Ex-Newcastle and England striker Malcolm Macdonald insists his former club are 'warranted' in their threat to go to court to prevent Michael Owen playing in June's crucial European Championship qualifier against Estonia.
Owen is at the centre of a bitter dispute between the Barclays Premiership club and the Football Association over compensation for the knee injury the 27-year-old suffered at last summer's World Cup.
Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd yesterday warned the FA he will seek an injunction to stop them picking Owen for England duty unless a "fair settlement" is reached.
'Newcastle have an absolute and warranted case,' Macdonald said in the Daily Telegraph.
'The FA must ensure all their players are adequately insured and not to have done the right and responsible thing for Newcastle shows them in a bad light. This action by Freddy Shepherd is minimal. He has had his say but he has not made a big song and dance about it, but this will be welcomed by a lot of his Premiership counterparts.
'Such a precedent, if allowed, would be deemed dangerous. It would allow the FA to pick players without adequate cover. Imagine what a huge difference 20 goals from Michael Owen would have made to Newcastle's horrendous season. Imagine the reaction at Old Trafford if Rio Ferdinand or Wayne Rooney had been injured on international duty. The fight has to be made.'
Owen has not played once for his club this season but is nearing a return to first-team action and could play some part in his club's final few games of the season.
Macdonald believes the striker will have split loyalties over the compensation issue.
The man known as 'Supermac' said: 'If I was in Michael's shoes, I would feel extremely torn because I would want to play for my country, knowing full well that it helps my career progress but also realising that club football is my bread and butter.
'I think Michael would not be happy to think that the failure by the FA has made his club unhappy because he goes on international duty with their grace. But, then again, he does not want to upset the FA applecart. He is stuck in the middle.'
Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder refused to be drawn into the wrangle, preferring to focus on Owen's rehabilitation.
'It's not about Michael Owen playing for England,' Roeder said.
'It's about Michael Owen putting the Newcastle shirt on first. Our club pays his salary, our supporters deserve to see him playing in a Newcastle shirt.'
Meanwhile, Roeder has rubbished rumours linking his #17million signing with a summer move to Manchester United.
'It's all news to me,' he said in The Guardian.
'But I certainly haven't waited all these months to write Michael Owen's name on my team-sheet to even contemplate selling him. Michael is a very big part of my plans for next season and I know he's been as frustrated as everyone else and can't wait to start playing for Newcastle again.
'Personally, I can't wait to see him scoring goals for us that no-one else can.'
