How accurate is the newspaper coverage of your life and what’s the most outrageous story that’s ever been written about you?
Rich Evans, Glasgow
I’d say that 90 percent of stories about you are part true. I’ve had millions that have been written about me that are wrong. Recently, someone found out that I was taking a helicopter up to Newcastle and the next story was about how ‘Freddie Shepherd is on collision course with Michael Owen over his pilot lessons’, or something. I wouldn’t even dream of trying to learn, but I like sitting in the back and reading the papers. It’s like that, though, and you soon get used to it. Anything you do, anything you buy or anywhere you’re seen, they’ll get some story out of it. They always get half of the story right and the other half completely wrong. I don’t bother getting the hump with it any more – I’m long past that. I used to think, ‘Who wrote that bad story about me?’ but then you calm down. I’ve got kids and stuff now, so I’m more sensible. And who’s bothered if a few thousand people think that Michael Owen is doing this and that? Denying it only fuels the story, so it’s better to ignore it.

Your face was etched with a slow motion look of horror when you went down in Germany. What went through your mind?
Dave Moone, Raynes Park
To start with I thought, ‘That’s me finished in the game and the World Cup’. I knew it was bad straightaway. After that you think about what you need to do. Once that’s done you’re thinking about how long you’re going to be out and what games you’re going to miss. Weirdly you then start feeling sorry for all your family who have flown out to see you, and your sponsors. Newcastle had only just got me back fit after breaking my foot and I’d only played one game for them, then I got injured and was going to be out for most, if not all, of the next season. Football’s a big business and if I don’t play then there’s investments from clubs and sponsors and different things involved. I actually found myself in the treatment room texting everyone to apologise for getting injured, even though it was just a freak incident.

Are you one of these modern dads? Can you change a nappy or make up baby formula?
Sam Jones, Salisbury
I can change a nappy but that’s not to say I do it often. I think to start with I was really hands-on with fatherhood and then you settle into a routine – the wife always bathes the kids now and we share other stuff. But at the start you’re both fighting over who does what and when. She definitely does more than me though.



When you get an injury do you lose a yard of pace because you’re worried about having a recurrence if you’re running at full speed?
G Parry, via email
If it’s muscular, yeah. One of the things I’m doing with this current injury is making sure that all my past injuries are over and done with and rehabilitated. Obviously I had problems with my hamstrings when I was young and they take their toll – your muscles weaken every time you pull one. So this is a good opportunity to strengthen everything up again. And I’m adamant that I’m going to come back as strong and as sharp as when I was 18 or 19. Since then, as with every hamstring injury, you probably lose half a yard, but this time I’m working to get back to where I was when I was younger.

No sitting on the fence for this one. Who’s the best defender you’ve faced?
Alan Carsley, Birmingham
There have been so many, but I’d have to say Marcel Desailly – when he wanted to be. He was as quick as anyone, as strong as anyone and he was pretty much a machine when he first came over. He was a beast to play against.

Now you’re getting on a bit, what about life after football: manager, TV analyst or horse trainer?
Joe 90, via email
All three are possibilities. I’d love to be in touch with the game as a manager or a coach, or even writing newspaper articles or talking on the telly. Football’s been a massive part of my life so I’d love to stay involved. Horses are a big passion too, so I’ll be out on the gallops most days, but I can’t see myself wanting to be a racehorse trainer. I don’t want to be getting up at five in the morning, dealing with problems and looking after 100 owners. That’s not my idea of a peaceful retirement.