 Steve McClaren has risked further upsetting Newcastle United by including Michael Owen in an England B squad for the second summer running. The 27-year-old's inclusion confirms what many observers have long anticipated - the former Liverpool and Real Madrid forward will feature for the full national side this summer. Magpies chairman Freddie Shepherd has been adamant his prize asset should not play international football so soon after returning from a serious knee injury. And with the Magpies chairman fuelling further doubt over whether Owen will still be on Tyneside next season, England's full international matches in June could act as an unwelcome shop window. Shortly before his resignation as United manager, Glenn Roeder expressed the view that B international football was beneath the £17m striker, who did not appear for Newcastle's second string before returning from ruptured knee ligaments. But Shepherd does not want to see Owen don the Three Lions at all after the events of last summer. Owen has so far played only two games for Newcastle this season after picking up an injury playing for England in the World Cup. Shepherd is currently at odds with the Football Association over compensation for the player. The FA's insurance covers 50% of the player's £103,000-a-week wages during the period he was out of action. But Shepherd believes his club are owed the full cost of Owen's absence, including the £10m United paid Inter Milan for his replacement Obafemi Martins. In response, Shepherd vowed to prevent the player adding to his 80 caps this summer, something which is increasingly looking an idle threat. England will play their first match at the refurbished Wembley Stadium next month before travelling to Estonia for a European Championship qualifier. Owen's inclusion in the squad for the May 25 B international friendly against Albania is a clear signal that McClaren will not respect Shepherd's wish. Since joining Newcastle from Madrid in August 2005, Owen has played 13 club matches, compared to 11 for his country. When Owen played 61 minutes for England B against Belarus last May, it was his first start since breaking a metatarsal on New Year's Eve 2005. Yet he played a full part in his country's World Cup campaign until injury intervened against Sweden. Shepherd yesterday challenged Owen to publicly deny rumours he would exercise a reported buy-out clause in his contract to leave the North-East in the next transfer window. The Magpies chairman, who has previously denied any clause existed, said: "I'm telling Michael he has two choices: he either comes out and tells our fans he is happy here or I tell him not one of the big four clubs are interested in him. The loyalty this club has shown him over the last two years deserves return." His statement is not one of a man confident no rival clubs are interested in his star player and has obviously been prompted by speculation that Manchester United and Liverpool will be making bids for Owen in the near future. Owen is one of three Newcastle players in the squad for the B international at Turf Moor. Midfielders Scott Parker and Kieron Dyer, who have both played for the full side this term, have also been named. There is no place for Steven Taylor, who has instead been named in Stuart Pearce's provisional 30-man squad for this summer's European Under-21 Championships. Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing and ex-United player Jermaine Jenas are also included. So too are David Bentley and David Nugent, who have also been named in the under-21 party. Pearce will cut the squad down to 23 on May 30 before the June 5 friendly against Slovakia at Carrow Road. Also in the group are Newcastle's James Milner, Middlesbrough's Lee Cattermole, former Sunderland players Ben Alnwick and Justin Hoyte and Cumbrian-born Scott Carson. Meanwhile, Mark Noble's form in guiding West Ham towards Barclays Premiership safety has earned him a place in the provisional England Under-21 squad for next month's European Championships. While Carlos Tevez has taken the plaudits for West Ham's recent turnaround, boss Alan Curbishley has also acknowledged Noble's contribution for his local club in central midfield. Noble was named in a 30-man squad for the finals in Holland, which will be whittled down to 23 for the start of the tournament in June. The 20-year-old did not feature in qualification but team-mate Nigel Reo-Coker is established as captain and is expected to lead the side out for their group games against the Czech Republic, Italy and Serbia. Pearce, the Manchester City boss who is in charge for the finals, has also named Michael Johnson, who he works with at Eastlands. Everton striker James Vaughan has earned a call-up for his impressive recent form. The squad will go on a training camp to Spain later this month, and players with senior-team ambitions like Nugent and Carson can still play for McClaren at the end of the season before the tournament starts. England B squad: Robinson (Tottenham), Foster (Manchester United); Neville, Lescott (both Everton), Dawson (Tottenham), King (Tottenham), Barry (Aston Villa), Shorey (Reading); Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Jagielka (Sheffield United), Lennon (Tottenham), Dyer, Parker (both Newcastle), Jenas (Tottenham), Downing (Middlesbrough), Bentley (Blackburn), Owen (Newcastle), Defoe (Tottenham), Smith (Manchester United), Nugent (Preston). | 
Article
