Owen rewarded for keeping the faith

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LONDON, Sept 13 (AFP): A weaker character than Michael Owen would have been destroyed by his injury nightmare, but the England striker is reaping the rewards after refusing to give in.
Owen is emerging from an injury-ravaged 18 months looking better than ever and he underlined his resurgence with a clinical double strike against Russia Wednesday.
It could all have been very different if the most gifted English finisher of his generation had listened to the doom merchants who predicted a series of problems, most seriously cruciate knee ligament damage, would curtail his top-level career. From suggestions he had lost the blistering pace that was such a vital part of his game to accusations the injuries had dulled the voracious appetite for goals all top forwards need, Owen heard every possible slight.