Emile Heskey - MON's worst signing?

[Doug]

Oh FFS - just give the guy a break.

Fair play to you Woody, you've always defended him on this site. I may be mistaken but surely your in the minority on this one??!!

I think I am, but I standby my point, that No - emile Heskey is not the greatest player in the world............................

But, you don't have a premiership/International career without being half decent. All those managers/players cant be wrong. He must bring something to the table - thats maybe not obvious to the average fan where of course goals speak volumes.

And even if people dont agree with me, he certainly doesnt deserve the level and constant and abuse he gets on here. Id half understand it if he was a Joey Barton figure, but hes clearly a nice guy who does his best.

Some people say he was at fault for not getting 4th a couple of years back.

Its just ludicrous.

I can only put such a hatred down to the fact he used to play for City. I cant see why anyone would/could hate a guy so so much simply because he doesnt score as many goals as he should.

# Not aimed at you - as im unaware of your opinion of him.

The strange thing though Woody, as you correctly point out, professional opinion within the game certainly supports your point of view or should that be point of few.

I'm with the majority of fans here in that I don't see what Heskey brings to the table apart from winning lots of set pieces & corners when we are defending. Maybe he would be better as a Central defender.

As regards hatred towards him I feel that comment is a little OTT. Obviously I can only give my own personal opinion here but I honestly feel most fans are frustrated by Heskey as opposed to hating him. As you say he is a nice guy & this shows on the pitch. Again, maybe he would be more endearing if he developed a meaner edge to his game?

Bottom line though is he is DEFINITELY not one for me.

I think a lot of fans are frustrated your right but some just hate him. Frustrated fans don't pick faults with a goal a player has scored like a lot did after Rapid -

'' Typical heskey, got in the **** way like the big lump he is '' - Thats not frustration.

'' well im pleased for 2 of the villa players that are in the world cup squad, the other I dont give a shit, I want him nowhere near my club never mind the national team '' - Thats not frustration

In fairness again though, most fans are grudging in their praise if someone they slag off regularly, suddenly happens to briefly succeed at something during a match & not just Heskey.

If it's any help to you though Woodytom, Heskey does get £60 grand a week for all the abuse he gets so I wouldn't shed too many tears for him. Again too, and too his credit he appears to take it all in his stride & he doesn't hide as a lesser character might .

I am one of his biggest critics but nothing would give me more pleasure than Emile making me eat my words.

Not gonna happen though is it?

[Woodytom]

Oh FFS - just give the guy a break.

Fair play to you Woody, you've always defended him on this site. I may be mistaken but surely your in the minority on this one??!!

I think I am, but I standby my point, that No - emile Heskey is not the greatest player in the world............................

But, you don't have a premiership/International career without being half decent. All those managers/players cant be wrong. He must bring something to the table - thats maybe not obvious to the average fan where of course goals speak volumes.

And even if people dont agree with me, he certainly doesnt deserve the level and constant and abuse he gets on here. Id half understand it if he was a Joey Barton figure, but hes clearly a nice guy who does his best.

Some people say he was at fault for not getting 4th a couple of years back.

Its just ludicrous.

I can only put such a hatred down to the fact he used to play for City. I cant see why anyone would/could hate a guy so so much simply because he doesnt score as many goals as he should.

# Not aimed at you - as im unaware of your opinion of him.

The strange thing though Woody, as you correctly point out, professional opinion within the game certainly supports your point of view or should that be point of few.

I'm with the majority of fans here in that I don't see what Heskey brings to the table apart from winning lots of set pieces & corners when we are defending. Maybe he would be better as a Central defender.

As regards hatred towards him I feel that comment is a little OTT. Obviously I can only give my own personal opinion here but I honestly feel most fans are frustrated by Heskey as opposed to hating him. As you say he is a nice guy & this shows on the pitch. Again, maybe he would be more endearing if he developed a meaner edge to his game?

Bottom line though is he is DEFINITELY not one for me.

I think a lot of fans are frustrated your right but some just hate him. Frustrated fans don't pick faults with a goal a player has scored like a lot did after Rapid -

'' Typical heskey, got in the **** way like the big lump he is '' - Thats not frustration.

'' well im pleased for 2 of the villa players that are in the world cup squad, the other I dont give a shit, I want him nowhere near my club never mind the national team '' - Thats not frustration

In fairness again though, most fans are grudging in their praise if someone they slag off regularly, suddenly happens to briefly succeed at something during a match & not just Heskey.

If it's any help to you though Woodytom, Heskey does get £60 grand a week for all the abuse he gets so I wouldn't shed too many tears for him. Again too, and too his credit he appears to take it all in his stride & he doesn't hide as a lesser character might .

I am one of his biggest critics but nothing would give me more pleasure than Emile making me eat my words.

Not gonna happen though is it?

yep the 60gs is a bonus, and fair play to him. Laughing on his way to the bank

[villa89]

Harewood, Shorey, Beye, Downing, Sidwell, Davies,NRC have all been worse signings (so far) given their relative performances/transfer fees/wages/re-sale value.

