Michael Owen: “It is in our game, it is happening so fast these days that it is virtually impossible to see whether there was contact.
“I’d say that 75 per cent of players could stay on their feet for a penalty, and if they get touched and go down it is almost, ‘hey got touched so it’s okay to go down’.
“I have been guilty as well, I played at the 1998 World Cup against Argentina and I was running flat out, got a nudge, went down. Could I have stayed up? Yes, probably.
“Then four years later Collina (referee) gave me a penalty again against Argentina. Again, I could have stayed on my feet, the defender’s caught me and I did have a decent gash down my shin from it but I could have stayed up.
“It’s a very difficult subject to talk about especially to people who have not played the game. There is a major skill in trying to outwit an opponent.
“For the actual player, one-against-one, you’re trying to draw people, to commit them, to get into the box because you know as soon as you have got them in the box they are petrified of sticking a leg out or doing anything. It is a skill to get them one-on-one or isolated.
“No one is for blatantly diving, of course they are not, but there is a part of a striker that actually tries to entice the leg to come out to try to win a penalty. It is a skill and it has been done for years and years and I don’t think it will ever leave the game.
“I’m totally against diving, I have never been for it or sought to get a penalty without being touched, but you try to push the boundaries to win a game for your team without cheating.
“Not only do some people think I retired from England, some people think I’ve retired from football, full stop. No, I’d never retire from international football.
“I have to perform well for my club and if I do that there might be an outside chance of getting back. I don’t go to bed thinking of playing for England again. It would be a bonus, but I need to get back on the pitch and rediscover my goal-scoring touch.
“It’s a very intense feeling playing for your country. I don’t think people express themselves as well as they do at club level. At that level you feel loved, the fans are on-side, you’re playing week in week out. There’s certainly a bit of fear playing for England. But football still is, and always will be, my number one passion. I’m still as hungry as I was when I was 18.”
TOON FIXTURE CHANGES
Wigan (H) has been moved from Saturday 1 December, 3.00 pm to Monday 3 December, 8.00 pm. Sky Sports.
Fulham (A) has been moved from Saturday 8 December, 3.00 pm to Monday 10 December, 8.00 pm. Sky Sports.
Man City (H) has been moved from Saturday 15 December, 3.00 pm to the earlier kick-off of 12.45 pm. Sky Sports.
Arsenal (A) has been moved from Saturday 29 December, 3.00 pm to the later kick-off of 5.30 pm. ESPN.
Everton (H) has been moved from Tuesday 1 January, 3.00 pm to the Wednesday 2 January, 8.00 pm. Sky Sports.
NEWCASTLE UNITED FC 2012/13
Newcastle United Fixtures
Sunday October 7
16:00 Premier League Newcastle United v Man Utd
Sunday October 21
13:30 Premier League Sunderland v Newcastle United
Thursday October 25
20:05 Europa League - Group D Newcastle V Club Bruges
Sunday October 28
15:00 Premier League Newcastle United v West Brom
Sunday November 4
16:00 Premier League Liverpool v Newcastle United
NEWCASTLE UNITED SQUAD
1.Krul
2.Coloccini
3.Santon
4.Cabaye
5.Simpson
6.Williamson
8.Anita
9.Cisse
10.Ben Arfa
14.Perch
15.Gosling
16.Taylor R
17.Amalfitano
18.Gutierrez
19.Ba
0.Bigirimana
21.Elliot
22.Marveaux
3.Shola Ameobi
24.Tiote
25.Obertan
27.Taylor S
28.Sammy Ameobi
29.Vuckic
31.Ranger
32.Xisco
34.Tavernier
37.Harper
38.Inman
39.Abeid
40.Richardson
49.Campbell
PREMIERSHIP
READING 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba 2)
Harper, Perch, Williamson, Steven Taylor (Tavernier 56), Santon, Ben Arfa, Tiote, Bigirimana (Ferguson 70), Gutierrez, Cisse (Shola Ameobi 69), Ba.
Subs not used: Elliot, Anita, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 1 NORWICH 0 (Ba)
Harper, Perch, Williamson, Steven Taylor, Santon, Ben Arfa (Shola 85mins), Anita (Tiote 76 mins), Cabaye, Jonas, Cisse (Obertan 70 mins), Ba
Subs unused: Elliot, Tavernier, Bigirimana, Sammy Ameobi
EVERTON 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba 2)
Harper; Perch, Williamson, Taylor, Santon; Anita, Cabaye (Bigirimana 93), Gutierrez; Marveaux (Ba 46), Ben Arfa; Cissé (Shola Ameobi 80).
Substitutes not used Elliot (g), Gosling, Obertan, Tavernier.
