Leeds United manager Neil Warnock believes Michael Owen blew his chances of going to Euro 2012 by spending a "wasted season" at Manchester United.
The 32-year-old only made four appearances for the Red Devils this season, and in total only 18 of his 52 appearances for United were in the starting line-up.
Owen confirmed this week he is leaving Old Trafford in the summer, and Warnock believes if the striker had been playing regularly he would be on the plane with the England squad.
"I think the strikers are a little bit short and a bit thin, with [Wayne] Rooney being suspended," he told the Daily Mirror.
"I am sad Michael Owen has wasted a season.
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SURPRISE RETURN? |
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| 20/1 | Michael Owen is 20/1 with Paddy Power to be a Liverpool player on the first day of next season. |
"I would have loved him to have a season playing for a mid-table Premier League team because I don't see anyone better than Michael Owen in the European Championships squad.
"The only way he could have been picked would have been by playing.
"I think it is a waste he is not up for selection because at Manchester United he is way down the pecking order. I wish he'd have played, I am sure he probably thinks the same."
England have two inexperienced international strikers in the form of Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck, who have three and four caps respectively, and Warnock is worried that the squad is missing a player of Owen’s quality.
"You look at the strikers that have been picked and I don't see a Michael Owen in there," he added.
"I don't think Andy [Carroll] had a particularly good season. He possibly wouldn't have been in my selection.
"Defoe and Welbeck and Carroll have really got to get the results in those first two games and help Roy get past that and get Rooney back in because Rooney is world class."
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