Emile Heskey: “We had a more open style of football in my day, more gung-ho” | OneFootball

Former Liverpool and England striker Emile Heskey is enjoying a very different football experience long after hanging up his boots and he has admitted the nerves can get the better of him when he watches his young sons forge a career in the sport.

Heskey enjoyed a stellar career that saw him win trophies with Leicester and Liverpool, while he also led the line for England in major tournaments.

Now he is relishing the prospect of watching his sons, Jaden and Reigan, progress through the youth team set-up at Manchester City, as he told us in an exclusive interview that he feels the tension when his boys are in action.

“It’s nerve-racking watching my sons, to be honest,” Heskey said with agamble.com.

“At first, I didn’t want them to go into football because it’s an industry that’s very tough emotionally. It can drain you.

“But they did very well in the youth team set-ups and I just let them go and enjoy their careers. It’s not my career, it’s theirs and they are very good, so I can’t hold them back.

“I can help them in some ways. I don’t get involved in tactics or any of that with them, but I can help them with some of the other parts around the game, as I experienced that.

“I try not to give them information. Let them go their own way and see where they can get to.

“Jaden is 20 and he has thrown himself right in at the deep end at Sheffield Wednesday, on loan until the end of the season.

“Wednesday are in trouble and he has to try and help them the best way he can, compete with adults and fight in the Championship. That’s not easy. Then Reigan is 18 and he is at Man City and doing well.

“My Dad has been to a couple of games now and he is enjoying watching them. These things go around in circles.

“I hope they do better than me and when I look at their football schooling, it’s a lot better than mine was.”

Heskey admits the brand of football his sons are playing is different from what he was used to in his formative days in the sport, with the possession-based football that has become the blueprint for most teams now a massive change in the English game.

“I think we had a more open style of football, maybe a bit more gung-ho,” he added.

“The game is a lot more tactical now. Every team plays out from the back and with my two boys now playing for Manchester City, I have been watching a lot of this type of football. It can be a little bit predictable, but I still enjoy it.

“Maybe it’s not as exciting as it was in my time. There were times in the past when you couldn’t take your eyes off the screen, whereas now, you can go and make a drink and come back and it will still be the methodical football being played.”

Heskey played almost 800 games in a career that also included spells with Birmingham, Wigan Aston Villa, so he had plenty of players to select from when we asked him to pick a five-a-side team from players he played alongside.

He found the challenge so tough that he asked if he was allowed to pick an extra player, with one of Sol Campbell or Rio Ferdinand starting on the bench.

David James – He was a very good keeper and I played a lot of matches with him for England. He was just a huge presence in goal and a big character as well.

Sol Campbell – A giant at the back. England were lucky to have a few great centre-backs at that time and Sol was right up there with the best.

Rio Ferdinand – It’s hard to pick between Sol and Rio. That’s why I asked if I could have an extra player in this team and if this is a five-a-side team, one of them could be on the bench.

Steven Gerrard – What a great player. We all know what he means to Liverpool fans and he is one of the best midfielders we had in England. He was an absolute animal in that midfield.

Paul Scholes – He was a fantastic player on so many levels. Technically, Scholes was so good and maybe England didn’t do enough to get the best out of him.

Michael Owen – I had a great partnership with Mo for England. When he was at his best and before his injuries, there was no one better in terms of his pace and finishing. The 5-1 win we had in Germany in 2001 was prime Michael Owen. What a performance to get a hat-trick in Germany.