Ollie Watkins Credits ‘Underrated’ 46-Year-Old England Star for Transforming His Game Through Insightful Guidance

OLLIE WATKINS has revealed how “underrated” Michael Owen helped him get nastier.

man reached out to great who suggested he had been too nice.

Ollie Watkins revealed how he flipped his mentality to ditch the ‘nice guy’ act Credit: PA Watkins revealed how Michael Owen helped him to get ‘nastier’ Credit: PA

Watkins was left out of the England squad in March but a ruthless run of 11 goals from April onward for Villa saw him on the plane to the World Cup.

The 30-year-old said: “I’ve definitely taken that [nastier] element into the games, the back end of the season I think you’ve seen how well I’ve done and that’s why I’m here in that position.

“I definitely felt it helped. There were times when I was maybe a bit too nice on the pitch.

“He gave me an insight into how he felt I could improve and at the end of the day I feel Michael Owen was underrated, really.

“I don’t think people talk about how good he was. Maybe because it was at the start of his career when he had that amazing run. I think it was later on his career I think people would hold in much higher regard.

“I think people would hold him in a lot higher regard. It’s good that I have a player of that quality to use as a sounding board.”

Watkins is in Tuchel’s squad as back-up to captain , meaning his game-time will be limited in the States.

But he is ready to roll at any moment, just like he famously did off the bench with the last-gasp winner off the bench against the Netherlands in the semi-final.

And ex-Brentford man Watkins even suggested it can sometimes be better as an impact sub at a major tournament because you can “punish” tiring opposition.

Watkins, set to be a sub against on Tuesday, explained: “Jude (Bellingham) was asking, ‘What’s your mentality because you know you’re not going to play?’

“I said I felt like there is no pressure on me to come on. People don’t see me play, obviously they see Harry playing, but I know what I can bring to the table.

“I watch the game when I’m on the bench, I can see the game opens up. It’s a completely different game when you start a game of to when you finish it.

“I’ve experienced that as a substitute. There’s so many more opportunities when you come on, a lot of people are tired, they lose focus.

“Sometimes it can be better to be a substitute than to start a game.

“The most important thing is when we’re on the bench, watch carefully what the opposition player is doing because when you come on the field, you get that opportunity to punish them.”

Meanwhile, Watkins put up a staunch defence of Belgian winger Jeremy Doku’s decision to fly home to be at the birth of his first child.

It drew criticism from French TV presenter France Pierron, who branded labour a “disgusting moment, if you’ll pardon the expression, where the dad is completely useless”, before she later apologised.

Speaking of Father’s Day, dad-of-two Watkins said: “Someone labelled it ‘disgusting’ and, for a start, that’s not a way to label a birth.

“I’ve seen what my wife had to go through with a birth and that was quite smooth-sailing but I know family-members and friends that haven’t had it that way.

“Like he said, it only happens once, your first child, welcoming them to the world is a blessing.

“There’s a lot of time when you’re away from family and friends during the season and it’s very difficult period. To miss that would be tough. I see where he’s coming from.

“He has every right to go back and be there.

“I don’t think it’s anyone else’s business what he gets up to after training.

“If he goes back and does that, I think that’s.”