Real Madrid's Owen: Keegan scarred me

Michael Owen has slammed Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan's coaching methods, saying he has been "scarred" by the experience of working with him.

The Real Madrid star launched the bitter attack in his book, Michael Owen: Off The Record.

"I know Keegan didn't have much confidence in me," wrote Owen of their days together with England.

"Kevin tried to make training fun but I didn't enjoy it when he was in charge. I assume the manager had conveyed to his staff what he thought of me - and plainly it wasn't complimentary. If I did one tiny thing wrong, there would be a rush of critical comment."

Owen's row with Keegan came to a head before England's Euro2000 clash with Romania.

"In training all week Keegan had kept me behind, playing balls into me and telling me what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to hold the ball up and link play more."

Owen continued: "A team meeting was called to discuss the Romanians and Keegan set off on a 20-minute lecture about me. `Michael if I was any other manager you would not be playing tomorrow. You've got to improve or we'll have to change.' Ten minutes into the game and I could see three substitute strikers warming up and my desperation to impress the manager was turning to anger."

"I really started to resent him - not as a man but as a manager. With a quarter of an hour gone, I thought: `Sod him, I'm playing my own game. I know I'm good.' Then I scored and the relief was immense. I just wanted to make a gesture to Keegan that said: `I told you so.' It was a dark phase in my career and, yes, it scarred me."