Heskey gets offloaded...

Third_Echelon

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/3720031.stm

So liverpool fans.... its official.. the awesome striker that is emile heskey has been offloaded by gerard houlier...

any thoughts on the matter... glad to see the back of him... or do you think it was the manager that turned him into a nervous wreck in front of goal?

Harry2001

Good bit of business IMO

Heskey never was and never will be a prolific striker, he's just a big lump that likes falling over a lot

A string of managers rate him though

LizardKing

He tried his best for the Pool but it was not good enough .. I wish him all the Best at Birmingham ... Himself and Clinton are pretty similar though, so Clinton might find himself warming the bench a lot ...

Hopefully Cisse will replace him and be another french sensation like Henry .. (fingers and toes crossed)

LK--<

Shred

Have to say I'm relieved (he should have been off loaded a couple of years ago) but wish him all the best at Birmingham.

Shaque attack

in fairness he did do his very best and always tracked back ( mostly too far back) and did the jobs Houllier asked him to do but he never had the confidence or imo the true skill to become a prolific striker. the move is in the best interests of Liverpool and Heskey and i hope we get a proper striker to replace him and he regains the form he had at leicster.

Devious

How in the name of God has he made the England squad for Euro 2004?!!?

johnor

Glad to see him signing for another premiership club, think he might do better at brum, pressure will be off some what....he had a good first season at liverpool, wouldnt suprise me if he hit the 10/15 mark in the premiership next year

GuanYin

as much as I think he's crap for Pool, I always thought he was decent for the foxes.

Just looking at his career statistics, his goals ratio is arguably better for pool than leicster. Go figure!

Kone

Yeeeeeeessss!

Dont be at yourself

Hurrah, and quite a bit of money for him too!

Cisse has reportedly been given the number 9 shirt for next season, so hopefully we can say bye-bye to Diouf as well.

kaimera

buh bye Emile.

tis a pity Houllier rated him so highly. Not suited to the us at all.

still tho, he should do well at Birmingham.

kick in the gonads when he'll score against us next season :dunno:

p.pete

Originally posted by syke
Just looking at his career statistics, his goals ratio is arguably better for pool than leicster. Go figure!

He was always misunderstood at pool:(

I wish him good luck for the future - he should be able to help Birmingham squeeze Liverpool out of a UEFA cup spot next season. I'm fairly confident that he will get a new lease of life away from Liverpool.

Bannor

I would have liked to see Heskey realise his potential at Liverpool but it was never likely to happen when he was being used to fill problem positions in the team by Houllier rather than as the forward leading the line like during his best season at the club. I wish him well in his future career and think that himself and Forssell will prove to be quite a handfull for Premiership defenses next season.

This was posted on a Liverpool forum yesterday. A bit of an insight by somebody who knows him.

It's 99.9% certain that Emile will leave in the summer, Birmingham City look favourites (not for footballing reasons), but at this moment in time and despite what other sites are saying - no deal has been reached or signed yet.

We share a mutual friend and have done for nearly ten years, I first met Emile just before he broke through into the Leicester side, he was mad on Liverpool then as he still is now, and about 18 months before he signed I was skitting him saying that he needed to score more goals if he wanted to sign for us (how prophetic is that ?).

When he signed for Liverpool, I received a very excited call to say that he was driving up the M6 with his agent to sign the forms (what a scoop that would have been if ynwa was around at the time). He was like a 5 year-old at Christmas multiplied by about a million times. He was embarrassed by the fee, but it was what Leicester wanted and what Liverpool were prepared to pay. He would have signed for nothing if he could. Wages were agreed in a nano second, he's not money orientated what-so-ever.

All he has ever wanted to do was play for Liverpool, and to sign was a dream come true. Michael Owen and Jamie Redknapp literally begged Houllier to get him.

Through the mutual friend I get told stuff, some I can repeat and some I can't, they both know about the site and I suppose are wary of what they say to me, but at the same time, not once have I broken their confidence and never will.

The last two years have been hard for Emile, he needed total rest or an operation last summer, in hindsight maybe he shouldn't of gone to Japan as that tournament did him no favours. So last summer his legs/ankles were shot to pieces after receiving on average quite a few kicks on them each game, when he did retaliate he was either booked or sent-off, he's not a dirty player - in fact he's too honest for his own good, and would never resort to some tactics that were played on him.

After the Carling Cup final against Manchester United, he never walked again until the Tuesday, he was that bad. But under encouragement (for want of a better word) he was playing once more through the pain barrier against Celtic 11 days later. If Emile's season had of finished then, I am confident that he wouldn't be getting sold now. When he needed rest he got told to put a kit on and play. The same thing is happening to Kewell now, and I suppose in every club in the country but it doesn't make it right.

