Keeping Owen is top priority for Allardyce

NEWCASTLE, England, May 15 (Reuters) Newly-appointed Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce said today that keeping England striker Michael Owen at the club would be one of his top priorities.

The 52-year-old Allardyce identified Owen as a vital part of his plans when he was unveiled as the club's fourth manager in three years at a news conference at St James' Park.

Owen, 27, has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Liverpool but Allardyce wants him and Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins to stay together at Newcastle.

Former Bolton Wanderers boss Allardyce, who spoke to the players today, told reporters: ''Michael was away in Ireland and sent his apologies but it wasn't hugely important all the players came back.

''But I will speak to Michael on the phone. The speculation around Michael will be resolved once we get to speak to him.

''You wouldn't want to lose your leading goalscorers and there are two fantastic goalscorers we want to keep at the club.'' Owen, who joined in August, 2005 from Real Madrid, sat out virtually the whole of the season after suffering a serious knee injury while playing for England at the World Cup finals.

He played in the last three league games of the season, although he was carried off suffering from concussion during the final day clash against Watford on Sunday.

Last week Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd called on the former Liverpool striker to show loyalty to the club who signed him for 16 million pounds.

Allardyce said: ''I will be asking him does he want to stay with us or go? Obviously, I would like him to stay because he has that rare commodity of being able to score goals.

''What I think Michael needs is more time to get on track for us and hopefully he will decide to take that time.'' RELISHING CHANCE Allardyce once turned down Newcastle's advances when he was managing Bolton but he is now relishing the chance to revive the club's fortunes. They have not won a major domestic trophy since the FA Cup in 1955.

''I think there was a couple of years past where I declined the opportunity but now I feel ready to import into Newcastle what I did at Bolton,'' Allardyce said.

''I'm ambitious, I know this club is ambitious and I hope I can turn it around -- get a trophy, get the club into Europe in the next few years.

''We will look at structuring behind the scenes, the sort of science and football way I work. I will get the staff working with me, with maybe one or two additions in the future.'' Glenn Roeder and his predessessors Bobby Robson and Graeme Souness are the most recent managers to try, and fail, to revive the club's fortunes and Allardyce knows the fans' patience has been stretched to the limit.

''I hope I can bring the success the fans are so desperate for,'' Allardyce said. ''I hope they can be patient, it might not go right at the flick of a switch -- there might be times when it doesn't go right, there might be sticky times.'' Reuters TB VV2152