Hard to impress with Newcastle's current form

Capello will name his squad late on Sunday for World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Belarus but Owen does not yet know if he will be back in the fold.

The Newcastle striker has yet to start a game under Capello, who took charge of the team in January, and was omitted from the previous squad because his manager felt he was not fully fit.

Newcastle hangover

Since then, he has scored five times for troubled Newcastle but even that may not be enough to secure him a place alongside Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney and Emile Heskey in the England squad.

"He's fit enough but it's not a good moment for Newcastle," Italian Capello said.

"Sometimes it depends a lot on the results of the team where you're playing for confidence, for form".

Capello is not even attending the Newcastle game to watch Owen

Unknown squad

A group of Nigerian tycoons have launched a bid to buy Newcastle after owner Mike Ashley put the club up for sale last month, having fallen foul of the fans over the loss of popular manager Kevin Keegan, who resigned saying he did not have full control over the buying and selling of players.

"I have to decide on 23 players and I decide not because I like or dislike players but because I choose who I think is the best player at the moment," Capello said.

"The last game, Owen was not in the squad because he'd just played one game.

"This time we have to decide."

Owen dismay

Owen, who has scored 40 goals for England, is unlikely to be encouraged by the news that Capello has opted not to watch Newcastle play Everton in the Premier League on Sunday but to send his assistant instead.

"He's in good form and fit but it's not enough only to score," added Capello.

"Players who have not played for 89 minutes then score a goal, it is not enough."

Walcott offers fresh potential

Walcott form

One name certain to be in the frame is the 19-year-old Theo Walcott, who scored a hat-trick in last month's 4-1 victory over Croatia.

"I think when you find young players like this, good players, interesting players at the top level he has to play with the seniors," Capello said of the Arsenal winger.

"Age is not important.

"What's important is the quality, the confidence."

"It's a stupid example but (Diego) Maradona played when he was 16, because he was ready.

Young gunner

Theo is ready for sure.

"I hope he produces a good performance at Wembley.

"But I think we have to wait and treat Walcott like the normal players," Capello continued.

"Sometimes there will be a fantastic performance, other times it will be normal and others not good so I substitute him.

"I will help him when the performance is not good and that is the most important thing," the manager said.

I hope I don't have to because that means he is playing well."

Beckham relegated

Walcott's form is bad news for David Beckham who may spend the rest of his England career on the bench as deputy to the teenager.

Capello is expected to recall Liverpool's Steven Gerrard after he missed the Croatia game because of injury and will not rule out changing a winning side to accommodate him.

"I have a new idea for the next game and you will have to wait," he said.

Group Six leaders England host Kazakhstan in London next Saturday and play Belarus in Minsk on October 15.

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