NEWCASTLE 1 ASTON VILLA 1 (Ben Arfa)
Krul, Simpson (Bigirimana 38), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Anita, Gutierrez (Marveaux 86), Ba (Obertan 86), Cisse
Subs not used: Harper, Williamson, Gosling, Amalfitano
CHELSEA 2 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson (Ryan Taylor 64), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Santon (Marveaux 74), Ben Arfa, Anita, Cabaye (Perch 77), Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse
Subs not used: Harper, Williamson, Gosling, Obertan
NEWCASTLE 2 SPURS 1 (Ba, Ben Arfa pen)
Krul; Simpson, S Taylor, Perch, Santon; Ben Arfa, Cabaye (Anita, 71), Tiote, Gutierrez; Cisse, Ba (Obertan, 85). Subs not used: Harper; R Taylor, Williamson, Gosling, Amalfitano
EUROPA LEAGUE
NEWCASTLE 3 BORDEAUX 0 (Shola Ameobi, Henrique og), Cisse)
Elliot (Harper, 46 ); Simpson, Williamson, Perch, Ferguson; Anita, Tiote (Gosling, 71), Cabaye (Bigirimana, 61); Cisse, Ameobi, Obertan.
MARITIMO 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Santon, Williamson, Perch, S Taylor, Gosling, Amalfitano (Ferguson 76), Bigirimana, Obertan (Marveaux 80), Vuckic (Sami Ameobi 53), Shola Ameobi.
Subs (not used): Harper (gk), Tavernier, Abeid, Campbell
NEWCASTLE 1 ATROMITOS 0 (Vuckic)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ryan Taylor (11 Vuckic), Obertan, Bigirimana, Perch (59 Tavernier), Marveaux (91 Amalfitano), Gosling, Ba.
Subs: Harper, Cabaye, Cisse, Campbell.
ATROMITOS 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (R Taylor)
Harper; Tavernier, Williamson, Perch, R Taylor; Bigirimana, Anita; Obertan, Gosling (Amalfitano, 64), Marveaux (Gutierrez, 71); Cisse (Campbell, 77). Subs not used: Krul, Santon, Cabaye, S Taylor.
LEAGUE CUP
MAN UTD 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Cisse)
Elliot, Coloccini (Ferguson 61), Williamson, Perch, Tavernier, Gosling, Marveaux, Tioté (Bigirimana 71), Obertan, Vuckic (Cisse 81), Shola Ameobi.
Subs not used: Harper, Anita, Amalfitano, Sammy Ameobi.
PRE-SEASON
CARDIFF CITY 4 NEWCASTLE 1 (Shola Ameobi pen)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini (Williamson 46), Steven Taylor (Gosling 63), Santon, Obertan (Campbell 83), Tiote (Amalfitano 71) , Gutiérrez, Marveaux (Vuckic 46), R Taylor (Perch 28), Shola Ameobi.
HARTLEPOOL 1 NEWCASTLE 5 (Shola Ameobi, Marveaux 2, Obertan, Vuckic)
Harper (Alnwick 82), Simpson (Good 72), Tavernier, Williamson, S.Taylor (Vuckic 46), Perch (R.Taylor 72), Gosling, Amalfitano (Santon 80), Marveaux (Obertan 78), Sh.Ameobi (Ben Arfa 46), Bigirimana (Abeid 59).
DEN HAAG 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul; S Taylor (Gosling 65), R Taylor (Perch 71), Coloccini, Santon (Simpson 80); Obertan (Bigirimana 71), Tiote (Ameobi 71), Vuckic (Williamson 65), Gutierrez; Ba (Amalfitano 82), Cisse
BRAGA 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba, R Taylor)
Harper; Simpson, Tavernier, Coloccini, R.Taylor; Sammy Ameobi (Obertan 88), Tiote (Cabaye 70), Gutierrez, Marveaux; Cisse, Ba (Vuckic 85).
OLYMPIACOS 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (S Taylor)
Krul, Perch, Williamson, S.Taylor (Dummett 46), Santon, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 72), Bigirimana, Gosling (Abeid 36), Amalfitano, Vuckic, Shola Ameobi (Cisse 72).
FENERBAHCE 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Abeid)
Elliot, Simpson (Santon 68), Tavernier, Coloccini, R Taylor, Tiote (Bigirimana 59), Gosling (Abeid 73), Obertan (Shola Ameobi 75), Marveuax (Gutierrez 59), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi 46), Ba (Cisse 68).
MONACO 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ba)
Harper, Santon (Ryan Taylor 57), Simpson, Williamson (Perch 46), Gutierrez, Amalfitano (Obertan 62), Abeid (Tavernier 46), Bigirimana (Tiote 62), Sammy Ameobi (Vuckic 46), Shola Ameobi (Gosling 62), Ba (Marveaux 78)
CHEMNITZER 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot; Tavernier (Simpson, 70), Williamson, Perch, R Taylor (Santon, 70); Obertan (Gutierrez, 77), Abeid (Bigirimana, 70), Gosling, Amalfitano; Vuckic (Shola Ameobi, 70), Sammy Ameobi (Ba, 77). Sub not used: Harper.