From Liverpool Daily Post:

Michael Owen leaves his sensational teenage years behind today no doubt wondering just why the cruel world of soccer has turned against him.

The wonder boy who lifted himself to World Cup fame with that magical goal against Argentina celebrates his 20th birthday carrying the burden of criticism and expectation that is a long way from those heady days in France last summer.

The clean cut, middle class Cheshire kid, every mother's idea of a son in law, finds himself being pilloried from all angles as his innocent teen years disappear into manhood.

There's hardly a personal black mark against his name. No speeding fines, no boozing ­ he's teetotal ­ and not a hint of nightclub excess. Frankly, he is too good to be true.

You would have thought he was the youthful image football would want to project. Instead there are claims his form has gone and he is now roundly booed at opposing grounds, just like David Beckham and Alan Shearer.

Phil Neal, for one, just cannot believe what he is seeing as a nation seemingly appears hell-bent on finding fault with the youngster who should be England's greatest talent forthe next decade.

Neal, a former Liverpool captain and one of their most decorated former stars, finds the whole sad situation staggering.

The full-back, who also won 50 England caps and coached the national side under Graham Taylor, speaks up for Owen ­ a young man still fighting to recover from three hamstring injuries since April.

Neal said: "What I see happening to Michael Owen is preposterous. We are expecting far too much from someone so young.

"It seems that everyone wants to take a pot-shot at him and it's hard to see why. He's no diver, TV replays have proved that, and how people can condemn his form after the injury problems he's had is beyond me."

Owen, who made a scoring debut for Liverpool as a precocious boy star 30 months ago at Wimbledon, has packed in a remarkable 100 first-team appearances since then, scoring 51 goals.

Add that to 18 full international caps and five goals for England, reckons Neal, should be lauding Owen rather than vilifying him.

Neal said: "It's all such a shame. He's a wonderful talent, well brought up with nice parents who are very supportive.

"He's level headed and intelligent. He should be just what England needs, yet he seems to be getting so much stick."

Liverpool also privately find the current campaign of Owen-baiting hard to understand. They have bent over backwards to help England's cause by making him available and the facts about his injury and slow progress back to fitness seem to be swept away and ignored in the tidal wave of criticism.

For the record, Owen damaged his hamstring at Leeds on April 12 and he has completed a full 90 minutes just four times since. He has also torn the same hamstring in pre-season training and at Southampton on October 23 as he has battled for fitness.

But that has not caused him to pull out of England duty. In fact he has played in all five full internationals this season and been prepared to risk his recovery plans to help his country.

In all Owen has played in 19 club and international games this season, starting 13, coming on as a substitute six times and been taken off on nine occasions.

Neal said: "When you consider that he's obviously still not fully fit and the troubles he has had with his hamstring, you wonder just what people expect from him.

"I recall seeing him play for an hour against Derby soon after one of his injury problems and it was obvious he was struggling.

"But he still went off to join up with England straight afterwards, happy to do his best.

"But then when he is substituted in the two games against Scotland, people start criticising his form. I wonder how many other clubs would have made him available for England in those circumstances?"

And the man with eight championship medals and four European Cup wins to his name, plus 600-plus games for Liverpool in a nine-year Anfield career, appeals for more understanding for Owen.

Neal said: "For one so young there is far too much expectation. People seem to expect a kid like him to win the European Championship and World Cup for England.

"I know from my playing days that I hadn't matured as a player until my mid to late 20s. Owen needs to be given the time to do that.

"In the nicest possible way, the lad still has nappies on as far as professional football is concern. That's no insult, it's just a realistic view of a wonderful young talent.

"Michael and Kevin Keegan would readily admit that the lad has plenty to learn. What he is having to put up with at the moment is deplorable.

"What he is experiencing is his first real injury problem ­ and hamstrings take time to heal.

"He should be given the time to get himself fit, learn his trade and not be expected to be wonderful every game. He is a smashing natural talent, but let's get the expectation level from his shoulders. He's only 20 for heaven's sake."

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