Eriksson handed £10m to land Heskey and Given

[The Deacon]

I can't believe this would be a step forward for the club. I'm all in favour of Sven bringing in players he has worked with before (Vassell, Bamba, Schmeichel etc) but bringing Emile back smacks of nostalgia rather than common sense

 

[bocadillo]

I can't believe this would be a step forward for the club. I'm all in favour of Sven bringing in players he has worked with before (Vassell, Bamba, Schmeichel etc) but bringing Emile back smacks of nostalgia rather than common sense

That's one of the reasons it isn't going to happen.

 

[TornadoShaunUK]

What about when Otto Rehhagel went back for a second spell at Werder Bremen?

Then there's that time Paul Dickov went back for a second spell at Leicester City.

More to the point though, I'm not keen on Heskey either. He was excellent for us when he still had a bit of speed and knew how to finish, and he was decent for some of his Liverpool days but I think he has been crap ever since. Slow, clumsy, poor finisher and we have someone who is better in the air in Howard so I don't see what he can offer that would be worth the wages we'd probably have to pay out.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Then there's that time Paul Dickov went back for a second spell at Leicester City.

What's your point? One example doesn't mean "Never." I used an example which turned out to be one of the shrewdest managerial appointments in the history of European football.

To use a more modern example. What about Gerard Pique going back to Barcelona?

More to the point though, I'm not keen on Heskey either. He was excellent for us when he still had a bit of speed and knew how to finish, and he was decent for some of his Liverpool days but I think he has been crap ever since. Slow, clumsy, poor finisher and we have someone who is better in the air in Howard so I don't see what he can offer that would be worth the wages we'd probably have to pay out.

I know I wasn't very old when Heskey was here first time round, so maybe my memory isn't as clear as those who were old enough to appreciate him, but is this really how people remember Heskey first time round? I'm not saying he didn't have his strengths as a player and wasn't important to the way we played (i.e. hoofball), but I remember that he was clumsy and used to fall over extremely easily, breaking up many, many of our attacks in doing so when he was here. I also remember people constantly criticising his poor finishing with the usual "couldn't hit a barn door" cliches.

 

[TornadoShaunUK]

What's your point? One example doesn't mean "Never." I used an example which turned out to be one of the shrewdest managerial appointments in the history of European football.

To use a more modern example. What about Gerard Pique going back to Barcelona?

Calm down lad! I never said returning players are never very good, it was purely meant as a sarcastic/comedy reference about Dickov. However in our club's experience in particular, I'd suggest returning players probably never have been half as good on their second visits! Atleast none that I can remember in my time as a Leicester fan.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Personally, I just think that it's simply a case that when players go back to their old clubs they are more often than nor past their primes anyway. I don't agree with this never go back business and I don't think the fact that a few individual players who've come back to us past their primes for us in the past have been poor should say anything about whether or not we should bring other individual players back now and how good they will be if we do. If a player is good enough, he's good enough, if a player is past it, he's past it (fwiw, I don't think Heskey coming here now would be very good for us at all, especially given the style of football we play).

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

I think it was summed up earlier as an expensive version of Howard.
But then there is also the wider view to take of what the name might bring in terms of attracting more fans back etc. Even if he is past his best, most fans have fond memories of him and are grateful that like Gary Lineker and others, he put his hand in his pocket to rescue the club.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

I think it was summed up earlier as an expensive version of Howard.
But then there is also the wider view to take of what the name might bring in terms of attracting more fans back etc. Even if he is past his best, most fans have fond memories of him and are grateful that like Gary Lineker and others, he put his hand in his pocket to rescue the club.

Spending that same money on players who will get us back in to the Premier League will bring a lot more fans back a lot more quickly.

I can't imagine getting Heskey back would bring back many fans anyway.

 

[bocadillo]

Personally, I just think that it's simply a case that when players go back to their old clubs they are more often than nor past their primes anyway.

Tommy Wright seemed like a different player when he came back.

 

[bocadillo]

I can't imagine getting Heskey back would bring back many fans anyway.

If we start to do well, I can't see that there will be too many empty seats left to fill

 

[Blaarev]

Tommy Wright seemed like a different player when he came back.

 

[Blue Maniac]

Tommy Wright seemed like a different player when he came back.

:icon_lol:

 

[SJN-Fox]

Shay Given about to sign for Villa ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14186000.stm

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

Shame. Would have preferred him to Kasper. Maybe they will help us out with part of Heskey's wages to offload him to us to reduce their own escalating wage bill.

 

[SJN-Fox]

Maybe they'll just keep Heskey and save us the hassle.

 

[Mawsley]

Shay Given about to sign for Villa ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14186000.stm

There goes a man with absolutely no ambition.

 

[okie fox]

I know I wasn't very old when Heskey was here first time round, so maybe my memory isn't as clear as those who were old enough to appreciate him, but is this really how people remember Heskey first time round? I'm not saying he didn't have his strengths as a player and wasn't important to the way we played (i.e. hoofball), but I remember that he was clumsy and used to fall over extremely easily, breaking up many, many of our attacks in doing so when he was here. I also remember people constantly criticising his poor finishing with the usual "couldn't hit a barn door" cliches.

You obviously don't remember the Heskey that used to run at defenders and gave Argentina a torrid time: see
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/654325.stm
http://www.gabrielbatistuta.net/friendly/afa_news02252000b.html

 

[Profondo Rosso]

What does some reports about how he ran at defenders in one game have to do with his finishing ability and how often he got too easily pushed off the ball?

 

[jb5000]

There goes a man with absolutely no ambition.

There goes a man who is not quite as good as others would have you beleive. There's a reason none of the big four ever put a bid in for him. Villa, Newcastle, Man City when they were on the up, that's his true level.

 

[okie fox]

What does some reports about how he ran at defenders in one game have to do with his finishing ability and how often he got too easily pushed off the ball?

Admittedly, he has never been a natural goalscorer, but I think you are underestimating how good he used to be at times (e.g., LCFC 5 Sunderland 2; Germany 1 England 5). You portray him as a clumsy clown who fell over and gave the ball away all the time. This is far from the truth.