Emile Heskey
Monday, 21 January, 2008
He was brought back into the team in September after an absence of three years.
Emile Heskey
DOB 11.01.78
2007 Caps 2, Goals 0
Career Caps 45, Goals 5
Wigan Athletic
What a bittersweet year 2007 proved to be for burly, bustling forward Emile Heskey. The Wigan star, who turned 30 on January 11, was called up to face Israel in September after 37 months in the international wilderness.
And, having been in Steve McClaren's eleven, he played so impressively alongside his old Liverpool strike-partner Michael Owen that he also started against Russia four days later.
Both matches were at Wembley; both ended 3-0; and Heskey's unselfish play enabled his former England U18 team-mate Owen to score three goals.
Against Israel Heskey headed down to Owen before the diminutive forward cracked the ball in the net to ensure the result for one of the most memorable goals of the qualifying campaign. Rarely has a player proved such a good foil for Owen - the player who could be on course to overtake Bobby Charlton's all-time record of 49 goals for England.
Such was the Leicester trainee's imprint on those two crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers that, despite the return from injury of Wayne Rooney, there was a clamour for Heskey to retain his place in the team and pundits were running out of superlatives.
As cruel fate would have it, McClaren was never forced to decide between the two players as Heskey suffered a freak injury upon his return to Wigan in a Premier League game against Fulham.
Having received a hero's welcome by the Latics' faithful, Heskey lasted only nine minutes before breaking a metatarsal - the forward was merely running for the ball when he sustained the injury.
As a result Heskey was sidelined for two months and missed out on the remainder of England's Euro 2008 qualifiers, but one can only imagine what difference he would have made.
"I never thought my chance had gone. I can't really think like that, I always believed in my ability, so you've just got to wait for the manager when he needs you. It was nice to get back out on the field for England. I knew I could fit back into the side. There was pressure on us going into the games but we tried to remain relaxed and it showed on the pitch." Emile Heskey
"Emile was a huge plus and proved what a handful he can be for defenders. I lost count of the number of chances he created and I was pleased for him because he has been out in the wilderness for a long time. But he you can what a talented and effective player he can be." Rio Ferdinand