He's well aware of the feeling of the fans towards him, but he tries to put them aside. You may say that that you pay your money so your entitled to an opinion, but believe me, some of the negative stuff towards players and the manager DOES have an effect, and it's not a positive one - food for thought for the future perhaps ?

In January Liverpool accepted a bid from Middlesbrough, and the writing was on the wall. He didn't and doesn't want to go there, but from then on he's been told that we need your wages and why don't you move, it'll be for your best. Then in the next breath he was asked to perform for the team and management that no longer wanted him. He was asked to perform infront of fans that abused and mocked every misplaced pass and missed goal, yet he did to the best of his ability and more.

He could stay for another year and leave on a Bosman, but the club is forcing to him to leave, and Emile has said that he wont do that to the club, despite everything he still loves us and if they get some money for him to help us get back to the top, then he feels he's done his part.

Liverpool will always be my club that will never change, but I suppose it's every fans dream to say that the know a player - it's a kind of kudos. Well Emile is my kudos. I will be there every season, and favourite players come and go, but with Emile going it's tinged with a lot of sadness. Tinged with the fact that I believe Houllier ruined him two seasons ago by playing him in a strange position and suffering with injuries.

I got a call today to say that a Birmingham site had announced that he'd signed, so I phoned our mutual friend and was told that if Emile had signed for anyone he would be the first to know, and I'd be next - that's how close we are.

Emile is currently out of the country until the end of the week, he flew out yesterday and spoke to our friend and said nothing about moving. Yes he has met Bruce, but that was 'a brief meeting', the talk of medicals was far from the conversation.

So at this moment in time he is still a red, but the hourglass is nearly empty. I have been promised that when he does sign for someone that we (ynwa) will get the scoop, hopefully that will happen but I'd prefer never to write that story.

In closing, I'm proud to know Emile and his friends, as a person I have met fewer people who have been nicer, more generous and genuine than the big lad. And yes, some of the criticism he gets, even on here I do take personally and sometimes have to walk away from the pc to calm down.

I will remember my birthday night out when the round came to about £85 for champagne. There's no way I could afford that so I said that when it's my round it's pints as you spend more in one round than I do a week in Asda. I was told to "Sit down ya fat c***, it's your birthday".

There will be a tear or two when he leaves, but Liverpool will always be there and I'll always be there, I just wish it would include Emile.

So that's it, disect it as you want. I've been totally candid in this post, treat it as you want.

Hobart

A decent quotation there Bannor. While it appears Emile was a nice guy, and a loyal servent to Liverpool, I see nowhere in your post where it addresses his complete lack of ability as a striker. I saw him against Newcastle last week. He was a complete shambles. However, a couple of days before, he had the best game of his Liverpool career (IMO) against Blackburn. Why? Why the total inconsistentcy? Yea he probably is a lovely guy, but he is a crap striker. Good business IMO.

The Rooster

I think the Super Cup Final v Bayern was his best performance. Also had an immense game v Arsenal in the 2003 season. But too many bad games. He played many games where he looked like he was doing his very best to avoid getting into scoring positions!

He was never helped by Houllier. Firstly by playing him out of position, and secondly rarely dropping him when he had a dip in form. Instead of giving him the required kick up the backside (the first time he got the proverbial kick was this season - and bore instant (if not prolonged!) fruit) he left him in the team to prolong the agony of both Heskey and the fans.

£6.5m is a decent amount of wedge for him. The rumour was £3.5m with extra depending on how Brum and Heskey do - but today it seems like its simply a straight 6.5m.

kida

Hope the fee is based on appearances and not goals or worse still goals per game

Third_Echelon

Originally posted by kida
Hope the fee is based on appearances and not goals or worse still goals per game

If it was based on 'time spent falling over/on backside in the box' the 6.5 million would be paid in no-time

ah poor oul emile...

Ronan|Raven

I think he will do very well at Birmingham, for one he wont be playing on the left Yes he was damn infuriating at times but tbh his being played in non striker positions didnt help him. It is the right decision to sell him however.

Bannor

Originally posted by Hobart
A decent quotation there Bannor. While it appears Emile was a nice guy, and a loyal servent to Liverpool, I see nowhere in your post where it addresses his complete lack of ability as a striker. I saw him against Newcastle last week. He was a complete shambles. However, a couple of days before, he had the best game of his Liverpool career (IMO) against Blackburn. Why? Why the total inconsistentcy? Yea he probably is a lovely guy, but he is a crap striker. Good business IMO.

I have heard several times before that Heskey has been struggling with an injury since the season before the World Cup finals in 2002. The quoted post confirms it and would explain why the player can look phenomenal in one game and be crap in a game a few days later.

The last two years have been hard for Emile, he needed total rest or an operation last summer, in hindsight maybe he shouldn't of gone to Japan as that tournament did him no favours. So last summer his legs/ankles were shot to pieces after receiving on average quite a few kicks on them each game, when he did retaliate he was either booked or sent-off, he's not a dirty player - in fact he's too honest for his own good, and would never resort to some tactics that were played on him.

