In the second part of the ECHO's interview with Emile Heskey, the former footballer reflects on Gerard Houllier's treble winning team and gives his verdict on Arne Slot's side
Emile Heskey spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview as he launched the new Football Safety App
Emile Heskey spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview as he launched the new Football Safety App
View Image
Emile Heskey realised a boyhood dream when he signed for Liverpool FC in 2000. Then Reds manager Gerard Houllier made the striker the club's most expensive ever signing when he made the £11m move from Leicester City in the first year of the new Millennium.
Heskey more than repaid the faith shown by the legendary Frenchman, who sadly died five years ago today, as he was a key player in the club's famous treble winning campaign in his first full season for Liverpool. In an exclusive interview with the ECHO, Heskey said joining the Reds meant the world to him as it was the team he supported growing up.
He said: "John Barnes was my favourite player so I was a Liverpool fan from a young age. I had Villa, Spurs and a few others abroad that were interested in me. But when I knew Liverpool were interested, I knew I wanted to go there."
Heskey had experience of playing in big games, as he played at Wembley on numerous occasions for his local team, Leicester City, where he won the League Cup twice. However, he said this paled in comparison to the magnitude of playing for Liverpool.
He added: "I was used to winning things as such. But then you come to an environment where you have to win. You don't know the magnitude of a club until you go and play there.
"That was when I was realised how big Liverpool was. When you go to a club that has the history of Liverpool, there's a must to be in those cup finals and to keep winning."
The 47-year-old said it truly hit home how much wearing the Liverpool shirt meant ahead of his first Merseyside Derby when he noticed the shift in personality of his strike partner, Michael Owen.
He said: "I played against Everton for Leicester and it's a normal Premier League game, but then you come to the Merseyside Derby and that's a totally different kettle of fish.
"I knew it, but I didn't know if that makes sense. You see everyone possessed. You see Michael swearing and shouting.
"Michael hardly talks, let alone swears and shouts. You realise what it actually means."
Heskey credits his favourite memory in a Liverpool shirt to be Gary McAllister's late winner in a 3 - 2 win over Everton at Goodison Park in 2001.
This was just one of many incredible moments the former number eight enjoyed during this calendar year, which also involved lifting the Worthington Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Cup, Community Shield and Super Cup. Heskey also put in a goalscoring performance at national level when England memorably defeated Germany 5 - 1 at the Olympiastadion.
Heskey admitted making the move to such a big club comes with its pressures, but he praised the welcoming nature of people in Merseyside for why he was able to settle in so quickly. He said: "I love Scousers. I still come over every now and again. I'm in Cheshire now, but I still go to the games.
"My kids have family over there and I've still got friends over there. I love the city. The city is growing as well. It's a lot different from when I was there.
"Everyone is down to earth and everyone is welcoming. They give you an opportunity."
Heskey is grateful for this chance and said the work ethic instilled in him while growing up at Leicester helped endear himself to the Reds fanbase. He said: "Scousers will always give you a chance and will always back you if you give 110%.
"That was one of my blessings. I'd come from Leicester and wasn't allowed to give anything less than that. To then go to a club with such stature. I'd work hard. We seen it with [Darwin] Nunez [who departed the club last summer].
"Probably didn't score as many goals as what we'd like him to, but the work rate was always there so you'd back him. Liverpool and Scousers will always give you the chance as long as the effort is there."
Heskey's time in Liverpool came to an end in 2004 when he did not figure in the plans of incoming manager Rafael Benitez, which prompted him to make the move to Birmingham City. However, he remains a keen follower of the club to this day and issued his verdict on Arne Slot's side's fortunes this season.
The reigning champions have struggled with erratic form on the pitch so far this campaign, but Heskey is confident the team will be able to build on the positive form of the past two wins and gather some consistency once the new signings properly bed in.
He said: "I think they will show the price tag of what we paid for them. It'll be a bit of time. One thing with injuries is you'll never be able to show your full self or your full potential when you're injured. We've seen that with Alexander Isak. No one can deny he's a talent with what he's achieved.
"Florian Wirtz will take a little bit of time too. Players coming in from abroad take a little while to get adjusted. One thing we have to remember is this is the best and strongest league in the world.
"There's very few that can hit the ground running. Hugo Ekitike has, but I think that's just a bit of youthful energy. Especially when you're a kid, you don't overthink things. With Wirtz, he needs time to adapt and adjust to the pace of the game."
Physicality and pragmatism has taken on an increased significance in the Premier League this season and Heskey said the style of football is similar to his days in a Red shirt, when he was a central point of a robust Houllier side built on brawn and solidity.
He said: "It has to come back around doesn't it. All we're waiting for now is the 4-4-2 again. The physicality, long throws getting pumped in, corners being critical now. It will always come back around. But you've got to be ready for this. You've got to be adaptable. You've got to be mentally tuned into what it is needed."
Liverpool have trialled 4-4-2 at various points during games this season, but Heskey said this may be a more familiar sight now Mohamed Salah has departed for the African Cup of Nations. He said: "You can mix it up so much and this is the depth that Liverpool have with the squad that makes it look so good."
This traditional system is what Heskey was used to at Liverpool when he forged a formidable partnership with Owen. However, he suggested his legacy is misunderstood when people try to paint him as just a typical target man in a front two.
He said: "People look at me and say I'm 6"4, 6"5, I'm 6"1. But because I was very good in the air and I could bring the ball down, people thought I was a big striker. But I was bit different. I was a bit of a hybrid."
This misconception on Heskey's playing style goes far greater in some quarters of the internet that would bizarrely try to suggest the striker was somehow not a talented footballer. The retired England international is fortunately able to shut out such nonsense, as he has no regrets with how his career has panned out and couldn't be more secure with his legacy.
He said: "A lot of players play for themselves. I never played for myself. I played for the team. That was very important to longevity and the way we needed to play at the time.
"If I was selfish and it didn't work out, I wouldn't have got to where I've got to. I wouldn't have played the amount of games and been in the 500 Premier League Club. I wouldn't have had the trophies I've got, been to two World Cups and two Euros like I did."
Heskey was speaking to the ECHO as he launched The Football Safety App app to tackle the rise of abuse players are facing in the game. The Football Safety App is available to download now and gives anyone involved in the game a way to report abuse instantly and anonymously.
You can read the full interview with Emile Heskey on the abuse he has faced in the game and why he's standing up for change with the launch of The Football Safety App here