Emile Heskey ...living up to his marquee player tag. Source: News Limited
"Heskey for England?" was the headline of a prominent UK football website, attached to a clip of Emile Heskey's brace of goals against Melbourne Victory.
The former Liverpool striker has been a source of national amusement in England for more than a decade, largely because of his goals to games ratio - seven in 62. He once went six years without hitting the net for England.
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adelaide | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| 2 | Newcastle | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 3 | Central Coast | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 4 | Perth | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 5 | Sydney | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 6 |
| 6 | Wellington | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 7 | Brisbane | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 8 | Western Sydney | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 4 |
| 9 | Heart | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 4 |
| 10 | Victory | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 3 |
At club level it's been a little better, but it has still taken Heskey almost five games for every goal.
So, with exquisite irony, the 34-year-old has begun his A-League career in a blaze of glory, netting four in four.
England could do worse at the moment.
Heskey is demanding big media agencies back home follow him closely, probably more so than they have in the last five years.
The Sun lauded Heskey's contribution, even saying 'he's scoring so often he's got his own player cam", referring to Fox Sports' Hero Cam initiative.
The Daily Mail dedicated a major section on their website's football home page over the weekend to Heskey.
It's publicity the domestic game can only dream of. Have clubs finally got the marquee player billing right?
Heskey was the difference at Hunter Stadium last week, pouncing on his two solitary chances while Archie Thompson was the only Victory player to find the back of the net despite an abundance of chances.
Coaches such as Fabio Capello, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Martin O'Neill and Gerard Houllier ignored popular opinion to back 188cm hulk Heskey, whose game was based on being a focal point - like Mark Viduka - rather than just scoring.
Jets coach Gary van Egmond has joined his list of admirers.
"He might not have as many touches as some players, but his positioning and the way he attracts certain players ... the other players are really benefiting from that," van Egmond said.
"He is what you want from a marquee player, for sure.
"He was fantastic. He has scored four goals in four games now and that is a fantastic return.
"But he gives us a lot in other areas. He leads the line like a real No 9 and takes the opposition defence to task.
"We have a lot of good lieutenants but he is the leader. He gives confidence to the other players and brings them into the game."
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