Sport 06-10-2003 Owen Determined To Be Fit who: Michael Owen what: Is determined to be in squad to Euro 2004 qualifier despite weekend injury where: Istanbul when: Saturday snippet: "Michael Owen believes he can be fit in time for England’s Euro 2004 crunch in Turkey next Saturday," reports The Sun. "Owen left Anfield on crutches and the fear was England’s No 1 striker would miss the trip to Istanbul." "A week of `will he, won`t he make it` hysteria now begins," predicts Henry Winter in The Telegraph, "but anyone familiar with this tough little competitor will know that Owen will be working overtime to regain his fitness in time for a lively night at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium." England coach Sven Goran Eriksson has postponed the announcement of his squad until this afternoon and if Owen does not play it will be a big blow. The Swede "has been in charge for 18 competitive matches and Owen has started in all but one of them, missing just the draw with Greece in 2001 with a hamstring strain," recalls The Guardian`s Kevin McCarra. "Replacements for a former European footballer of the year are inevitably scarce and no other Englishman possesses his combination of pace and sharpness." Meanwhile, The Telegraph`s Sam Wallace reports that Turkey`s captain Hakan Sukur is unlikely to be fit on Saturday after injuring a knee this weekend. Galatasaray`s club doctor, Bulent Bayraktar, says that it will be "impossible" for him to play. [... more]

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