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What Lewis, like the majority of the Preston side Davies has transformed since succeeding Craig Brown as manager last September, lacks is experience of England's premier club division.After moving to England from the San Jose Clash in 2000, he featured in the Fulham side that won the First Division championship but played just one game in the Premiership before falling out of favour with Jean Tigana. Lewis is out of contract next month and, by all accounts, Sunderland are prepared to give him another chance in the top-flight if Preston fail to graduate tomorrow.Having been told his season was over when he underwent an appendectomy a month ago, however, the 31-year-old has already pushed through the pain barrier to help North End get within sight of the big league, producing a first-class display on the left flank in the 2-0 play-off semi-final home win against Derby."At the moment, there are more important things to focus on than my situation," Lewis says. But with a creditable tally of 12 league goals from 19 starts, Owen remains in confident mood. The former European Footballer of the Year knows that whatever inner regrets he may have about leaving Liverpool he has done nothing but enhance his personal reputation in his first season with the Spanish giants."Unless someone tells me different, then I'm going to report back for duty next season," he says. Manchester United, Newcastle, and even former employers Liverpool are reported to be queueing up to tempt him back to England. I won the Uefa Cup, the League Cup, the European Supercup and the Charity Shield. Of course the Champions' League is bigger than all that, but I would love to be able to win it with Real Madrid.
I'm happy with the decision I took and happy that my mates have won the Champions' League."There were plenty of people who questioned the England striker's wisdom when he decided to join Real last August, many suggesting he would have to settle for the role of "Galactico" supersub behind Real's big guns Ronaldo and Raul.Although he may not have won any silverware, the pocket-sized former Liverpool player can still afford to look back on his season with some considerable pride. But Owen insists he has no regrets about jumping ship to Real at the start of this season "Maybe I was the problem," he laughs "But I'm delighted they won I had a fantastic time at Liverpool. He has defied the predictions of many and carved out a place in the Real starting line-up and has the satisfaction of knowing that, unlike his old team-mates, his side are guaranteed a place in the next edition of the Champions' League.Owen managed to convince each one of the three coaches in charge of Real that he deserved his place alongside the Galacticos, he prompted Fernando Morientes to rethink his career and trade places at Anfield, forced club idol Raul to change position and drop back into midfield and pushed a player of the category of Luis Figo on to the bench.Despite his success, the rumours of an imminent return persist. "The kind of opportunity that we have now doesn't come along very easily. If you want your chance in the Premiership, now's when you've got to grab it.". Michael Owen must have been filled with mixed emotions as he watched his former Liverpool team-mates celebrate their epic Champions' League victory over Milan on Wednesday.
After all, one of the prime reasons the England striker gave for his decision to exchange what he called the Anfield "comfort zone" for the pressure cooker atmosphere of the Bernabeu was his desire to win trophies. Wednesday have average gates of 23,100 - compared to Hartlepool's 5,188 - and will be backed by 40,000 fans. Still, the Hartlepudlian Davids did subject the South Yorkshire Goliaths to a 3-0 slaying at Victoria Park only last month. And Scott has little doubt about their ability to compete as a Championship side."Yes, we'd need to strengthen," he said, "but we're not far off coping at that level We've got players who are very capable of stepping up.". It is Friday morning and the crowds are conspicuously absent from the National Football Museum.