[Doug]

Oh FFS - just give the guy a break.

Fair play to you Woody, you've always defended him on this site. I may be mistaken but surely your in the minority on this one??!!

I think I am, but I standby my point, that No - emile Heskey is not the greatest player in the world............................

But, you don't have a premiership/International career without being half decent. All those managers/players cant be wrong. He must bring something to the table - thats maybe not obvious to the average fan where of course goals speak volumes.

And even if people dont agree with me, he certainly doesnt deserve the level and constant and abuse he gets on here. Id half understand it if he was a Joey Barton figure, but hes clearly a nice guy who does his best.

Some people say he was at fault for not getting 4th a couple of years back.

Its just ludicrous.

I can only put such a hatred down to the fact he used to play for City. I cant see why anyone would/could hate a guy so so much simply because he doesnt score as many goals as he should.

# Not aimed at you - as im unaware of your opinion of him.

The strange thing though Woody, as you correctly point out, professional opinion within the game certainly supports your point of view or should that be point of few.

I'm with the majority of fans here in that I don't see what Heskey brings to the table apart from winning lots of set pieces & corners when we are defending. Maybe he would be better as a Central defender.

As regards hatred towards him I feel that comment is a little OTT. Obviously I can only give my own personal opinion here but I honestly feel most fans are frustrated by Heskey as opposed to hating him. As you say he is a nice guy & this shows on the pitch. Again, maybe he would be more endearing if he developed a meaner edge to his game?

Bottom line though is he is DEFINITELY not one for me.

I think a lot of fans are frustrated your right but some just hate him. Frustrated fans don't pick faults with a goal a player has scored like a lot did after Rapid -

'' Typical heskey, got in the **** way like the big lump he is '' - Thats not frustration.

'' well im pleased for 2 of the villa players that are in the world cup squad, the other I dont give a shit, I want him nowhere near my club never mind the national team '' - Thats not frustration

In fairness again though, most fans are grudging in their praise if someone they slag off regularly, suddenly happens to briefly succeed at something during a match & not just Heskey.

If it's any help to you though Woodytom, Heskey does get £60 grand a week for all the abuse he gets so I wouldn't shed too many tears for him. Again too, and too his credit he appears to take it all in his stride & he doesn't hide as a lesser character might .

I am one of his biggest critics but nothing would give me more pleasure than Emile making me eat my words.

Not gonna happen though is it?

yep the 60gs is a bonus, and fair play to him. Laughing on his way to the bank

AGREED!

[GarethRDR]

Would I want to sit down and have a pint and chinwag with 'onest Emile? Absolutely (certainly more so then the commune of c*ntery that is "modern footballers"). Would I then invite him to join my Sunday league team? No chance. I still hold the faint hope that he might have a Zamoraesque goal-glut of a season at some point, alas it is the faintest of hopes though (and ever-fading).

[Chindie]

I'm not Heskey's biggest fan (although I do think he can offer us something in the brief moments it all clicks), and he certainly wasn't with hindsight a good buy, but I don't think he's the worst of MON's reign. He;s up there though.

I'd shove NRC as the worst.

[paulanddonya]

This may be contraversial but I am going to say not only the worst of MON

But the worst signing in my 30yrs of watching Villa.

here me out. I am not talking about the quality of player - of course we have signed worse players.

But for where we are, and what consequence it had on the club, I can only liken it to the "non-signing" of juninho to how it killed us.

We were 3rd, in fact if i remember, we were 2 points of top, 5 in front of Arsneal, with a game in hand.

We desperately needed a gaolscorer and there were many available, Crouch went to Pompey, as did the one we should have bought at that time - Defoe, Bent was available - and many others.

We bought Heskey , Arsenal bought Arshavin - and the rest my friends - is what they call history.

Absolutely catastrphic signing that - and I said 3 yrs ago "Will cost us the next 5 years !" - and people couldn't see it.

Those who saw january 2000 - and Juninho - could !

[Richard]

This may be contraversial but I am going to say not only the worst of MON

But the worst signing in my 30yrs of watching Villa.

here me out. I am not talking about the quality of player - of course we have signed worse players.

But for where we are, and what consequence it had on the club, I can only liken it to the "non-signing" of juninho to how it killed us.

We were 3rd, in fact if i remember, we were 2 points of top, 5 in front of Arsneal, with a game in hand.

We desperately needed a gaolscorer and there were many available, Crouch went to Pompey, as did the one we should have bought at that time - Defoe, Bent was available - and many others.

We bought Heskey , Arsenal bought Arshavin - and the rest my friends - is what they call history.

Absolutely catastrphic signing that - and I said 3 yrs ago "Will cost us the next 5 years !" - and people couldn't see it.

Those who saw january 2000 - and Juninho - could !

What about those that saw the signing of Cascarino as an even worse signing due to the fact that our position at that time was even stronger?

Heskey is an awful signing, for me up there as one of the worst under MON but worst in the last 30 years? You're having a tin bath mate

[daft]

Dear lord, Heskey really gets the blame for just about everything. Where was he December 26 2004? Bet he did a belly flop in a warm ocean somewhere...

