Jaden Heskey played 20 times for The Owls last season after joining on loan from Manchester City
Jaden Heskey has ‘outgrown’ youth football and needs regular first-team action, believes his dad Emile.
Jaden spent the second-half of this season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Manchester City, making 20 Championship appearances. It was the 20-year-old’s first proper taste of senior football after making his City debut in the Carabao Cup earlier in the campaign, playing 14 minutes against Huddersfield Town. It was a proud night for the Heskey family, as Jaden featured alongside his brother Reigan.
The Owls have been credited with an interest in bringing the midfielder back to the club on a permanent deal this summer. Pep Guardiola has just left City after winning 20 trophies in 10 years so it remains to be seen whether Jaden could force his way into the thinking of the new manager, which is reported to be former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.
“First and foremost, Jaden needs to understand what Manchester City want and how he fits into their plans for next season,” Emile said. “But he needs to play first team football. He has outgrown youth football and needs to be playing where every game matters and has consequences.”
Emile Heskey is headlining a World Cup preview show at Grosvenor Casino in Sheffield this Saturday (May 30). Tickets cost £5.placeholder image
Emile Heskey is headlining a World Cup preview show at Grosvenor Casino in Sheffield this Saturday (May 30). Tickets cost £5. | Submitted
Jaden has been at City since playing for the under nine age group. Like his dad, he came through the ranks as a striker, before dropping deeper into a central midfield role, which is where Wednesday used him.
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Nineteen of his 20 outings were starts as he was propelled into a tough and demanding situation with Wednesday well adrift at the bottom and as good as relegated by that point already. It will certainly have been a learning curve for him, and his dad says he has to keep progressing.
“Jaden really enjoyed his time at Sheffield Wednesday,” Emile continued. “Naturally, it’s difficult as a young player when the club are having to move on a lot of experienced professionals because it does leave a void and can certainly impact the squad. Jaden left home for the first time in order to go and play for Wednesday, so that was a unique experience for him which he learned a lot from.
“Training in a men’s first team is also an entirely new experience. With no disrespect intended to under-18s or under-21s teams, men’s first team training has a lot more purpose and is results-driven, rather than development. He learned what it’s like to be leading in a game and having to defend that lead, and ending up on either side of a result - but having to bounce back immediately for the next match in a few days’ time.”
Emile, capped 62 by England, was speaking ahead of a special World Cup preview show he is headlining at Grosvenor Casino in Sheffield this Saturday (May 30), starting at 5pm with the Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG, followed by the live show after 7.30pm, which will be hosted by Sky Sports’ Michael Bridge. The event will give people the chance to hear exclusive stories and expert insight and analysis. Tickets cost £5 and can be bought HERE.
On Jaden’s time at The Owls, Emile added: “He reached new heights by playing in front of 33,000 plus fans on the final day at Hillsborough and experienced all the pressures and challenges that came with it. But the fans were brilliant and got behind the team - rather than booing or moving against the team - which I know made his time at the club even better.”
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