11 June 2006
by Reuters
Joe Cole backed Michael Owen to come good for England at the FIFA World Cupâ„¢ on Sunday after changing roles to cover for the striker against Paraguay.
Owen, looking off the pace and isolated up front, lasted only 55 minutes of Saturday's 1-0 victory in Group B as he continued his search for peak fitness after long-term injury.
Defending a striker who has scored 36 goals in 78 appearances for his country, Cole told a news conference: "His record speaks for itself and his performances do. And his goals.
"I think he'll score lots of goals in this tournament. He's fit." Cole, who coach Sven-Goran Eriksson successfully moved in from the left to support towering striker Peter Crouch added: "I think it was obviously a tactical thing.
"We needed someone to try and get hold of the ball and probe with a few passes. I wasn't surprised, the boss knows that I can do it. It gives us another option, which is what it's all about."
Though the various options change the way Cole plays as a support striker, the creative 24-year-old was confident with either partner.
"I think you have to adjust," he said. "They both have different qualities. Peter you can run off and be a bit more mobile and Michael maybe you can drop off a bit more because he makes fantastic runs. If you are an intelligent player you can play with both of them."
Cole was one of the bright spots in a narrow victory, which the players put down to temperatures at Frankfurt's Waldstadion which soared to 29 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit). "Without sounding like we are making excuses, the conditions played a massive part," he said. "You talk to the lads and any of them will tell you that your throat was dry and it was really hard. We're not used to playing in those conditions.
"But we have to deal with that and get better at that. By the time we play the next game we'll be a lot stronger."
That next game arrives on Thursday against Trinidad & Tobago, who pulled off a surprise 0-0 draw with only 10 men against Sweden thanks to an inspired performance by their goalkeeper Shaka Hislop.
"They showed yesterday they can compete against Sweden who were some people's dark horses to win the tournament with world class players," added Cole. "We're in a tough group and to get the start we did was marvellous."
