Former Real Madrid coach Jose Antonio Camacho says the signing of England striker Michael Owen had contributed to his decision to quit in September.

　　Camacho, who resigned after just four months in the post, told sports daily Marca yesterday that he had been unhappy at not being able to exert full control at the club.

　　"I didn't ask for Owen, although I said that I would not get in the way. Xabi Alonso was an option, but the priorities were (Arsenal's) Vieira and (then AS Roma player) Emerson," said Camacho. "When I am coaching I want to organize things, and here (at Real Madrid) I could not do that as I would have liked and so I decided to leave."

　　Among the proposals Real Madrid turned down was for players to eat lunch at the training ground so they could work in the afternoon, he said.

　　Former Liverpool frontman Owen, who joined the club's "galacticos" in August, has scored five goals in six games after struggling to make an impact in his early weeks in Madrid.

　　Real's stuttering start to the season was another factor in Camacho walking away, saying he was incapable of getting the most out of an expensively assembled squad.

　　Camacho, who also had a 23-day spell as Real coach in 1998, says that he is unlikely to get another chance at the Bernabeu.

　　"I don't think I will have a third opportunity to train Real Madrid," he said.

　　Owen, meanwhile, believes he has overcome difficulties related to his transfer from Liverpool and expects his recent scoring streak to continue.

　　"Goals come naturally to me. I've always scored for Liverpool and for England and I'm going to get them for Real Madrid too. I feel comfortable scoring in a team like Real Madrid," Owen told Marca yesterday.

　　"Although a couple of months ago I went through a tough time because I was looking for a house and the family had to get acclimatized, now everything's going better just like I hoped. I hope it keeps improving because I'm really enjoying it," he said.

　　The England striker said the speed of his transfer contributed to his early problems.

　　(Reuters/AP)