[paulanddonya]

Naargh, cascarino - I know he gets the blame but the truth of it was that we did not have experience, against a Liverpool team that had won basically everything in 15 yrs.

We bottled it, they didn't. The signing of Cascarino certainly didn't help, but it wasn't the over-riding factor.

Heskey / Arshavin - were !

^^^^

Well he threw his big lumbersome frame to the floor so much - you may have a point !

[sidcow]

I would put Davies as he cost us so much. He has hardly played and not looked worth the fee when he has played. Especially as he was brought in around the same time as another young English central defender was sold for about half the fee and is now in the England squad.

Like or hate Heskey, MON has usilised him a great deal in his time at the club.

Edit - However Heskey was indeed a very poor signing, one of the worst but just not THE worst for me.

[Woodytom]

This may be contraversial but I am going to say not only the worst of MON

But the worst signing in my 30yrs of watching Villa.

here me out. I am not talking about the quality of player - of course we have signed worse players.

But for where we are, and what consequence it had on the club, I can only liken it to the "non-signing" of juninho to how it killed us.

We were 3rd, in fact if i remember, we were 2 points of top, 5 in front of Arsneal, with a game in hand.

We desperately needed a gaolscorer and there were many available, Crouch went to Pompey, as did the one we should have bought at that time - Defoe, Bent was available - and many others.

We bought Heskey , Arsenal bought Arshavin - and the rest my friends - is what they call history.

Absolutely catastrphic signing that - and I said 3 yrs ago "Will cost us the next 5 years !" - and people couldn't see it.

Those who saw january 2000 - and Juninho - could !

You seem oblivious to the fact that Darren Bent and Defoe and Crouch wouldnt have cost 3m.

What about Bosko Balaban?

Crouch/Defoe did not go to Portsmouth that transfer window.

Listen, we obviously disagree on a lot of things, but with all due respect - you dont half talk tripe

[Neil]

You seem oblivious to the fact that Darren Bent and Defoe and Crouch wouldnt have cost 3m.

I'm not sure 3mil was the limit of the kitty at the time? Wasnt lerner saying there was money to be spent, at that time? Fact is there was far better players out there who went to lesser teams at the time, much better buys.

I'll throw something else out there, the reported ridiculously high wage heskeys stuck on...and the fact we want to reduce our wage bill. Who on earth can we offload him to now, nobody is going to match the contractual obligation we've gotten ourselves into and I can't see Heskey forfeiting it as he would surely be mad too?

So now we are stuck with a useless player who is bumping up our wage bill "problem". Thanks to Mon.

[brummybloke]

You seem oblivious to the fact that Darren Bent and Defoe and Crouch wouldnt have cost 3m.

What about Bosko Balaban?

Crouch/Defoe did not go to Portsmouth that transfer window.

Listen, we obviously disagree on a lot of things, but with all due respect - you dont half talk tripe

Heskey who was on a free 4 months later?

Not the worst signing, a rubbish one on it's own merits though.

Worst is saludfude utter waste of everything. At least we got games out of the rest.

[AshVilla]

what about Vaclav Drobny...

[DelboyVilla]

Mmmm of MON worst signing, can't decide between Heskey or Sidders?? Both shite and on very high wages?

[Zatman]

This may be contraversial but I am going to say not only the worst of MON

But the worst signing in my 30yrs of watching Villa.

here me out. I am not talking about the quality of player - of course we have signed worse players.

But for where we are, and what consequence it had on the club, I can only liken it to the "non-signing" of juninho to how it killed us.

We were 3rd, in fact if i remember, we were 2 points of top, 5 in front of Arsneal, with a game in hand.

We desperately needed a gaolscorer and there were many available, Crouch went to Pompey, as did the one we should have bought at that time - Defoe, Bent was available - and many others.

We bought Heskey , Arsenal bought Arshavin - and the rest my friends - is what they call history.

Absolutely catastrphic signing that - and I said 3 yrs ago "Will cost us the next 5 years !" - and people couldn't see it.

Those who saw january 2000 - and Juninho - could !

You seem oblivious to the fact that Darren Bent and Defoe and Crouch wouldnt have cost 3m.

What about Bosko Balaban?

Crouch/Defoe did not go to Portsmouth that transfer window.

Listen, we obviously disagree on a lot of things, but with all due respect - you dont half talk tripe

Defoe went Spurs in that window so was available

[saturdaygig]

Interesting to see mention of Bosko. Because there was a player with good pedigree and it was a mystery why he didn't play. With Heskey, the mystery is why he does play. I think the problem is the amount he plays rather than him being a bad signing as such - when he came I thought he would be cover for Carew, never first choice.

[cbr600rr]

was davis good value at 10 million pounds? NO! ,heskey was a waste of 3 million pounds, & have we seen a 12 MILLION pound player in downing? thats 25 MILLION POUNDS OF POOR PLAYERS.

[steaknchips]

paulanddonya

A good post mate and not contaversial at all..How much did that simple switch cost us as a club? If only we could go back in time and try the "without Heskey method".