Owen keeps his head while all about him are losing theirs

It seems every time the words ‘Newcastle United’ are mentioned nowadays, a term along the lines of ‘crisis club’ follows not long after.

Other phrases such as ‘soap opera’ and ‘turmoil’ are also common parlance when talking about the Geordie outfit.

But amid all the tumult – the managerial coming and goings, the fans protests, the takeover speculation – one thing has been remarkably consistent.

Their striker and now captain Michael Owen has continued to score goals.

When caretaker boss Chris Hughton said the off-field antics at the club were inevitably going to effect on the pitch performances, he obviously meant all aspects on the field of play apart from the England striker’s obsession for sticking the ball in the back of the net.

Owen has grabbed five goals in seven appearances this term and he would be the first to admit he is only just getting back to full fitness.

But fitness – or lack of – has never been the problem for Owen, he is a born goalscorer who knows where to be and finishes when the ball comes his way.

The number of headers he scores for a man of his diminutive stature beggars belief – he literally hangs on the last shoulder at set pieces and reads the flight of the ball brilliantly.

When Fabio Capello picks his England squad this weekend for the next two World Cup qualifiers he surely cannot overlook Owen again – particularly if Wayne Rooney is an injury doubt.

Owen has a proven record alongside Emile Heskey and his record of 40 goals in 89 internationals tells its own story.

It’s funny how some footballers don’t always turn out the way they sometimes suggest they might.

Some people suggest Owen is a failure because he hasn’t lived up to the potential he promised with ‘that goal’ against Argentina as a raw teenager in World Cup 1998 (was that really ten years ago?).

He promised to become a devastating forward who picked up the ball from deep and terrorised defences with his pace, much in the way Thierry Henry did in his prime.

But injuries soon took their toll and Owen simply didn’t have the pace to be that type of player, instead he worked hard at his game to become the ultimate goal poacher in the Gary Linekar mould.

Just because he is a different player than we thought he might become, that doesn’t mean he is not a truly international class player.

It’s similar to the way Ryan Giggs has turned away from his reputation as a flying winger as he has matured and instead become a workaholic midfield schemer.

Both these players may not be as exciting to watch as they were when they are younger but they have increased their longevity no end and are both still invaluable to their respective clubs.

If there are still people who doubt Owen I think they may think again if he fails to agree a new contract with the Magpies before January 1.

Owen will then be a free agent and a host of sides will be knocking down his door because, as any coach will tell you, international class goalscorers don’t grow on trees.