- Emile Heskey has shared his thoughts on Australian football
- Heskey, 46, played two seasons at Newcastle Jets
- He says the lifestyle of footballers in Australia is “very relaxed”.
Emile Heskey has shared his thoughts on why Australia is not yet ready to become a major player in global football.
Premier League legend Heskey, 46, played for the Newcastle Jets for two seasons before returning to England to end his career with Bolton Wanderers in 2016.
Best remembered for his spells at Leicester City and Liverpool, Heskey scored 10 goals in 42 games for the Jets at a time when exciting names were heading Down Under, including Alessandro Del Piero and David Villa.
But ten years on, Australian domestic football remains a far cry from European competitions in terms of standard, and Heskey believes it all comes down to attitude.
“It’s just very, very relaxed,” he said during an Ask Me Anything Q&A on Reddit.
Emile Heskey has opened up about his time playing football in Australia
The Premier League legend said the attitude among the players was ‘very relaxed’ Down Under
‘The biggest adjustment was that in England every game means something. So your goal is to win trophies, stay in the league or get promoted.
‘While that doesn’t exist in Australia. You’re still trying to win a trophy, just like winning the league. But if you’re far away from that, you’re just playing games.
‘I discovered that players’ lifestyle determined how they played.
“So they were just happy, because that’s the happy lifestyle there.
“They had everything on their doorstep, they have the sea, they have surfing, they have swimming, everything.”
Heskey added that this lifestyle often leads to a shock to the system when players from Australia are poached by clubs in Europe.
“So it was very, very relaxing for them and so sometimes it can be a bit of a rude awakening when you come to Europe and it’s like go, go, go.
‘You have to concentrate. It’s a rude awakening for them.’