in the muscle hasn't healed as quickly as we would like, so there's no point in making any rash decisions just to get him fit for the start of the season," said the Newcastle boss, who now has the option of playing Alan Smith in his place, as well as Obafemi Martins.

"It's about getting him 100 per cent to play matches on a regular basis because Michael hasn't been able to do that.

"That's why it has been more disappointing for him and for me that he's missed pre-season games more than training, because he's done enough training to last him a lifetime.

"When he's been recovering from his injury, his one-on one stuff has been demoralising sometimes when you see the other players going out and training as a group."

Owen's only appearance for Newcastle this summer was as a second-half scoring substitute at Hartlepool.

And, given the 27-year-old has made only 13 league starts in two years on Tyneside, he has also taken a knock mentally with the latest set-back.

"Getting back among the lads in pre season was something he was really looking forward to," said Allardyce. "He was going well but missing the games is probably more costly for him than anyone else because he's played so few.

"The England games in the summer were a good thing from my point of view for him because he had so little action last season, it was a bonus. This injury has unfortunately kept him out of the last three."

Despite last night's capture of of Brazilian defender Cacapa on a two-year deal, Allardyce continues to push ahead in his recruitment programme.

And, having initially refused to meet Wigan's £5m for Leighton Baines, he has confirmed that he is going to renew his interest in the England Under-21 left-back who turned down a move to Sunderland last week."I'm still about three players away," said Allardyce.

"Leighton Baines might be a possibility."

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