England snub left me feeling numb: Owen

London: Michael Owen said being left out of Fabio Capello`s England squad used to leave him feeling numb but now accepts time is running out on his dream of playing in this year`s World Cup.

"England`s bigger than Michael Owen anyway," the Manchester United striker told reporters. "I`d love to play for my country and go to a World Cup again. I`ve got to accept I`m not in the current squad and just think, `If I get it, it`s a bonus and I`ll give it everything.` But it`s hard to do when you`ve been thinking a different way all your life." The striker has 40 goals in 89 appearances and is fourth on his country`s goal-scoring list. While his exclusion from England`s squad under Capello still hurts, Owen said he had learnt to deal with it."When I first wasn`t included I was numb. I`d been the main England striker for years and years. It was really disappointing, upsetting. For the next few days you`re trying to get your head round it," he said. "Then you`re not in the next squad and you`re numb and you do the inquiring in your head again, then you`re not in the third squad and you gradually come to the point where you say, `OK, I`m not in the squad for whatever reason.` "I`ve handled that in my own way. If you thought about it too long you might think, `Right, I`m a crap player because I can`t get in the England squad` but I`m confident in my own ability," added Owen."If that wasn`t the case you might as well pack it in now. If you think too much, you start doubting yourself." Bureau Report