After the Carling Cup final against Manchester United, he never walked again until the Tuesday, he was that bad. But under encouragement (for want of a better word) he was playing once more through the pain barrier against Celtic 11 days later. If Emile's season had of finished then, I am confident that he wouldn't be getting sold now. When he needed rest he got told to put a kit on and play. The same thing is happening to Kewell now, and I suppose in every club in the country but it doesn't make it right.

What worries me is that it appears Harry Kewell is receiving the same treatment as Heskey did while at the club, while Michael Owen is wrapped in cotton wool whenever he gets a knock. Very poor management on Houllier's part.

GuanYin

Will he really be up front tho?

This is the thing that gets me, for all his lack of goals, Morrisson actually had a very good partnership with Forsell. Forsell attributes alot of his success to Clinton.

Striker unity you might thing until you look at Forsells strike record, the only other place where he has hit the nets at the same rate as Brummie-land is Palace....and who was his strike partner at Palace? You guessed it, Chliontáin O'Mhorrisáin.

Now, Stern John is quite an able striker, in much the same mold as Heskey and Forsell is already there another year.

So why buy Heskey and where to play him?

mike65

I liked Heskey dammit! He had no "side" to him. An honest man in a game full of strikeing flash harrys, premadonnas and divers. As noted above he was the one who'd get back and dig out a ball while the Liverpool goal was under seige as others looked on hands on hips.

Sure he did'nt score as many goals as he should have but he did the dirty work, that many so-called football fans ignore, which helped Owen no end.

I wish him well at St Andrews and will give a liitle cheer
whenever he scored unless its a goal that beats Pool!

Mike.

jesus_thats_gre

Its sad to see him go, he worked his heart off for the club but his work rate alone isn't enough!! Hopefully he settles in well at Birmingham and scores a couple of goals against us!!

The while injury lark is interesting though, especially the bit about Kewell!!

Finally, isn't it great that we can get such a high sum for one of out worst performing players!! I know a certain other team in Merseyside where he would be the second highest valued player Good time indeed!!

Jivin Turkey

Wish him all the breast. Think he might do alright at Birmingham, kind of similar player to Morrison and might displace him which would be poor for Ireland.

What I have to ask though is, if Houllier was plannign to off load him in the Summer, why did he not give Baros more games? He always put Heskey in instead, thus Baros only played a handful of games after his injury, a bit of a waste keeping a better player that will be there next season on the bench.

jesus_thats_gre

Originally posted by Jivin Turkey


What I have to ask though is, if Houllier was plannign to off load him in the Summer, why did he not give Baros more games? He always put Heskey in instead, thus Baros only played a handful of games after his injury, a bit of a waste keeping a better player that will be there next season on the bench.

Just cause he is keeping him does not mean GH presently considers him a better player right now.. Just means he expects him to become a better player.

Jivin Turkey

But he never even gave Baros a chance. If he wants him to become that better player he has to give him games to let him develop.

Johnny_the_fox

i agree with bannor on the point that way Heskey was 'used' at Liverpool. Yes at times he can be a donkey of a forward.. but that has to be down to GH tbh and the way that Liverpool play atm. <which boring direct football - focusing on creating chances mainly for owen>

If you can think back to the year Liverpool won the treble - Liverpool had wide men creating chances, he scored 20+ goals for the club.. and since then Liverpool attacking style has gone out the window... and so has Heskey..

another waste of money by GH.

Dr. Dre

Completely agree with you mike65.
Further to that, I don't think Liverpool know yet how much they are going to miss him.
I would be very interested to see any stats relating to Owens goals assisted by Heskey.
Hope he does well & cannot wait to see how Owen get on next season - providing he's there and uninjured.

The Rooster

It seems a lot of people share the perception that Heksey works particularly hard. I think thats a complete and utter myth.

Sure, when he's playing out wide he'd help out at the back - but no more than most other midfielders , and when he's up front he'd always go back to defend corners (not to mention win a hellofalot of headers) but again any big centre forward does the same.

IMO when Heskey played in midfield, he did far too little work! He never busted a gut to get forward. Likewise when Liverpool broke away from defensive corners, two or three would be flying forward to try and get on the end of something - never Heskey - you'd see him ambling up around the centre circle.

Third_Echelon

Originally posted by jesus_thats_gre
I know a certain other team in Merseyside where he would be the second highest valued player Good time indeed!!

tranmere??? that wouldnt be hard.....:D

Dewey

I feel sorry for Heskey. Liverpool paid to much for him and Heskey could never live up tp the £11million price tag. But he is a hard working player and i think he could do well with Forssell. I think there will be less presure on him at Birm so i think he will do alright and who knows maybe he might even score more then 10 goals.