Allardyce keen to retain Owen

Newly-appointed Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce is determined to keep England striker Michael Owen at the club.

Owen has been linked with Manchester United and a return to Liverpool but Allardyce - whose appointment at St James' Park was confirmed on Tuesday - has no plans to let him leave, and also wants to ensure Obafemi Martins stays at Newcastle.

After meeting some of the players in the morning, Allardyce said: "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."

He added: "You wouldn't want to lose your leading goalscorers and there are two fantastic goalscorers we want to keep at the club."

Allardyce admitted he had turned down Newcastle in the past but said: "I think there was a couple of years past where I declined the opportunity. Now I feel ready to import into Newcastle what I did at Bolton.

"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."

Allardyce - who revealed there was no clause in his contract to release him for England in the future - confirmed he hopes to strengthen the squad this summer, but would also look to bring the famed 'scientific' approach and attention to detail which worked so well at Bolton, to St James' Park.

"We will look at structuring behind the scenes, the sort of science and football way I work. We will look at what data and what information we need to start need storing.

"I will get the staff working with me, with maybe one or two additions in the future. I've got to bide my time, it doesn't happen overnight."

The former Bolton boss said: "It's important to build it right. I have left a football club that's very healthy, the best it's been for years, I hope when it comes to my time to leave Newcastle they are the same."