Michael Owen remains on course to play again before the end of the season after a long lay-off through injury.
The 27-year-old Newcastle and England striker is continuing his rehabilitation from surgery to repair his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and is hoping to return to full training within a matter of weeks.
Neither he nor Magpies manager Glenn Roeder have put a date on his comeback, but Owen has been determined throughout his long absence that he would kick a ball in anger before the end of the campaign, and he is still hopeful of doing just that.
He said: 'I would think it would be a couple of weeks before I can join in training.
'I am kicking and running straight as hard as I like, and then it is the twisting and turning.'
England boss Steve McClaren would dearly love to have had Owen at his disposal in Israel tomorrow night as his side attempts to revive its European Championship qualifying campaign without the man who currently stands fourth in the country's all-time list of international goalscorers.
His 36 goals in 80 senior appearances mark him out as a world-class hitman, and his presence in front of a television screen tomorrow evening rather than out in Tel Aviv is a major disappointment.
Owen has been sidelined ever since collapsing in agony early in June's World Cup clash with Sweden just weeks after returning from a five-month absence with a fractured metatarsal.
Roeder has not yet been able to name him in his starting line-up - indeed, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid frontman has played less than half an hour of football under him - and the Newcastle boss cannot wait to have him back in harness.
Owen's dream of returning in time to play a part in this season's UEFA Cup final evaporated in Holland last week, and now his motivation is simply getting back on to the training pitch and then adding to his 11 appearances - and seven goals - for the club which paid £17million for his services two summers ago.
He said: 'I will ask the Newcastle lads not to kick me too hard to start with.'
